Roland Seitre / Girl watching Green-crowned Brilliant Hummingbird (Heliodoxa jacula) perched on flower. Captive. La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Poas, Costa Rica. Model released

Roland Seitre / Girl watching Black-bellied Hummingbird (Eupherusa nigriventris) hovering above flower. Captive. La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Poas, Costa Rica. Model released

Roland Seitre / Girl watching two Green-crowned Brilliant Hummingbirds (Heliodoxa jacula) at flower. Captive. La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Poas, Costa Rica. Model released

Rolf Nussbaumer / Bronzed cowbird (Molothrus aeneus) two males perched together on branch, Dinero, Lake Corpus Christi, South Texas, USA.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Bronzed cowbird (Molothrus aeneus) pair sitting on branch, Dinero, Lake Corpus Christi, South Texas, USA.

Andy Sands / Ruby Tailed Wasp (Hedychrum niemelai / rutilans), a cuckoo wasp that feeds its larvae on the food stored in burrows by other species. London, England, UK, August.

Andy Sands / Ruby Tailed Wasp (Hedychrum niemelai / rutilans), a cuckoo wasp that feeds its larvae on the food stored in burrows by other species. London, England, UK, August.

John Cancalosi / Baird's Trogon (Trogon bairdii) male showing irridescence. Costa Rican tropical rainforest.

John Cancalosi / Emerald Cicada (Zammara smaragdina) newly emerged adult from its nymph exoskeleton, wings showing irridescence. Santa Rosa National park tropical dry forest, Costa Rica.

John Cancalosi / Emerald Cicada (Zammara smaragdina) newly emerged adult from its nymph exoskeleton, wings showing irridescence. Santa Rosa National park tropical dry forest, Costa Rica.

Andrew Parkinson / Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) profile of drake in his breeding plumage, Derbyshire, UK, February.

Daniel Heuclin / Rainbow boa (Epicrates cenchria cenchria) studio shot, captive, from French Guiana

Markus Varesvuo / European Magpie (Pica pica) in flight with feather irridescence visible. Kuusamo, Finland, April. Magic Moments book plate, page 120.

Simon Colmer / Rose chafer beetle (Cetonia aurata) feeding on flowers, Sussex, UK, June

Simon Colmer / Rose chafer beetle (Cetonia aurata) feeding on flowers, Sussex, UK, June

Barry Mansell / Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus) portrait of female, Chiricahua mountains, Arizona, USA

Andrew Parkinson / Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) calling from a lichen covered rock.Monach Islands, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK, August (non-ex)

Nick Upton / Common malachite / Red-tipped flower beetle (Malachius bipustulatus) preparing to take off from Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) Wiltshire, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Pair of Green / Metalic Dock Leaf Beetles (Gastrophysa viridula) mating as the female continues to feed on a dock leaf, Wiltshire, UK, April.

Nick Upton / Green / Metalic Dock Leaf Beetle (Gastrophysa viridula) on edge of leaf, Wiltshire, UK, April.

Nick Upton / Ground beetle (Poecilus cupreus) sun basking on a leaf. Wiltshire, UK, April.

Andy Sands / Nettle weevil (Phyllobius pomaceus) on leaf of Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) Hertfordshire, England, UK, April

Rod Williams / Falcated Teal (Anas falcata) portrait of male on water, captive.

Rod Williams / Copper-throated Sunbird (Nectarina / Leptocoma calcostetha) male perched on branch, South East Asia, Captive.

Guy Edwardes / Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus) on ground foraging for food, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa, February

Russell Cooper / Green Hairstreak Butterfly (Callophrys rubi) at rest on Black Medick (Medicago lupulina) Surrey, England, UK

Russell Cooper / Green Hairstreak Butterfly (Callophrys rubi) at rest on Black Medick (Medicago lupulina) Surrey, England, UK

Shattil & Rozinski / Broad-tailed hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus) hovering over Rocky Mountain Irises (Iris missouriensis) flowering in pasture, Wyoming, USA, North America

Rolf Nussbaumer / Blue-throated Hummingbird (Lampornis clemenciae) male in flight feeding on Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) Chisos Basin, Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Chihuahuan Desert, West Texas, USA

Rolf Nussbaumer / Blue-throated Hummingbird (Lampornis clemenciae)male perched on branch. Chisos Basin, Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Chihuahuan Desert, West Texas, USA

Rolf Nussbaumer / Blue-throated Hummingbird (Lampornis clemenciae) male in flight feeding on Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) Chisos Basin, Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Chihuahuan Desert, West Texas, USA

Rolf Nussbaumer / Blue-throated Hummingbird (Lampornis clemenciae)feeding on flowering Texas thistle (Cirsium texanum) Chisos Basin, Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Chihuahuan Desert, West Texas, USA

Rolf Nussbaumer / Blue-throated Hummingbird (Lampornis clemenciae) male feeding on flowering Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) Chisos Basin, Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Chihuahuan Desert, West Texas, USA

Mary McDonald / Anna's hummingbird {Calypte anna} in flight, southern Arizona, USA.

Shattil & Rozinski / Close up of irridescent gorget feathers of Anna's hummingbird {Calypte anna} USA

Shattil & Rozinski / Close up of irridescent gorget feathers of Rufous hummingbird {Selasphorus rufus} USA

Rolf Nussbaumer / Purple-bibbed Whitetip hummingbird (Urosticte benjamini) male flying to Ginger flower, Mindo, Ecuador, Andes, South America, January

Rolf Nussbaumer / Booted Racket-tail hummingbird (Ocreatus underwoodii) male flying, feeding from flower, Mindo, Ecuador, Andes, South America, January

Rolf Nussbaumer / Booted Racket-tail hummingbird (Ocreatus underwoodii) male perched, Mindo, Ecuador, Andes, South America, January

Rolf Nussbaumer / Booted Racket-tail hummingbird (Ocreatus underwoodii), male flying / feeding from Ginger flower, Mindo, Ecuador, Andes, South America, January

Eric Baccega / Puna ibis (Plegadis ridgwayi) captive, from South America

Florian Graner / Cuckoo wrasse (Labrus bimaculatus) male, Norway

Florian Graner / Greater weeverfish (Trachinus draco) on sea-floor, Norway

Florian Graner / Dragonet (Callionymus lyra) on sea-floor, Norway

Florian Graner / Dragonet (Callionymus lyra) on sea-floor sediments. Norway

Dan Burton / Great mormon butterfly {Papilio memnon} Devon, UK

Nick Garbutt / Reticulated Python (Python reticulata), close-up detail of skin. Kinabatangan River, Sabah, Borneo

Rolf Nussbaumer / Purple-throated Mountain-gem {Lampornis calolaema} male perched, Central Valley, Costa Rica

Rolf Nussbaumer / Violet Sabrewing {Campylopterus hemileucurus} male, Central Valley, Costa Rica

Rolf Nussbaumer / Magnificent Hummingbird {Eugenes fulgens} male perched, Central Valley, Costa Rica

Rolf Nussbaumer / Coppery-headed Emerald, Elvira cupreiceps, male in flight on flower of the ginger family(Zingiberaceae), Central Valley, Costa Rica, Central America, December 2006

Rolf Nussbaumer / Coppery-headed Emerald, Elvira cupreiceps, male perched on banana leaf, Central Valley, Costa Rica, Central America, December 2006

Rolf Nussbaumer / Coppery-headed Emerald, Elvira cupreiceps, male in flight on Heliconia flower, Central Valley, Costa Rica, Central America, December 2006

Rolf Nussbaumer / Coppery-headed Emerald, Elvira cupreiceps, male in flight on flower of the ginger family(Zingiberaceae), Central Valley, Costa Rica, Central America, December 2006

Rolf Nussbaumer / Coppery-headed Emerald, Elvira cupreiceps, male in flight feeding on Shrimp plant(Acanthaceae), Central Valley, Costa Rica, Central America, December 2006

Rod Williams / Sunbeam snake {Xenopeltis unicolor} female, captive, from SE Asia

Rod Williams / Blue eared / Green glossy starling {Lamprotornis chalybaeus} captive, from Central and Southern Africa

Nature Production / Jewelled Frog Beetle {Sagra buqueti} Malaysia

Nature Production / Fungus {Pleurotus / Lampteromyces japonicus} glowing, Japan

Nature Production / Japanese Jewel Beetle {Chrysochroa fulgidissima fulgidissima} Shiga, Japan

Nature Production / Green Pepe fungus glowing {Mycena chlorophos} Japan

Nature Production / Japanese Jewel Beetle {Chrysochroa fulgidissima fulgidissima} on Cherry tree, Shiga, Japan

Rolf Nussbaumer / Black striped snake {Coniophanes imperialis imperialis} Texas, USA

Hans Christoph Kappel / Green headed tanager (Tangara seledon) Itatiaia NP, Brazil

MORLEY READ / Rainbow boa (Epicrates cenchris) on forest floor at night, note the irridescence of the skin, Ecuador, South America

Simon Colmer / Close up of Abalone shell (Haliotis sp) Mother of pearl

David Shale / (Phialella quadrata) small hydromedusan jellyfish, deep sea Atlantic ocean

David Shale / (Phialella quadrata) small hydromedusan jellyfish, deep sea Atlantic ocean

David Shale / Comb jelly (Beroe cucumis), deep sea Atlantic ocean

David Shale / (Phialella quadrata) small hydromedusan jellyfish, deep sea Atlantic ocean

David Shale / Comb jelly (Beroe cucumis), deep sea Atlantic ocean

David Shale / Comb jelly (Beroe cucumis), deep sea Atlantic ocean

David Shale / Comb jelly (Euplokamis sp), deep sea Atlantic ocean

David Shale / (Heteroteuthis dispar) A small oceanic cuttlefish, deep sea Atlantic ocean,

David Shale / (Heteroteuthis dispar) A small oceanic cuttlefish, deep sea Atlantic ocean,

Tony Heald / Red shouldered / Cape glossy starling {Lamprotornis nitens} Etosha NP, Namibia

Nick Garbutt / Close up of feathers of White necked jacobin hummingbird {Florisuga mellivora} Ecuador

David Shale / Jumping spider {Chrysilla sp} Sinharaja, Sri Lanka

PREMAPHOTOS / Female Lamprima beetle {Lamprima sp.} Eucalyptus Forest, Australia

Tony Evans / Close up of Mother of pearl on Abalone shell {Haliotidae}

Mike Read / Long tailed sylph male {Aglaiocercus kingi} San Isidro, Galapagos

Peter Blackwell / Scarlet tufted malachite sunbird {Nectarina johnstoni} on Lobelia, Mt Kenya,

Richard Du Toit / Cape flat lizard male {Platysaurus capensis} Skeleton Coast NP, Namibia

John Cancalosi / Orange breasted sunbird on Protea flower {Nectarinia violacea} South Africa

Steve Knell / Emerald ground dove {Chalcophaps indica} Queensland, Australia

Pete Oxford / Emerald toucanet {Aulacorhynchus prasinus} captive, Urubamba river, Peru

Jose B. Ruiz / Two Common squid at night {Loligo vulgaris} Mediterranean

Barry Mansell / Magnificent hummingbird hovering {Eugenes fulgens} Arizona, USA

Richard Du Toit / Malachite kingfisher perched {Alcedo cristata} Chobe river, Chobe NP, Botswana

Alan James / Common cuttlefish {Sepia officinalis} during breeding. Devon, UK

Constantinos Petrinos / Mimika bobtail squid {Euprymna morsei} Lembeh, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Constantinos Petrinos / Bobbit worm {Eunice sp} large predatory polychaete Anilao, Batangas, Philippines

Barry Mansell / Magnificent humming bird {Eugenes fulgens} in flight, Arizona, USA

LYNN M. STONE / Jumping spider {Phidippus audax} Illinois, USA

Tom Vezo / Red spotted purple butterfly {Basilarchia astyanax} New York USA

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Abalone close up of colours inside shell, called Mother of Pearl, Haliotidae family.