When it catches up with its prey, it stops for a millisecond to zero in, then pounces like a tiger. Want to hear about the things we're doing to help Heath Tiger Beetles? Join our free newsletter at www.speciesrecoverytrust.org.uk 🙌🙏🐯🪲

Meet the Heath Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sylvatica), a fierce, chocolate-brown predator and one of the UK's speediest insects. It sprints so fast its brain can't process what it's seeing, so it has to stop, reset its vision, then sprint again.

This beetle runs so fast it goes blind 💨 A thread for our #SpeciesOfTheWeek ⤵️

The species accounts cover all the common things you’re likely to find, with images of key features, and the book includes sedges and rushes too - so you’re all set!

Check out our field guide for grasses, sedges and rushes. It has user-friendly ways of narrowing down your species, as well as flow charts for different habitats so it’s easy to pin down common species

Looking to improve your grass ID? 🌿 Here's a thread you might be interested in... ⤵️

Want to know what we're doing to get things just right for Goldilocks Aster? Join our free newsletter at www.speciesrecoverytrust.org.uk 🙌📚🌿

But limestone grassland is naturally dry, open and nutrient-poor, making it perfect for wildflowers. Juuuuust right.

Shady places are no good either. Too damp. Too dark.

It can't compete with other plants when the soil is rich in nutrients.

Meet Goldilocks Aster (Galatella linosyris), a rare wildflower with dense clusters of golden-yellow flowers

Too rich. Too shady. Juuust right. A thread ⤵️ #SpeciesOfTheWeek

Exciting news for Field Cow-wheat in Wiltshire! Here’s Dom to tell you more… @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social

Curious how we’re helping Downy Woundwort? Join our free newsletter at www.speciesrecoverytrust.org.uk 🙌📚🌿

It also puts off hungry animals!

That soft, silvery fuzz isn’t for show though, it reflects UV light and helps retain moisture during drought

Meet Downy Woundwort (Stachys germanica), one of the UK’s fluffiest wildflowers

Why is this plant wearing a jumper? #SpeciesOfTheWeek

Want to help write a better ending for Spiked Rampion? Join our free newsletter at www.speciesrecoverytrust.org.uk 🙌📚🌿

Today, the real fairy tale is finding one - it now survives in just a handful of places in the UK.

The witch demanded the baby in return and named her Rapunzel (after the plant)…then locked her in a tower

So her husband stole some from a witch’s garden. But he got caught.

According to the fairy tale, a pregnant woman found herself craving its edible roots

In old European folklore, ‘Rapunzel’ wasn’t a girl - it was this plant

This is Spiked Rampion (Phyteuma spicatum), a rare , chaotically beautiful woodland wildflower

This plant gave Rapunzel her name… 👀⤵️ #SpeciesOfTheWeek

Want to know about the work we’re doing to help Field Cow-wheat? Join our free quarterly newsletter at www.speciesrecoverytrust.org.uk 🙌📚🌿

The seed germinates, feeding on the big pile of ant poo! 💩

When they’ve licked it all up, they deposit the seed in their dark underground waste chamber

The ants carry the seeds home to their nests to feed the oil to their hungry grubs