These mat like growths found on kelp and seaweed are actually colonies of tiny individuals animals.

Our largest and most common bee-fly, the dark-edged bee-fly looks just like a bumblebee, and buzzes like one too! It feeds on flowers like primroses and violets in gardens, parks and woodlands.…

One of the prettiest hardy ferns, the lady fern is delicate and lacy, with ladder-like foliage. It makes a good garden fern, providing attractive cover for wildlife.

These distinctive beetles are often found around dead birds and small mammals.

It is easy to be confused by these flower-like animals with flowery names! The ‘daisy’ anemone is one of the larger UK anemone species!

Hornwrack is often found washed up on our beaches, with many believing that it is dried seaweed. In fact, it is a colony of animals!

One of the most bizarre fish to find on the rocky shore, the clingfish appears an assortment of different animals stuck together!

This snowy white moth is easily mistaken for the similar brown-tail, until it lifts its abdomen to reveal a burst of golden-yellow.

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

Worms in the sea are anything but dull and this fan worm, resembling a Catherine wheel, is a perfect example of the intricate beauty these animals possess.