This Water Vole is part of a series commissioned by

University of Derby’s Nature Connectedness Research Group for The River Derwent.

The water vole is under serious threat from habitat loss and predation by the American mink. Found along our waterways, it is similar-looking to the brown rat, but with a blunt nose, small ears and furry tail.

(find out more from The Wildlife Trusts)

With many thanks to artist, photographer and author, Christine Gregory, such a font of knowledge on Water Voles as well as Brown Hares.

Christine's book on the Water Vole.

Producer, Presenter: annabel@annabelross.com

Illustrations by Annabazyl www.fiverr.com/annabazyl

The bee-flies are out and about in the UK doing their crazy, cool hovering displays and they're great mimickers of bumble bees. But, don't be fooled, wait until you hear about what they do with their babies...

If you head outside on a warm spring day, you might be lucky enough to spot one of these tiny, fluffy, flying narwhales or hear its high-pitched hum before you see it.

With many thanks to Dr Erica McAlister for being such a natural Bee-fly (she was also our maggot, her other love). She is based at London's Natural History Museum and is the Senior Curator for Diptera and Siphonaptera. She manages the lower Brachycera, Mycetophilidae and Culicidae collections in Diptera, and the Siphonaptera collection. So there.

Erica's instagram

Producer, Presenter annabel@annabelross.com

Red squirrels are our native species and have lived in the UK for around 10,000 years. They are facing a population decline, primarily due to competition from the invasive grey squirrel.

With thanks to David Mills who really does make a charming red squirrel. Some of the experts in Messages from the Wild suit their animal down to the ground and David is one of them. If we could imagine what a red squirrel might sound like, this, to me is it.

Visit The British Wildlife Centre and support their conservation and breeding programmes for our wildlife.

Producer, Presenter annabel@annabelross.com