BBC Wildlife Magazine - Nature & Animals

Weird fungi: 6 of the strangest fungi you could encounter | Discover Wildlife

Fungi can be very strange. Here's our round-up of some of the weirdest fungi on the planet.

Weirdest fungi in the world: 6 of the strangest fungi you could encounter | Discover Wildlife

Fungi can be very strange. Here's our round-up of some of the weirdest fungi on the planet.

Britain’s largest insects: which insect can be crowned the UK's largest? | Discover Wildlife

The charity Buglife takes a look at the contenders for the UK's biggest insects

How do bees make honey? A step-by-step guide to the fascinating process bees have carried out for thousands of years | Discover Wildlife

Do you ever think about how bees make the tasty honey you enjoy on your toast? Stuart Blackman gives a step-by-step guide to this rather sophisticated production line

What's the smallest mammal in the world? | Discover Wildlife

There are two contenders for the title of smallest mammal says Stuart Blackman, it depends how you’re measuring it.

Largest insects in the world | Discover Wildlife

Given the sheer variety of insects in the world it is difficult to name the largest, says the charity Buglife, but here are our contenders for the world's biggest insects

What's the most dangerous animal in Africa? | Discover Wildlife

James Fair takes a look at the contenders for Africa's most dangerous animal

Star-nosed mole: how its freaky nose is the most sensitive in the animal kingdom | Discover Wildlife

The freakish, tentacled snout of the star-nosed mole Condylura cristata may look funny, but it’s nothing to laugh at. It could be the most skilled sniffer under the sun – even when underwater.

How do owls hunt at night? | Discover Wildlife

Just how are owls able to hunt efficiently at night? Mike Toms explains

Bird Photographer of the Year 2023 winners announced | Discover Wildlife

View the amazing winning photographs from this year's Bird Photographer of the Year competition

Grasshoppers vs crickets: what's the difference between these jumping insects? | Discover Wildlife

Grasshoppers and crickets can look very similar despite belonging to different branches of the family tree. Professor Karim Vahed explains how to tell them apart.

How big are beetles? | Discover Wildlife

From 0.3mm to 17cm beetles come in a huge variety of sizes

What happens to dead whales?  | Discover Wildlife

Ever wondered what happens when a whale dies in the ocean? Joanna Bagniewska explains

Why do beetles come in a variety of shapes? | Discover Wildlife

Beetles are arguably the most important and diverse organisms on Earth. Richard Jones takes a look at the assortment of shapes they come in

Can wildlife trade ever be beneficial? A look at its positive side | Discover Wildlife

Not all trade in wildlife is harmful – in fact the opposite can be true, says James Fair

Is peat renewable? | Discover Wildlife

Should peat be classed as a renewable source? Not at the speed it takes to form says Christian Dunn

National animal of Japan | Discover Wildlife

Japan has two colourful national animals - a national bird and a national fish - but what are they?

What do beetles eat? | Discover Wildlife

Richard Jones takes a look at the diet of beetles

Where do beetles live? | Discover Wildlife

Beetles live everywhere says Richard Jones, from cracks in coastal rocks to caves and even fresh water

Autotomy explained: how and why some animals shed body parts so they can grow a replacement | Discover Wildlife

Just how are some animals able to regrow lost limbs and other body parts?

Grasshopper facts | Discover Wildlife

Do birds have teeth? | Discover Wildlife

Why don't birds have teeth? And did they ever have teeth? Stuart Blackman explains

Lizard vs newt: what's the difference? | Discover Wildlife

Newts and lizards can be mistaken for each other, despite being very different. This guide, from Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, explains how to tell them apart.

Football teams named after animals | Discover Wildlife

The Lionesses are the pride of England, but many other women's international football teams are also named after animals...

What's the world’s longest bird migration? | Discover Wildlife

Two summers a year? Yes please! Meet the bird that, thanks to its mammoth migration, enjoys two summers a year

How does an alligator hold its breath underwater for so long? | Discover Wildlife

Laura Kojima explains how alligators are able to stay submerged underwater without breathing for hours at a time

Why are some young birds bigger than their parents? | Discover Wildlife

Just why do some young birds bigger than their parents? Mike Toms explains

Squid vs octopus: what's the difference between these multiple limbed sea creatures? | Discover Wildlife

Although squid and octopuses have a good deal in common, they are quite different, as Helen Scales explains

How to identify mammal bones on the seashore | BBC Wildlife Magazine | Discover Wildlife

Mammal expert Steve Harris discusses which mammal bones you might find washed ashore, and how to identify them.

Crane fly and daddy longlegs facts | Discover Wildlife

We take a look at crane flies, a gangly fly that is also known as daddy longlegs in the UK

Is the sun's glare a problem for animals?  | Discover Wildlife

We take a look at how the sun's glare can affect animals - for better and worse

Raccoon facts: size, diet, habitat - and why they're so good at living in cities | Discover Wildlife

Learn all about the raccoon, from size and diet to how they became slick city dwellers, including one enterprising individual who scaled a 25-storey Minnesota high-rise

What's the largest ant colony in the world? | Discover Wildlife

How one super-sized ant colony could house half a billion ants

What are Judas animals? | Discover Wildlife

We take a look at how Judas animals are used to help safeguard native biodiversity

Australia’s earless dragon is so rare it was thought extinct, until two ecologists came across one in the wild | Discover Wildlife

A Critically Endangered reptile known only to occur in the grasslands around Melbourne has been spotted for the first time in more than 50 years

What are halteres? Why some insects swapped their second pair of wings for rotating dumbbells called halteres | Discover Wildlife

We take a look at how halteres help aid an insect's flight

Iceland's whaling is internationally condemned. Could this latest decision offer hope for fin whales? | Discover Wildlife

The groundbreaking decision by the Icelandic government lasts until late August and could spell the end of whaling in the country

Why do some frogs have five legs? | Discover Wildlife

Yep you have heard that right - some frogs appear to have five legs.... Jules Howard explains why

How to identify wildlife paths and beds | Discover Wildlife

Tall vegetation in midsummer makes it easy to spot the regular paths that wild animals take - and where they rested.

Alcohol-loving hummingbirds drink and fly. But a new study shows they know their limits | Discover Wildlife

New research reveals that the Anna's hummingbird can function under the influence – up to a point