As the name suggests, this tall, white heron is considerably larger than the similar little egret. Once a rare visitor to the UK, sightings have become more common over the last few decades, with…

A well-travelled migrant, the painted lady arrives here every summer from Europe and Africa. This beautiful orange-and-black butterfly regularly visits gardens.

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

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

This dazzling dragonfly can be seen darting above tree-lined ponds in certain parts of Britain.

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

These globe-spanning seabirds can often be seen offshore in autumn, shearing low over the waves.

Ever spotted a honeycomb-like mound on the beach and wondered what it was? It's a reef built entirely by worms!

This huge gull can be seen around most of the UK's coasts in summer, with some venturing inland in winter.

These large seals can often be seen bobbing in the sea or lying on beaches waiting for their food to go down.