Wildlife calendar June

Summer is in full swing, with Midsummer Day officially heralded on 21 June.

Wild flowers in bloom this month are the dog rose, enchanters nightshade, foxglove, self heal and honeysuckle. The yellow-horned poppy can be found near the sea in shingle and sand dunes, and big creamy elder blooms light up the roadsides, peaking around the time of the summer solstice. The rare wild gladiolus grows among bracken on the edge of the ancient pasture woodlands - the New Forest is the only place in Britain where you will find it.

Wander along the banks of a Forest stream or river and you might see beautiful demoiselles and banded demoiselles take to the air. These damselflies emerge in early June; by mid-June all damselfly species have emerged as adults. Heathland pools are another good place to see damselflies and dragonflies.

Tall flag irises fleck the wetland fringes with bright yellow flowers. Gypsywort, watermint, water forget-me-not and brooklime are all attractive small plants that can be found on the wet edges.

Trees are now all fully in leaf. Most lose their spring freshness by the beginning of the month, with the bright green exchanged for a darker and mellower hue.

The birds sing less now as the breeding season is at its height and adults are busy finding enough food to satisfy their nestlings. Watch out for house martins catching insects on the wing to feed their young in large cup-like mud nests under the eves of houses. They can be distinguished from swifts by their white bellies and stubbier bodies. Swallows skim low over pastures and meadows.

The warmth of midsummer nights will wake up nocturnal creatures such as moths, badgers and bats. A dappling of white spots develops on the flanks of fallow deer, which produce their fawns in June.

Visit the June photo gallery to see some of the above.