Anup Shah / Female patas monkey {Erythrocebus patas} feeding on acacia ants, Kenya.

Georgette Douwma / Crown of thorns starfish and butterflyfish on coral reef, Red Sea, Egypt.

Heather Angel / Day gecko (Phelsuma sp.) with extended tongue lapping up nectar from crown of thorns (Euphorbia milii) flower, Madagascar

Robin Chittenden / Great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) perched in thorny bush. Cyprus. April.

Alex Mustard / Pair of crown-of-thorns sea stars (Acanthaster planci) feeding on a coral colony. La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Sea of Cortez, Gulf of California, East Pacific Ocean.

Shane Gross / Philippine dive guide looking at Crown-of-thorns sea star (Acanthaster planci) Malapascua, Philippines.

Andy Rouse / Grasshopper warbler (Locustella naevia) male singing in spring, UK, March.

Edwin Giesbers / Thorny burnet (Sarcopoterium spinosum) Cyprus. April.

Edwin Giesbers / Pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) flowerhead amongst thorns. Cyprus. April.

Nick Hawkins / Crown-of-thorns starfish, (Acanthaster planci). Cocos Island National Park, Costa Rica.

Sandesh Kadur / Black heron (Egretta ardesiaca) perched in thorny tree, Lake Manyara, Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania.

Robin Chittenden / Orange swift moth (Triodia sylvina) Norfolk, England, UK. August