A diminutive but aggressive predator, the three-spined stickleback hunts tadpoles and small fish. It is also known for fiercely protecting its nest of eggs until they hatch. Look for it in ponds,…

This beautiful beetle is fond of damp meadows and woodland rides, where it's often found on umbellifers or thistles.

One of 2 seahorses found in UK seas, long snouted seahorses are recognisable by their longer snout and fleshy "mane".

This slim fish is usually found on gravelly parts of the seabed, close to shore, but can turn up in rockpools.

Sea lettuce is unmistakeable - most often a bright green and always translucent, it is found on all UK coasts.

One of 2 seahorses found in UK seas, short snouted seahorses are recognisable by their shorter snout - surprisingly enough!

The classic fairy tale toadstool, this red and white fungus is often found beneath birch trees in autumn.

This tiny wading bird is most often seen in autumn, feeding on the muddy margins of wetlands.

This streaky brown bird is a summer visitor to Britain, favouring open woodlands in the north and west.

A fierce pirate of the sea, the Arctic skua is renowned for stealing fish from other seabirds and dive-bombing anyone that comes near its nests. It breeds in the far north of Scotland and on the…

The gadwall is a dabbling duck, feeding at the surface of shallow water by 'upending' - putting its head down and its bottom up! Only a small number of gadwall nest in the UK, but large…