Todd Mintz / Great Horned owl, (Bubo virginianus) in flight, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, March

Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION / Detail of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) cone on moss, Abernethy Forest, Cairngorms NP, Scotland, UK, November 2011

Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION / Detail of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) cone on moss, Abernethy Forest, Cairngorms NP, Scotland, UK, November 2011

Donald M. Jones / Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) perching on pine cones, North America

Wild Wonders of Europe / Müller / Bosnian pine (Pinus leucodermis) close-up fallen trunk bark with cones, Pollino National Park, Basilicata, Italy, May 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Ruiz / Pine cone on Moss surrounded by Fungi, Brtnicky Hradek, Ceske Svycarsko / Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Czech Republic, September 2008

Jack Dykinga / Snow covered Pinyon Pines (Pinus edulus) with pine cones, overlooking the West Rim, Grandview Point, Grand Canyon NP, Arizona, USA

Jack Dykinga / Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) pine cone and needles in the snow, South Rim, Grand Canyon NP, Arizona, USA

Jack Dykinga / Ponderosa pine cones {Pinus ponderosa} and drift wood amid canyon wall reflections in Death Hollow, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Utah, USA

Jack Dykinga / Looking down into the leaves of an Agave plant {Agave utahensis} with Pinyon pine cone {Pinus edulis}, Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Arizona, USA

Mark Taylor / Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) eating seeds from its favourite food plant, the Whitebark Pine (Pinus albicaulis), Western USA

Donald M. Jones / Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertina) female on pine cones, Troy, Montana

Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION / Scot's pine cone (Pinus sylvestris) in pinewood, Abernethy National Nature Reserve, Scotland, UK

Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION / Scot's pine cone (Pinus sylvestris) on ground in pinewood, Abernethy National Nature Reserve, Scotland, UK

Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION / Scot's pine cone (Pinus sylvestris) in pinewood, Abernethy National Nature Reserve, Scotland, UK, October

Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION / Scots pine cone (Pinus sylvestris) in pinewood, Abernethy National Nature Reserve, Scotland, UK, October

Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION / Scot's pine cone (Pinus sylvestris) in pineoowd, Abernethy National Nature Reserve, Scotland, UK, October. Did you know? As well as two national parks, Scotland has a further 47 National Nature Reserv...

Peter Cairns / 2020VISION / Desmond Dugan of RSPB collecting pine cones for seed for native tree planting at Abernethy Forest, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, March 2012.

Peter Cairns / 2020VISION / Desmond Dugan of RSPB collecting pine cones for seed for native tree planting at Abernethy Forest, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, March 2012.

Peter Cairns / 2020VISION / Desmond Dugan of RSPB collecting pine cones for seed for native tree planting at Abernethy Forest, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, March 2012.

Dave Watts / Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis) showing male cones, Canberra Botanical Gardens, Australia, September. Critically endangered.

Ben Hall / Blue tit (Parus caeruleus) perched on pine cones in snowfall, Cheshire, UK February

George Sanker / North American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) on branch with pine cone in its mouth, USA, October

Laurie Campbell / Collection of fallen Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) cones, Abernethy Forest RSPB Reserve, Strathspey, Scotland, August

Laurie Campbell / Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) cone, Abernethy Forest RSPB Reserve, Strathspey, Scotland, June

Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION / Close-up of cone formation of Scot's pine tree (Pinus sylvestris) Beinn Eighe NNR, Highlands, NW Scotland, UK, May

Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION / Close-up of cone formation of Scot's pine tree (Pinus sylvestris) Beinn Eighe NNR, Highlands, NW Scotland, UK, May

Philippe Clement / Stripped pine cones eaten by Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) on tree stump in forest. Belgium, April.

Ernie Janes / Caterpillar larva of Pine hawkmoth (Sphinx pinastri) amongst pine needles, UK

Klaus Echle / Developing and mature Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) cones, a young one split in two to show internal structure. Black Forest, Germany, August.

Ernie Janes / Corsican Pine seedling (Pinus nigra var. maritima) growing amongst pine trees and cones in coastal pine woodlands, Norfolk, UK

Ernie Janes / Corsican Pine seedling (Pinus nigra var. maritima) growing amongst pine trees and cones in coastal pine woodland, Norfolk, UK

Diane McAllister / Lesser goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria) perching on a pine cone in a backyard in Reno. Nevada, USA, April

Nick Upton / Turkish pine / Rough pine (Pinus brutia) forest on steep hillside near Parakoila. Lesbos / Lesvos, Greece, August

Nick Upton / Turkish pine / Rough pine (Pinus brutia) forest on hillside near Parakoila. Lesbos / Lesvos, Greece, August

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Tree sparrow {Passer montanus} juvenile perched in pine tree, Denmark, June

Aflo / ic-07702 Japanese squirrel {Sciurus lis} feeding on pine cones, Japan.

Robert Thompson / Common hawker dragonfly (Aeshna juncea) female green form on pine cone, Mourne Mountains, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK, August

Philippe Clement / Collection of cones from Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) stripped by Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) Belgium

Philippe Clement / Cone from Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) stripped by Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) Belgium

Adrian Davies / Cauliflower Fungus (Sparassis crispa) parastic on Pine tree, UK

Edwin Giesbers / Sand lizard {Lacerta agilis} male in breeding colours, the Netherlands

Wild Wonders of Europe / Varesvuo / Rock bunting (Emberiza cia) on branch with pine cones on it, Extremadura, Spain, April 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lilja / Cones on a European black pine (Pinus nigra) Trodos mountains, Cyprus, May 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Hamblin / Pollen blowing from cones of pine tree, Nagliai Nature Reserve, Curonian Spit, Lithuania, June 2009

David Tipling / Girl holding pine cone, Norfolk, UK, April, model released

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / Close-up of Swiss mountain pine (Pinus mugo) with cones, Liechtenstein, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Relanzón / Close-up of Canary pine (Pinus canariensis) cone, Caldera de Taburiente National Park, La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain, March 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Müller / Base of Bosnian pine (Pinus leucodermis) tree, Pollino National Park, Basilicata, Italy, May 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Müller / Bosnian pine (Pinus leucodermis) cones wedges in hole in trunk, Pollino National Park, Basilicata, Italy, May 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lilja / Cones on a European Black Pine (Pinus Nigra), Troodos mountains, Cyprus, April 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Tønning / White cushion moss (Leucobryum glaucum) and pine cones on forest floor, Consdorf, Mullerthal, Luxembourg, May 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Müller / Pine cones, wood and Beech leaves on ground, Pollino National Park, Basilicata, Italy, November 2008

Alan Williams / Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) feeding amongst pine cones on forest floor, Formby Red Squirrel reserve, Merseyside, UK, October

Wild Wonders of Europe / Ruiz / Pine cone on Moss surrounded by Fungi, Brtnicky Hradek, Ceske Svycarsko / Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Czech Republic, September 2008

Kevin Schafer / Jeffrey Pine (Pinus jeffreyi) with cones, eastern Sierra Nevada, California

Wild Wonders of Europe / Unterthiner / Driftwood and pine cones on beach, Alonissos island, Greece, September 2008

Donald M. Jones / Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) on pine cones, western Montana

Donald M. Jones / Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus) on Spruce (Picea sp) cones, western Montana

Donald M. Jones / Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus) on Lodgepole Pine (Larix laricina) cones, western Montana

MYN / Niall Benvie / Young cones on twig of Aleppo pine tree {Pinus halepensis} Spain. meetyourneighbours.net project

Tim Laman / Great Basin bristlecone pine tree (Pinus longaeva) in the Patriarch Grove area of the White Mountains, California. Mar 2004.

Thomas Lazar / Pine cones on dry needles at base of trunk of Ponderosa pine tree (Pinus ponderosa) Yosemite National Park, California, USA

Thomas Lazar / Pine cones on dry needles at base of trunk of Ponderosa pine tree (Pinus ponderosa) Yosemite National Park, California, USA

Dave Bevan / Grey squirrel (Scirius carolinensis) feeding on Scots Pine cone in tree, Wales, UK, January

Dave Watts / Red Squirrel {Sciurus vulgaris} feeding on Scot's pine cone, Formby, UK

Dave Watts / Red Squirrel {Sciurus vulgaris} feeding on Scot's pine cone, Formby, UK

Dave Watts / Red Squirrel {Sciurus vulgaris} amongst Scot's pine cones, Formby, UK

Rolf Nussbaumer / Persian Cat {Felis catus} Brown Tabby kitten amongst christmas decorations, Texas, USA

Albert Aanensen / Montery pine tree {Pinus radiata} cones and needles, New Zealand

Larry Michael / Red pine tree {Pinus resinosa} cone and needles, USA

Luciano Candisani / Parana Pine (Araucaria angustifolia) female cones, Brazil

Jack Dykinga / Lupin (Lupinus sp) flowering amongst Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) cones, near Tiyo Point, Grand Canyon NP, Arizona, USA

Rolf Nussbaumer / Uinta Chipmunk {Eutamias / Tamias umbrinus} feeding on cones of Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA

Brian Lightfoot / Fir cones of Korean pine {Pinus koraiensis} Scotland

Nature Production / Japanese Black Pine {Pinus thunbergii} old pinecone, Japan

Nature Production / Seeds from Pine cone {Pinus sp} Japan

Philippe Clement / Pine cones (Pinus genus) wedged in tree bark by woodpecker, Sierra de Gredos, Spain

Philippe Clement / Pine cones (Pinus genus) wedged in tree bark by woodpecker, Sierra de Gredos, Spain

George McCarthy / Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) perched in a Pine tree with purple pine cones, Alberta, Canada

Mark Raycroft / Alaskan Malamute (Canis familiaris) puppies in basket in snow with pine cones

Mark Raycroft / Alaskan Malamute (Canis familiaris) puppy in snow with pine cones

Konstantin Mikhailov / Fir cones of Bhutan Pine (Pinus wallichiana) Himalayas, Nepal

Konstantin Mikhailov / Green cones of Korean Pine (Pinus koraiensis) in the Ussurian forests, SE Siberia, Russia

Konstantin Mikhailov / Ripe fir cones of Siberian Pine (Pinus sibiricus) Altai mountains, SE Siberia, Russia

Konstantin Mikhailov / Cones of Siberian dwarf pine tree (Pinus pumila) Sikhote-Alin Mountains, SE Siberia, Russia

Jason Smalley / Scots Pine {Pinus sylvestris} cones and needles on forest floor, UK

Philippe Clement / White pine {Pinus strobus} showing developing cone, from Himalayas, Nepal

Philippe Clement / White pine (Pinus strobus) showing developing cone and female flowers, from Himalayas, Nepal

Philippe Clement / Bosnian pine {Pinus leucodermis} cone and needles, Europe in arboretum Belgium

Philippe Clement / Japanese white pine {Pinus parviflora} with developing cones and old cones, (arboretum Belgium)

Philippe Clement / Male flowers and developing cones on Swiss Mountain Pine {Pinus mugo} - arboretum, Belgium

Philippe Clement / Male flowers and developing cones on Swiss Mountain Pine {Pinus mugo} - arboretum, Belgium

Philippe Clement / Male flowers and developing cones on Swiss Mountain Pine {Pinus mugo} - arboretum, Belgium

Niall Benvie / Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) feeding technique, lodging a pine cone in a tree crevice, UK

Duncan Mcewan / Scots pine {Pinus sylvestris}, developing cones, June, Inverness-shire, Scotland, UK