Witton-le-Wear, County Durham: This non-native fixture of the English countryside is much maligned, but they are of increasing importance to our bees

Porlock, Somerset: Only hungry horseflies and a young buzzard disturb the peace, while the deep green has taken on a blue glint

Abbeyleix Bog, County Laois, Ireland: I was sceptical about whether this valuable but struggling habitat would be restored in my lifetime. I’m delighted to be proved wrong

Ardersier, Moray Firth: I’ve come all the way from south Devon and my colleague from the Outer Hebrides, such is the dearth of thatchers in Scotland now

Golden Valley, Herefordshire: I venture out with just a sleeping bag, as part of a spiritual discipline that pivots on a deep affection for our flora and fauna

Northam Burrows, Devon: Normally noted for their jump-jet takeoffs, this one is grounded, in among the wind-blown grasses, utterly still

The Marches, a border: In such a grim year for insects, there are at least soldier beetles and a delicate troop of mayflies to speak of

Langstone, Havant: This curious behaviour is one I witnessed this week in my garden

Green Beach, Sefton coast, Merseyside: It was a glorious day in a biodiversity hotspot that’s full of different habitats – where were they all?

Deerness Valley, County Durham: So many of these insects succumb to the rolled-up newspaper, but they are worth a closer look

Hingston Down, Tamar valley, Cornwall: Masses of tangled bramble suggests a heavy crop of blackberries, and ‘wet May brings lots of hay’ has proved to be true

Sandy, Bedfordshire: There’s so much to take in, watching them carve through the air, close cousins but with such different techniques

Combs Moss, Derbyshire: Watching an oak eggar moth is hard enough, with its jinking, unpredictable flight. Somehow, hobbies hunt them

19 July 1974: The grove of ancient yew trees formed a canopy so dense that no sunlight entered