The shiny, translucent porcelain fungus certainly lives up to its name in appearance. It can be seen growing on beech trees and dead wood in summer and autumn.

A most familiar seashore inhabitant, the common starfish truly lives up to its name in UK seas and rockpools!

Living up to its name, the oak apple gall wasp produces growths, or 'galls', on oak twigs that look like little apples. Inside the gall, the larvae of the wasp feed on the host tissues,…

This distinctive bug is often seen basking on low-growing plants in spring and summer.

Bilberries appear in summer and early autumn and are often turned into jams, pies and sauces...

The wild rock dove is the ancestor to what is probably our most familiar bird - the feral pigeon, which is often found in large numbers in our towns and cities.

Mackerel are a sign of summer's arrival, when they appear inshore in huge numbers all around the UK. As well as being a sustainable seafood choice, they are an important food source for many…

Turn over large stones or paving slabs in the garden and you are likely to find a red ant colony. This medium-sized ant can deliver a painful sting, so be careful! In summer, winged adults swarm…

This is a predominantly subtidal species but can be found on the lowest parts of a sheltered rocky shore in summer.

This metallic green beetle can be seen visiting flowers on sunny days in spring and summer.