Phil Savoie / Painted nomad bee (Nomada fucata) male bee with characteristic green eyes, sleeping with jaws locked around grass stem, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK. June

Nigel Cattlin / Gardeners delight, Cherry tomato seedling just germinated with cotyledons above the soil

Nigel Cattlin / Gardeners delight, Cherry tomato seedling just germinated with cotyledons above the soil

Nigel Cattlin / Gardeners delight, Cherry tomato seedling just germinated with cotyledons above the soil

Nigel Cattlin / Symptoms of Neck blast (Magnaporthe grisea) on Rice (Oryza sativa) plants in ear, Luzon, Philippines

Nigel Cattlin / Rice leaf folder moth (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis) caterpillar of pest species in folded Rice (Oryza sativa) leaf , Luzon, Philippines

Remi Masson / Water lilies (Nymphaea alba) lit by the sun's rays, seen under water. Alps, Ain, France. June. Highly commended in the the Underwater World category, GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 201...

Guy Edwardes / Scarletina bolete (Boletus luridiformis) toadstool, New Forest National Park, Hampshire, England, UK. September.

Ross Hoddinott / Harvest mice (Micromys minutus) on grass stems, Devon, UK. July 2016. Captive.

Sven Zacek / Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis) white morph and normal blue morph, Southern Estonia, April.

Edwin Giesbers / Banded demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) group of four on plant stems, River Leijgraaf, Nijmegen, the Netherlands, August 2013. Finalist in the Invertebrate category of the Wildlife Photographer of th...

Pascal Pittorino / Greater quaking grass (Briza maxima) flowers, Giens, Var, Provence, France, May.

Ross Hoddinott / Common darter dragonflies (Sympetrum striolatum) two females resting on reed, Dunsdon Nature Reserve, Devon, UK. August.

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Red-chested Sunbird (Cinnyris erythrocercus) backlit on flower, Rwanda.

Simon Colmer / Green-veined White butterfly egg (Pieris napi) above, Orange-tip butterfly egg (Anthocharis cardamines) below, on Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) Sussex, UK. June.

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Golden monkey (Cercopithecus kandti) foraging, portrait, Virunga, Rwanda.

Andy Sands / Newly emerged Marbled white butterfly (Melanargia galathea) on Bee orchid (Ophrys apifera), Bedfordshire, England, UK. June

Jussi Murtosaari / Scarce tortoiseshell butterfly (Nymphalis xanthomelas) on pussy willow, Luhanka, Keski-Finland, April. / Central Finland, Finland, April.

Robert Thompson / Oleander Hawkmoth (Daphnis nerii) resting, Southern Sicily, Italy. March.

MYN / Dirk Funhoff / Lizard orchid flowers (Himantoglossum hircinum), Ilbesheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, May. meetyourneighbours.net project

Ross Hoddinott / Harvest mouse (Micromys minutus) on wheat stem, Devon, UK (captive). May.

Radomir Jakubowski / Ladys slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus), Bavaria, Germany, May. 2nd Prize in the Melvita Nature Images Awards competition 2014.

Nick Upton / Bloody-nosed beetles (Timarcha tenebricosa) mating on a grass stem in a chalk grassland meadow, Wiltshire, UK, April.

Jussi Murtosaari / Bedstraw hawk-moth (Hyles gallii) caterpillar, South Karelia, southern Finland, July.

Jan Hamrsky / Black fly pupae (Simuliidae) attached to the stem of aquatic plant, Europe, August, controlled conditions

Theo Bosboom / Common blue damselflies (Enallagma cyathigerum) flying over the water to rest on plant stem, in a fen, Hondeven, Holland, July

Theo Bosboom / Common blue damselflies (Enallagma cyathigerum) flying over the water to rest on plant stem, in a fen, Hondeven, Holland, July

Theo Bosboom,Theo Bosboom / Common blue damselflies (Enallagma cyathigerum) flying over the water to rest on plant stem, in a fen, Hondeven, Holland, July

Bert Willaert / Green-backed Firecrown (Sephanoides sephanoides) nesting next to a hiking trail in Mocha Island National Reserve, Mocha Island, Chile, December

Paul Harcourt Davies / Newly emerged adult Two-tailed Pasha butterfly (Charaxes jasius) Podere Montecucco. Orvieto, Umbria, Italy August

Paul Harcourt Davies,Paul Harcourt Davies / Emergence of Two-tailed Pasha butterfly (Charaxes jasius) Podere Montecucco. Orvieto, Umbria, Italy August. Sequence 6 of 9

Paul Harcourt Davies / Emergence of Two-tailed Pasha butterfly (Charaxes jasius) Podere Montecucco. Orvieto, Umbria, Italy August. Sequence 1 of 9

Benjamin Barthelemy,Benjamin Barthelemy / Male Azure damselfly (Coenagrion puella) resting on a stem, Vallee de la Seille (Seille Valley), Lorraine, France, June

Benjamin Barthelemy,Benjamin Barthelemy / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) on plant, Alsace, France, September.

Niall Benvie / Bramble (Rubus plicatus) leaves and stem against white background. France, August.

Adrian Davies / Long exposure of a Sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica), showing movement of leaves and stem following irritation.

Anup Shah / Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) juvenile male 'Mobangi' aged 5 years swinging from a plant stem, Bai Hokou, Dzanga Sangha Special Dense Forest Reserve, Central African Republic. Dece...

Anup Shah / Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) infant 'Sopo' aged 18 months reaching out for a hanging plant stem while playing in a tree, Bai Hokou, Dzanga Sangha Special Dense Forest Reserve, Cen...

Anup Shah / Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) infant 'Sopo' aged 18 months reaching out for a hanging plant stem while playing in a tree, Bai Hokou, Dzanga Sangha Special Dense Forest Reserve, Cen...

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Marsh fritillary butterfly {Euphydrayas aurinia} backlit on plant stem, Dunsdon, near Holsworthy, Devon, UK. June. Did you know? Marsh fritillary butterflies lay 350 eggs in one batch.

Ross Hoddinott / Marbled White Butterfly (Melanargia galathea) resting on grass stem, Devon, UK July. Winner of Seasons category of the BWPA 2011 competition

Florian Möllers / Common blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus)warming up, Berlin, Germany, July

Nick Upton / Common / Long Water Measurer (Hydrometra stagnorum) walking on stream surface, with reflections, Wiltshire, UK, April.

Russell Cooper / Mating pair of Small Blue Butterflies (Cupido minimus) on plant stem, Surrey, England, UK

Roy Mangersnes / Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) balancing on rye stem, Norway. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Animal Portraits - Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010

Edwin Giesbers / Brown-lipped / Grove / Banded snails (Cepaea nemoralis) on plant stem, Menorca, Balearic Islands, Spain, Europe

Wild Wonders of Europe / Benvie / Spurge hawkmoth (Hyles euphorbiae) caterpillar on plant stem, Fliess, Naturpark Kaunergrat, Tirol, Austria, July 2008 WWE OUTDOOR EXHIBITION.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Radisics / Fragrant water lilies (Nymphaea odorata) in Lake Skadar, Montenegro, May 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / Black and red froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata) on plant stem, Liechtenstein, June 2009

Claudio Contreras / Yellow tree frog (Dendropsophus microcephalus) calling on plant stem, Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, Lacandon Rainforest, Mexico, August

Anup Shah / Mountain gorilla portrait eating plant stem (Gorilla beringei) looking throughtful, Parc des Volcans National Park, Rwanda

PREMAPHOTOS / Male bee (Anthidium manicatum) sleeping, attached to plant stem by its jaw, France

Konrad Wothe / Ulysses Butterfly (Papilio ulysses) on plant stem, Indonesia

Jabruson / Mountain gorilla silverback chewing plant stem (Gorilla gorilla beringei) Virunga NP, DR of Congo 'Rafiki'

Nigel Cattlin / Lupin aphid (Macrosiphum albifrons) infestation on stem and apical shoots of young Tree lupin (Lupinus arboreus). Berkshire, England, UK. May.

Nigel Cattlin / Glasshouse / Tuber mealybugs (Pseudococcus viburni) on stem of house plant, close up. UK, January.

Nigel Cattlin / Glasshouse / Tuber mealybugs (Pseudococcus viburni) on stem of house plant, close up. UK, January.

Nigel Cattlin / Banana (Musa x paradisiaca) cross section showing tightly packed leaves is pseudostem.

Nigel Cattlin / Mealy cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae) infestation on Brassica stem. Berkshire, England, UK. June.

Nigel Cattlin / Mealy cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae) infestation on Brassica stem. Berkshire, England, UK. June.

Nigel Cattlin / Peach (Prunus persica) tree sapling, roots and stem growing from stone, above and below ground.

Nigel Cattlin / Broad bean (Vicia faba) young plant with early leaves and roots, uprooted and germinated seed split to show food reserve.

Nigel Cattlin / Broad bean (Vicia faba), close up of roots and cross section of germinated seed to show food reserve.

Nigel Cattlin / Broad bean (Vicia faba), young plant with germinated seed, early leaves and roots, above and below ground.

Nigel Cattlin / Black bean aphid (Aphis fabae) infestation on Runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus), stem twining up bamboo cane. Berkshire, England, UK. June.

Bernard Castelein / Money spiders (Linyphiidae) on plant stem with water drops, Klein Schietveld, Brasschaat, Belgium. April

Nick Upton / Colony of Large knapweed aphids (Uroleucon jaceae) feeding on Black / Common knapweed (Centaurea nigra) stem, Mellis Common, Suffolk, UK May.

Michael Hutchinson / Meadow grasshopper (Chorthippus parallelus) stridulating, Bristol, England, UK, July.

Michael Hutchinson / Meadow grasshopper (Chorthippus parallelus) walking away through grass, Bristol, England, UK, July.

Nigel Cattlin / Rape winter stem weevil (Ceutorhynchus picitarsis) larvae in damaged Oilseed rape (Brassica napus napus) stem.

Nigel Cattlin / Californian red scale (Aonidiella aurantii) infestation on Lemon (Citrus limon) wood. Native to China. Sicily, Italy. October.

Nigel Cattlin / Californian red scale (Aonidiella aurantii) infestation on Lemon (Citrus limon) stem. Native to China. Sicily, Italy. October.

Oscar Dewhurst / Many-coloured rush tyrant (Tachuris rubrigastra) perched on reed stem at the water's edge. Lake Titicaca, Puno, Peru. September. Cropped

Heather Angel / Red poppywort (Meconopsis punicea), raindrops on flower and stem. Medicinal plant in Tibet. Balang Shan, Sichuan Province, China. June.

Heather Angel / Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis), view upwards into canopy, Shunan Zhuhai National Park, Sichuan Province, China.

Heather Angel / Cut bamboo stems stacked in a pile, end on. Anhui Province, China.

Heather Angel / Black sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum) cultivated for sucrose in the stem, obtained by crushing. China.

Duncan Murrell / Ants with symbiotic relationship with Mahang bitik (Macaranga maingaiyi), Sabangau (peat-swamp) Forest, Kalimantan, Indonesia.Ants live inside its hollow stem. In return, these ants kill and eat other...

Nick Upton / Large knapweed aphid (Uroleucon jaceae) colony feeding on a Greater knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa) stem, Wiltshire, England, UK, June.

Nick Upton / Large knapweed aphid (Uroleucon jaceae) colony feeding on a Greater knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa) stem, Wiltshire, England, UK, June.

Rod Williams / Wheat stem borer (Cephus pygmaeus) A tiny sawfly feeding on buttercup Brockley Cemetery, Lewisham, London, England, UK. May.

Mike Read / Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) with nesting material in beak. Lunga Island, Treshnish Isles, Firth of Lorn, Inner Hebrides, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK. May.

Mike Read / Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) with nesting material in beak. Lunga Island, Treshnish Isles, Firth of Lorn, Inner Hebrides, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK. May.

Staffan Widstrand / Wild Wonders of China / Bamboo, leaves and stems, East Lake Greenway park, Wuhan, Hubei, China

Eladio Fernandez / Prickly palm (Bactris plumeriana) fruits, Hispaniola.

Staffan Widstrand / Wild Wonders of China / Bamboo stems close-up, Tongbiguan Nature Reserve, Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province, China, May.

Staffan Widstrand / Wild Wonders of China / Bamboo stems close up, growing at Tongbiguan Nature Reserve, Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province, China, May.

Staffan Widstrand / Wild Wonders of China / Close up of a plant with sharp barbs, Tongbiguan Nature Reserve, Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province, China, May.

Robert Thompson / Tobacco hornworm moth (Manduca sexta) caterpillar on stem. Arizona, USA. July.

Robert Thompson / Small elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) on stem. Captive, larvae collected previous year. Downings, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. May.

Robert Thompson / Small elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) on stem. Captive, larvae collected previous year. Downings, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. May.

Robert Thompson / Chinese moon moth (Actias dubernardi, female at rest amongst leaves. Dayaoshan, Jinxin, Guangxi, China.

Jan Hamrsky / Narrow-winged damselfly nymph (Ischnura elegans), camouflaged on a stem of horsetail plant, June, Europe, controlled conditions