Alan Watson / Heart-shaped patch of lungwort (Lobaria virens) on the moss-covered trunk of Oak tree (Quercus petraea) and Holly trees (Ilex aquifolium) temperate forest, Tomies Wood, Killarney National Park, County...

Alan Watson / Heart-shaped patch of lungwort (Lobaria virens) on the moss-covered trunk of Oak tree (Quercus petraea) and Holly trees (Ilex aquifolium) temperate forest, Tomies Wood, Killarney National Park, County...

Fred Bavendam / Eyepatch Butterflyfish (Chaetodon adiergastos) school swimming along shallow reef, Bali, Indonesia

Doug Allan / Emperor penguin {Aptenodytes forsteri} males incubating eggs - egg is under brood patch of skin above the feet. Antarctica

Andy Sands / Second year stripped back patch of Heather to create bare ground, an important habitat for many Bees, wasps and also the Heath tiger beetle (Cicindela sylvatica), Iping Common, Surrey, UK, September

Andy Sands / Patch of ground cleared of Heather to create bare ground, an important habitat for many Bees, wasps and also the Heath tiger beetle (Cicindela sylvatica), Iping Common, Surrey, UK, September

Floris van Breugel / Humbug dascyllus (Dascyllus aruanus) guarding his patch of staghorn coral in a shallow lagoon on Ofu, American Samoa. January. The window of sky above is a result of the phenomenon known as Snell's W...

Floris van Breugel / Strange mud concretions litter the ground in an area called 'the Pumpkin Patch' of the desert wash in Anza Borrego State Park, California, USA, May.

Charlie Summers / Singing Pectoral Patch Cisticola (Cisticola brunnescens) Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania

Charlie Summers / African elephant (Loxodonta africana), close up of face showing patch of secreted hormone, a sign that the animal is in musth, Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania, East Africa

Charlie Summers / African elephant (Loxodonta africana) close up of face showing a patch of secreted hormone, a sign that the animal is in musth, Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

LYNN M. STONE / Pug dog standing in patch of sunlight, USA

Carol Walker / Australian shepherd dog lying down in snow, Colorado, USA

Carol Walker / Wild horse / Mustang, group standing on small patch of remaining snow, cooling off and keeping away from insects, Pryor mountains, Montana, USA, July 2011

Carol Walker / Wild horse / Mustang, mare and foal crossing patch of snow, Pryor mountains, Montana, USA, July

Wild Wonders of Europe / Möllers / Brown bear (Ursus arctos) and Grey wolf (Canis lupus) tracks on a sandy patch on the bank of the San River, Krywe Nature Reserve, Bieszczady region, Poland, September 2011

Danny Green / 2020VISION / Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) preening, Caerlaverock WWT, Scotland, Solway, UK, January. Did you know? Whooper swans are distinguishable from mute swans, by the yellow rather than orange patch on their...

Erlend Haarberg / Patches of melting snow patch, Emstrur, Thorsmork, Iceland, June 2008

Erlend Haarberg / Patch of melting snow, Emstrur, Thorsmork, Iceland, June 2008

Daniel Heuclin / Desert Western Patch nosed Snake (Salvadora hexalepis hexalepis) head profile, near Tucson, Arizona, USA, controlled conditions

Daniel Heuclin / Desert Western Patch-nosed Snake (Salvadora hexalepis hexalepis) near Tucson, Arizona, USA, controlled conditions

Merryn Thomas / Close up of fibreglass repairs on keel of a tender. Instow, North Devon, April 2009.

Brent Stephenson / Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) stretching its flippers, showing the two eggs and bare brood patch. Yalour Islands, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, December.

Brent Stephenson / Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) incubating two eggs. Note the bare brood patch. Yalour Islands, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, December.

Brent Stephenson / Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) stretching showing its egg and bare brood patch. Yalour Islands, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, December.

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Swimming / Harbour crab (Liocarcinus depurator) displaying claws to defend its patch of seabed in a sea loch, Loch Fyne, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK, July. Did you know? Of the ten limbs of the swim...

LYNN M. STONE / Male Basset hound in patch of flowers, Goleta, California, USA

LYNN M. STONE / Two Bernese Mountain dog pups sleeping in patch of woodland wildflowers (Anemone and Prairie Trillium), Elburn, Illinois, USA

LYNN M. STONE / Two Bernese Mountain dog pups sleeping in patch of woodland wildflowers (Anemone and Prairie Trillium), Elburn, Illinois, USA

Andy Rouse / African leopard (Panthera pardus) in patch of sunlight, Masai Mara GR, Kenya, January, (crop of image 01360441)

Andy Rouse / African leopard (Panthera pardus) in patch of sunlight, Masai Mara GR, Kenya, January, (crop of image 01360441)

Andy Rouse / African leopard (Panthera pardus) in patch of sunlight, Masai Mara GR, Kenya, January, (01360442 and 01360443 are a crop of this image)

Doug Perrine / Reef manta ray (Manta alfredi formerly Manta birostris) swimming over cleaning station on patch reef with Yellow / Golden sweepers (Parapriacanthus ransonetti) and other schooling fish, Hanifaru Bay e...

LYNN M. STONE / Portrait of Basset Hound male lying in a patch of flowers. Goleta, California, USA, February.

Juergen Freund / Giant manta ray (Manta birostris) swimming around a small patch of reef. North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February

Bruno D'Amicis / Sunbeam lighting Spruce forest; the brown patch of trees are affected by Bark Beetle (Curculionidae). High Tatras, Slovakia, June 2009.

Nick Upton / 2020VISION / Common snipe (Gallinago gallinago) standing upright to challenge Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) as they forage on the same unfrozen patch of flooded marshland on a sunny winter day. Greylake RSPB...

Charlie Summers / Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) tidies up around its nest and in doing so exposes its brood patch and one of its two eggs. Petermann Island, Antarctica, November

Ernie Janes / Jack russell terrier sitting in pcinic basket

Floris van Breugel / Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) male with orange-red throat patch exposed, Pasadena, California, USA.

Yva Momatiuk & John Eastcott / Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) bull resting in snow patch to escape insects, Denali National Park, Alaska

Anup Shah / Topi (Damaliscus lunatus) standing on a bare patch of earth Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. March 2009.

Alan Williams / Male Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis) singing in bramble patch, Cheshire, UK, April.

Gerrit Vyn / Female Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) returning to nest in flight. The brood patch, an area of bare skin used to warm eggs and chicks, is clearly visible. Bathurst Island, Nunavut, Canada. June.

Wild Wonders of Europe / della F / Broadleaved patch of forest, Caprazlije area of the Livansko Polje plain, Staretina mountain in the distance, Bosnia and Herzegovina, May 2009

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus)male, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male only appears above ground for a few...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus)male, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male only appears above ground for a few...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus)male, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male only appears above ground for a few...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus)male, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male only appears above ground for a few...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus) female at web, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male only appears above ground...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus) testing Woodlouse prey with its palps, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male on...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus)male, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male only appears above ground for a few...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus) female at web, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male only appears above ground...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus)male, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male only appears above ground for a few...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus)male, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male only appears above ground for a few...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus)male, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male only appears above ground for a few...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus)male, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male only appears above ground for a few...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus) waiting to ambush an Woodlouse, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male only appe...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus)male, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male only appears above ground for a few...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus) male, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, while the male only appears above ground for a f...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus)male, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male only appears above ground for a few...

Stephen Dalton / Ladybird spider (Eresus cinnaberinus) female at web, Dorset, UK. In England this extremely rare spider has a habitat confined to a quarter acre patch in Dorset, and the male only appears above ground...

Rod Williams / Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) standing in patch of sunlight, drying out after bathing, Lamington National Park, SE Queensland, Australia, March

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus) mother and kid cooling off on snow patch, Logan Pass, Glacier National Park, Montana

Wild Wonders of Europe / Damschen / Elbe River with a small patch of mist, Elbe Biosphere Reserve, Lower Saxony, Germany, September 2008

Alan Williams / Long tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus) with feather for nest building in bramble patch, Essex, UK, March

Alan Williams / Long tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus) with feather for nest building in bramble patch, Essex, UK, March

Alan Williams / Long tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus) with feather for nest building in bramble patch, Essex, UK, March

Alan Williams / Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) landing in Hawthorn tree showing white underwing patch, Cheshire, UK, November

Wild Wonders of Europe / Zacek / White-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) on circular patch of ice in the Kitkajoki River, Finland, February 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Zacek / Rear view of White-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) on patch of ice in the Kitkajoki River, Finland, February 2009

Donald M. Jones / White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) buck in teasel patch, western Montana

Robert Valentic / Woma python {Aspidites ramsayi} male from the eastern population with a dark patch around the eyes, St George, Queensland, Australia, Endangered

Andrew Parkinson / Red fox {Vulpes vulpes} adult sitting in a patch of sunlight in a pine forest., Lancashire, UK

Andrew Parkinson / Red fox {Vulpes vulpes} adult resting in a patch of sunlight in a pine forest., Lancashire, UK

Gary K. Smith / Rhubarb patch with terracotta forcer, in country garden, Norfolk, July

Doug Perrine / Porbeagle shark {Lamna nasus} (captive, caught for research) with dorsal fin exposed, showing white patch at rear base of fin that is diagnostic of the species, and copepod parasite (two filaments) at...

Jasper Doest / Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) on nest, Midden-Delfland, Netherlands

Doug Perrine / Porbeagle shark (Lamna nasus) captive, Nova Scotia, Canada, image digitally manipulated - note white patch on rear edge of dorsal fin and double keel on caudal (tail) fin that are diagnostic of this...

Rolf Nussbaumer / Bordered Patch butterfly {Chlosyne lacinia} adult on Clasping-leaved Coneflower (Dracopis amplexicaulis) Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA

Tim Fitzharris / Balsamroot Sunflower (Balsamorhiza sagittata) patch, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

David Noton / Woman weeding vegetable patch in a garden, Dorset, England, UK

Pete Oxford / Emperor penguin showing brooding patch (Aptenodytes forsteri) Antarctica

Jose B. Ruiz / Patch of Stinging nettles {Urtica dioica} Spain

Mark Raycroft / Cocker Spaniel (Canis familiaris) portrait with daisy patch

TJ Rich / European Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) aggressive display at intruder (note: absence of white cheek patch) UK

Doug Perrine / Male Sergeant major fish {Abudefduf saxatalis} guarding red egg patch, Cayman Islands, Caribbean

Larry Michael / Scarecrow in vegetable patch in Old World State Historic Park, Wisconsin, USA 1996

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Pink anemonefish {Amphiprion perideraion} male and female with egg patch in anemone, Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Pink anemonefish {Amphiprion perideraion} male and female with egg patch in anemone, Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Red Sea / Two-bar anemonefish (Amphiprion bicinctus) guards egg patch on rock next to host anemone. Egypt, Red Sea.

Doug Perrine / Shortfin mako shark {Isurus oxyrhinchus} female with mating scars and small patch of copepod parasites on flank King Bank, North Island, New Zealand, South Pacific Ocean.

Doug Perrine / Shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrhinchus) female with small patch of copepod parasites on flank accompanied by pilot fish (Naucrates ductor) King Bank, North Island, New Zealand, South Pacific Ocean.

Doug Perrine / Female Shortfin mako shark {Isurus oxyrhinchus} with small patch of copepod parasites on flank accompanied by pilot fish {Naucrates ductor} King Bank, North Island, New Zealand, South Pacific Ocean.

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of patch coral reefs off Walker's Cay, Bahamas

Sue Daly / Papua jellyfish {Mastigias papua} Patch Reef, Borneo, Indonesia