A familiar black bird of our lakes, ponds and rivers, the moorhen is widespread; look out for its large and untidy-looking nest on the water in spring. It can be distinguished from the similar…

The thick topshell is a common sight on rocky shores in Wales and South West England.

You've probably spotted this long-legged spider hiding in the corner of a house or building.

This purply-brown seaweed is a common feature on our rocky shores and on our dinner plates.

This beautiful beetle only arrived in the UK in 1960s but is now a common sight on garden herbs.

This big, beautiful fungus is a common one that can often be spotted popping out of trees.

Edible periwinkles are a common sight when rockpooling and can be found in huge numbers on the shore.

This shiny beetle is common in wooded areas throughout the UK. As the name suggests, it specialises in hunting snails.

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

This charming little warbler is an increasingly common sight in autumn, when migrants pass through the UK.

A well known inhabitant of UK seas, common lobsters can reach up to 60cm in length.