Fergus Gill / 2020VISION / Chequered skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon) nectaring on a thistle (Cirsium), Glasdrum Wood National Nature Reserve, near Oban, Argyll, Scotland, UK, June.

Terry Whittaker / 2020VISION / Marsh Thistle (Cirsium palustre) flowering on managed grazing land, Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire, UK, June

Ernie Janes / Silhouette against the sun of floating seeds attached to Scottish spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare), UK. August

B&S Draker / Three Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) females feeding on Texas thistle (Cirsium texanum). Sinton, Corpus Christi, Coastal Bend, Texas, USA, May.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Hermans / Melancholy thistle (Cirsium heterophyllum) flowers, Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Republic of Ireland, June 2009

Ross Hoddinott / Marsh fritillary {Euphydryas aurinia} butterfly resting on Meadow thistle flower {Cirsium helenoides} Dunsdon, Devon, UK. June

Wild Wonders of Europe / Wothe / Flowering meadow with Thistles (Cirsium rivulare) and Buttercups (Ranunculus acris) Poloniny National Park, Western Carpathians, Eastern Slovakia, Europe, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Wothe / Flowering meadow with Thistles (Cirsium rivulare) Poloniny National Park, Western Carpathians, Eastern Slovakia, Europe, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Wothe / Flowering meadow with Thistles (Cirsium rivulare) and Buttercups (Ranunculus acris) Poloniny National Park, Western Carpathians, Eastern Slovakia, Europe, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Wothe / Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) on flowering thistle (Cirsium rivulare) Poloniny National Park, East Slowakia, Europe, June 2008

Kim Taylor / Black-tipped Soldier Beetle {Rhagonycha fulva} taking off from Creeping Thistle {Cirsium arvense} Surrey, England.

Nick Upton / Stemless thistle (Cirsium acaule) flowering on south facing slope of a chalk grassland meadow, Wiltshire, UK, August.