Common ivy may be identified by the small, deeply lobed palmate leaves which tend to be more rigid when mature than those of other species, and the colour and shape of the pubescence along the stems and petioles, but species of ivy in general are often difficult to identify because they have been extensively hybridized and bred for certain characteristics, many of these will be found in the field but apart from the bicoloured and (e.g.) deeply lobed forms-which are obviously artificial-all are instantly recognized as ‘ivy’ and most are worth investigating. In the wild ivy is essentially a woodland plant that is well adapted to climb trees and tolerate low light levels, it is vigorous and easily propagated from stems or roots and will thrive in a wide range of soil conditions, thus it also grows on cliffs etc and is ideally suited to the urban landscape. Ivy will be found on waste ground and trees almost anywhere, it produces abundant and luxuriant foliage from ground level to the very tops of trees, sometimes more than 30m from the ground, it is evergreen and the leaves persist through the summer even when extensively shaded by the host tree. Climbing is facilitated by the stems producing rows of numerous small aerial roots which are able to invade bark and other surfaces and provide a very tough anchor points, these also grow when the plant, or parts of the plant, become dislodged in storms etc. and fall to the ground, hence the soil around fallen trunks or boughs may become covered in a dense tangle of ivy stems and foliage. Growths continues year-round but is most obvious in spring and early summer when pale soft foliage is produced from numerous buds along the length of the stem and side shoots, stems and shoots are therefore rich in sap and attractive to certain insects. Flowering occurs in late summer and autumn, usually high-up on the plant where they are exposed to light but often easily accessible where the height of the plant is restricted as it grows on fences, walls and shrubs etc., they are small, 3-5cm across, but arranged in numerous umbels on long slender flower stems and so exposed ivy can produce spectacular flower displays. Small round fruits form in late autumn and ripen to dark purple or black during the winter, they are somewhat poisonous to humans but are an important food source for many birds and as each contains up to five seeds they are readily dispersed and fertilized over a wide area.

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When sampling ivy for beetles it will soon become obvious that older specimens of common ivy with abundant foliage are the most productive, especially where these are growing on a series of adjacent trees and where at least some are exposed to the sun for part of the day. Plants may be swept or beaten but the best way to sample them is to hold a net or tray low down under dense foliage and run a stick up and down through the leaves, this produce beetles by day or night and will often produce species not specifically associated with ivy as the evergreen foliage provides shelter for a wide range of insects. Similarly the flowers, which are very rich in nectar, will attract a range of insects in the autumn that might otherwise be difficult to find. Beetles generally associated with ivy include polyphagous species such as the weevil Liophloeus tesselatus (Müller, O.F., 1776) as well as monophagous species such as the bark beetle Kissophagus vicinus (Comelli, 1837), aphid predators such as various ladybirds will often be found on ivy and one species, the small pubescent ladybird Nephus quadrimaculatus (Herbst, 1783), is strongly associated with ivy although it will occasionally be found on other trees and shrubs. A host of other species may be found when beating ivy; these may be saproxylic species associated with the host tree or simply species sheltering among the foliage e.g. tiny cantharids of the genus Malthinus Latreille, 1806 as well as various species of  Latridiidae often appear in the beating tray, and if there is any fungus growing among the ivy an even larger range of species will be found.