Ivy is one of our most familiar plants. The climbing stems, glossy leaves and round clusters of berries of ivy are a familiar sight across town and country. Growing up trees and old walls, carpeting the ground, and forming thick bushes if left unchecked, this creeping plant is not actually a parasite, as many might think, but only gets support from its host. This host might be a house, shed or a tree in woodland, but none of them will suffer for it. The yellow-green flowers of ivy are a great source of nectar for autumn insects, such as hornets, honeybees and red admiral butterflies. Ivy also provides roosting sites for bats and birds, and a home for hibernating insects.