The whooper swan is a very rare breeding bird in the UK, but has much larger populations that spend winter here after a long journey from Iceland. It has more yellow on its yellow-and-black bill…

With a torpedo-shaped body and long, narrow wings, the privet hawk-moth is a striking garden visitor. But the caterpillars really stand out: lime-green, with purple streaks and a black hook at the…

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.

Their long narrow shells are a common sight on our shores, especially after storms, but the animals themselves live buried in the sand.

Unsurprisingly, the nocturnal long-eared owl sports large 'ear tufts' on its head, while the short-eared owl has much smaller ear tufts. A shy bird, it is best spotted around the coast…

With their beautiful striped tentacles, it's easy to see where dahlia anemones got their floral name from. Look out for them next time you're rockpooling!

It's easy to see where this stunning bivalve got its name from - the bright orange tentacles emerging from the shell really do look like flames!

This brightly-coloured beetle is often found feeding on flowers on warm days in late spring and summer.

A common moth across most of the UK. The large, hairy caterpillars are often seen in late summer.

One of our most common ladybirds, the black-on-red markings of the 7-spot ladybird are very familiar. Ladybirds are a gardeners best friend as they eat insects that love to nibble on garden plants…