One of our largest and most impressive solitary wasps, the bee wolf digs a nest in sandy spots and hunts honey bees.

The common octopus is a highly intelligent, active predator. It even has a secret weapon - special glands produce a venom that it uses to incapacitate its prey!

The dark-blue flowers of Common milkwort pepper our grasslands from May to September. It can also appear in pink and white forms.

This stunning hermit crab has only returned to our southern shores in recent years. Let us hope it stays for good this time!

This slender and elegant shark species is often found close to shore all around our coasts and can grow up to 6 feet long.

A medium-sized diving duck, the goldeneye can mainly be spotted in winter when birds fly in from Northern Europe. Conservation efforts have helped small numbers of these birds to nest in Scotland…

One of our most familiar spring flowers, the cowslip brightens up ancient meadows and woodlands with its egg-yolk-yellow, nodding blooms.

Wild carrot does, indeed, smell of carrots, but the roots are not like our cultivated, dinnertime favourite. Look for this umbellifer on chalk grasslands and coasts.

The secretive woodlark can be hard to spot. It nests on the ground on our southern heathlands and uses scattered trees and woodland edges for lookout posts.