Theo Bosboom / Common blue damselflies (Enallagma cyathigerum) group reflected in water, flying and perching on reeds - they sit on stems and fly around the water, looking for prey and females to mate. The stems ar...

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

Jan Hamrsky / Summer mayfly nymph (Siphlonurus lacustris), Europe, May. Controlled conditions.

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...

Steve Knell / Swarm of Midges (Chironomidae) flying around grass stems. Lake Myvatn, Iceland. June

Steve Knell / Swarm of Midges (Chironomidae) flying around grass stems. Lake Myvatn, Iceland. June

Marie Read / Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) male perched by clinging between two cattail stems in marsh, Mono Lake Basin, California, USA

Neil Lucas / Stems of Giant bamboo (Cathariostachys) Rakusai Bamboo Park, Japan

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

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

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.

Ingo Arndt / Bamboo stems (Bambusa vulgaris striata), Sichuan, China

Ingo Arndt / Bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla) cut stems , Shunan Bamboo Sea, Shunan Zhuhai National Park, Sichuan, China, April 2015.

Ingo Arndt / Bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla) cut stems, Shunan Bamboo Sea, Shunan Zhuhai National Park, Sichuan, China, April 2015.

Ingo Arndt / Bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla) cut stems sorted for the transport, Shunan Bamboo Sea, Shunan Zhuhai National Park, Sichuan, China, April 2015.

Ingo Arndt / Bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla) cut stems, Shunan Bamboo Sea, Shunan Zhuhai National Park, Sichuan, China

Ingo Arndt / Bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla) stems, Shunan Bamboo Sea, Shunan Zhuhai National Park, Sichuan, China

Ingo Arndt / Bamboo, stems, Sichuan, China

Ingo Arndt / Bamboo (Phyllostachys), stems, Sichuan, China

Ingo Arndt / Bamboo (Phyllostachys) stems with carved names, Sichuan, China

Ingo Arndt / Bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla) stems, Shunan Bamboo Sea, Shunan Zhuhai National Park, Sichuan, China

Nick Upton / Hemlock water dropwort stem (Oenanthe crocata) cut by a Water vole (Arvicola amphibius) at a tell-tale 45 degree angle, found during a survey for signs of Water vole activity. This plant is highly to...

Floris van Breugel / Low angle view of Century Plant (Agave americana). Pasadena, California, USA, July.

Alex Hyde / Thornbug (Umbonia crassicornis) San Jose, Costa Rica.

Nick Turner / Common blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus), Strawberry Banks, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (GWT) Nature Reserve, Gloucestershire, UK. June.

Ingo Arndt / Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla) stems, Shunan Zhuhai National Park, Sichuan, China

Ingo Arndt / Bamboo stems, Sichuan, China

Ingo Arndt / Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla) stems, Shunan Zhuhai National Park, Sichuan, China

Ingo Arndt / Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla) stems, Shunan Zhuhai National Park, Sichuan, China

Ingo Arndt / Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla) stems peeling, Shunan Zhuhai National Park, Sichuan, China

Willem Kolvoort / Common Reed (Phragmatites australis) with algae on the stems producing oxygen bubbles, lake in central Holland. May.

Willem Kolvoort / Common Reed (Phragmatites australis) with algae on the stems producing oxygen bubbles, lake in central Holland. May.

Ammonite / Slow motion (3000fps) shot of a Buff-tailed bumble bee (Bombus terrestris) in flight amongst grass stems, France, May.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lundgren / Stems of Waterlilies (Nuphar lutea) underwater along the banks of the rivers in the Danube Delta, Romania, June.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lundgren / Underwater blurred view Waterlily (Nuphar lutea) stems along the banks of the Danube Delta, Romania, June.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lundgren / Underwater blurred view Waterlily (Nuphar lutea) stems along the banks of the Danube Delta, Romania, June.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lundgren / Underwater blurred view Waterlily (Nuphar lutea) stems along the banks of the Danube Delta, Romania, June.

Andy Sands / Drinker moth (Euthrix potatoria) caterpillar drinking dew from a grass stem, Hertfordshire, England, UK, May. Controlled conditions.

Colin Varndell / Marsh horsetail (Equisetum telmateia) spore cones. Dorset, UK April 2013

Jan Hamrsky / Large red damselfly nymph (Pyrrhosoma nymphula)freshly molted, Europe, October, controlled conditions

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

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

Jan Hamrsky / Caddisfly larva (Trichoptera), in the case made of plant stems, Europe, July, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Diving beetle larvae (Hyphydrus ovatus) Europe, July, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Diving beetle larva (Hyphydrus ovatus) Europe, July, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Diving beetle larva (Hyphydrus ovatus) Europe, July, controlled conditions

Theo Bosboom / Water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile) close-up, De Bruuk, the Netherlands, May

George Sanker / Purple gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) feeding on waterlily stem, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, March

Steve Nicholls / Hairs on stem of Fork leaved sundew (Drosera binata) UK

Dave Bevan / Common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) rasping surface of stem of Fools parsley, UK

Stephen Dalton / Section through a plant stem

Martin Gabriel / Close-up of Giant bamboo stem, Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

Martin Gabriel / Close-up of Giant bamboo stem, Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

Martin Gabriel / Close-up of Giant bamboo stem, Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

Nick Upton / Alder fly (Sialis lutaria) resting on Angelica stem on river bank, Wiltshire, UK, May

Martin Gabriel / Close-up of Giant bamboo stem, Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

Martin Gabriel / Sealing wax palm (Cyrtostachys renda) stem detail, native to Malaysia, growing on Tortuga Beach, Costa Rica

Piotr Naskrecki / Screwpine (Pandanus sp) underwater stems and roots, Virachey National Park, Cambodia

Jean E. Roche / Cross-section through stem of the Greater bullrush (Typha latifolia), Camargue, France

Willem Kolvoort / Damselfly (Lestes sp) laying eggs underwater in waterlily stem, Lake Naarden, Holland

Willem Kolvoort / Damselfly (Lestes sp) laying eggs underwater in waterlily stem, Moss animals and a red water mite also present, Lake Naarden, Holland

Jason Smalley / Stem of ivy climbing up Sycamore tree, UK

Philippe Clement / Close up of stem of Common scouring rush {Equisetum hyemale} Luxembourg

Michio Hoshino / Arctic Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus parryii) grasping grass stems, Alaska

Nigel Cattlin / Glasshouse mealybug (Pseudococcus viburni) infesting the swollen stem of a Bunny-ears cactus, (Opuntia microdasys).

Nigel Cattlin / Cuckoo spit from Green / Meadow froghopper, (Philaneus spumarius) on lavender stems, Berkshire, June

Nigel Cattlin / Rough chervil (Chaerophyllim temulum) hairy rough purple spotted stems, Berkshire, England, UK. June

Nigel Cattlin / Rough chervil (Chaerophyllim temulum) hairy rough purple spotted stems, Berkshire, England, UK. June

Nigel Cattlin / Rough chervil (Chaerophyllim temulum) hispid (hairy) seeding, ripening umbel, Berkshire, June

Nigel Cattlin / Rough chervil (Chaerophyllim temulum) Berkshire, England, UK.

Kevin Schafer / Bamboo (Bambusa sp) stems, Kyoto, Japan

Cyril Ruoso / Ngongo (Megaphrynium macrostachyum) stems and leaves used by Baka woman to make a mat, Cameroon

Piotr Naskrecki / Field Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) stems topped with spore-producing strobilus, Estabrook Woods, Massachusetts

Robert Thompson / Mullein moth (Cucullia verbasci) resting on plant stem, camouflaged, Kent, UK, April

Nigel Cattlin / Rhubarb (Rheum sp.), covered crown with forced young stems and leaves shooting in early spring, Berkshire, UK. March.

Nigel Cattlin / Rhubarb (Rheum sp.), covered crown with forced young stems and leaves shooting in early spring, Berkshire, UK. March.

Nigel Cattlin / Rhubarb (Rheum sp.), stems shooting in late winter, Berkshire, UK. February.

Andy Sands / Group of Stalked hairy fairy cup fungi (Lachnum Niveum) trapping water drops in tiny hairs on stems. Buckinghamshire, England, UK. December. Focus Stacked.

Andy Sands / Dewdrop bonnet fungi (Hemimycena tortuosa) trapping water drops in hairs around caps and stems. Buckinghamshire, England, UK. November. Focus Stacked.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Lesser twayblade (Neottia cordata also Listera cordata) This is an orchid of acidic habitats, never very common but may be frequently overlooked because of its small size and a tendency to grow unde...

Paul Harcourt Davies / Lesser twayblade (Neottia cordata also Listera cordata) This is an orchid of acidic habitats, never very common but may be frequently overlooked because of its small size and a tendency to grow unde...

Nick Upton / Vervain (Verbena officinalis) flowering on straggly, branching stems, Godlingston Heath, Dorset, UK, September.

Eric Baccega / Bamboo (Pseudosasa japonica) leaves and stems, Beauval ZooPark, France. April.

Edwin Giesbers / Two Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio machaon) caterpillars on Wild carrot (Daucus carota) stems. The Netherlands. August.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Field dodder (Cuscuta campestris) parasitizing Clover (Trifolium) species forming twining mass of stems, Umbria, Italy. November.

Nigel Cattlin / Garden crop of Runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus) plants in flower and supported by bamboo canes around which it is climbing, Berkshire, UK, July.

Nigel Cattlin / Stem and leaf distortion of oilseed rape caused by spray drift & chemical phytotoxicity from a hormone weedkiller, herbicide

Nigel Cattlin / Mature rhubarb (Rheum rhaponticum) plant with young red stems before harvest, Devon, England, UK, April

Nigel Cattlin / Branched bur-reed (Sparganium erectum) male above and female flowers below on lateral branched stems, canal bank, Berkshire, England, UK, June

Nigel Cattlin / Leaves of Cleavers (Galium aparine) with small hooked hairs which attach to hair and clothing and can cause irritation. Berkshire, England, UK, April.

Philippe Clement / Insect hotel for solitary bees and artificial nesting place for insects / invertebrates offering nest holes / cavities in hollow stems and wood blocks