Morley Read / Slow motion clip of a male Orchid bee (Euglossini) gathering nectar from an orchid (Lycomormium ecuadorense) flower, Imbabura Province, Ecuador. (non-ex)

Guy Edwardes / Marbled white (Melanagria galathea), two butterflies on Pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis). Badbury Rings, Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England, UK. June.

Claudio Contreras / California condor (Gymnogyps californianus), portrait. California condor recovery program, Sierra de San Pedro Martir National Park, Baja California Peninsula, Mexico.

Gary Bell/ Oceanwide / Sea Anemone (Corynactis australis) group, Bicheno, Tasmania, Australia

Loic Poidevin / Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) on a branch, Vendee, France, January.

Nigel Cattlin / Peach leaf curl (Taprina deformans) fungal disease distortion of leaves on a young Peach tree, Berkshire, September.

Shane Gross / Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) holding on to a branch of a sea fan coral. Malapascua, Philippines.

Edwin Giesbers / Sword-grass moth (Xylena exsoleta) caterpillar on Field gladiolus (Gladiolus italicus). Cyprus. April.

Marie Read / Roseate spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja) adult in breeding plumage preening tail feathers, Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, USA, January.

Marie Read / Common redpoll (Carduelis flammea), male perched in alder (Alnus rugosa) during a snowstorm in winter, New York, USA, January.

Marie Read / Baltimore oriole (Icterus galbula) male perched in pear (Pyrus sp.) blossom, eastern redbud in background, New York, USA. May.

Nick Upton / Pyrenean merendera / False meadow saffron (Merendera pyrenaica / Colchicum montanum) flowering on montane pastureland, Vegas de Sotres, Picos de Europa, Asturias, Spain, August.

Nick Upton / Cornish heath (Erica vagans) clump flowering on montane pastureland, above the Lakes of Covadonga, at 1300m, Picos de Europa, Asturias, Spain, August.

Konrad Wothe / Gladiolus (Gladiolus palustris) flowering with meadow brown butterfly (Maniola jurtina), Upper Bavaria, Germany.

John Chan / Male Anna's hummingbird (Calypte anna) cleaning its beak on a twig, Southern California, USA, January.

Gary Bell/ Oceanwide / Golden Damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus) juvenile among coral, Great Barrier Reef, Australia

John Chan / California least tern chick (Sternula antillarum browni) falling over as it runs towards its parent returning to nest site, Huntington Beach, California, USA, June.

Loic Poidevin / Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) in flower in botanic garden, Vendee, France, July.

Hermann Brehm / Blackcap (Sylviya atricapilla) male perched in blossom, Hungary, April.

Philippe Clement / Two Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) in breeding plumage on cliff top, Sumburgh Head, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK, June.

Juergen Freund / Australian freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnsoni) catching a Little red flying fox (Pteropus scapulatus) flying to drink from a watering hole, Kimberley, Western Australia.

Juergen Freund / Australian freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnsoni) trying to catch Little red flying foxes (Pteropus scapulatus) flying to drink from a watering hole, Kimberley, Western Australia

Guy Edwardes / Aurora Borealis over Sycamore Gap, Hadrian's Wall, Northumberland, England. February 2014

Guy Edwardes / Sleat Peninsula and Sound of Sleat, Loch na Dal, Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK. January 2014.

Guy Edwardes / Sunrise over Colmer's Hill, Bridport, Dorset, England, UK. September 2011.

Guy Edwardes / Sunrise over Colmer's Hill, Bridport, Dorset, England, UK. September 2011.

Guy Edwardes / Sunrise over Colmer's Hill, Bridport, Dorset, England, UK. September 2011.

Bernard Castelein / Reeds reflected in water at sunrise, Klein Schietveld, Brasschaat, Belgium

Bernard Castelein / Oak (Quercus robur) in Heather (Calluna vulgaris) at sunrise, Klein Schietveld, Brasschaat, Belgium

Theo Bosboom / Emerald damselfly (Lestes sponsa) on heather plant, Hondenven, Tubbergen, the Netherlands, June.

Theo Bosboom / Close-up of Emerald damselfly (Lestes sponsa) compound eye, covered in dewdrops, Hatertse vennen, the Netherlands, July.

Theo Bosboom / Blue damselflies (Coenagrionidae) resting in heather flowers in dawn twilight, Hatertse vennen near Nijmegen, the Netherlands, August.

Theo Bosboom / Emerald damselfly (Lestes sponsa) on heather, Hatertse vennen near Nijmegen, the Netherlands, August.

Phil Savoie / Green-crowned brillian hummingbird (Heliodoxa jacula) visiting Torch ginger flower (Etlingera elatior), Poas Volcano National Park Costa Rica

Robert Thompson / Elephant hawk moth (Deilephila elpenor) portrait, Brackagh Moss National Nature Reserve, Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. April.

Michael Hutchinson / Slow motion clip of a Common carder bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum) feeding from a Viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare) flower, Bristol, England, UK, September.

Claudio Contreras / Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) chick under the wing of protective parent, breeding colony, Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, June.Finalist in the Portfolio Category...

Claudio Contreras / Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) chick creche in front of attentive adult flamingo group, breeding colony, Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, June, Finalist in the Por...

Claudio Contreras / Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) sleeping in the breeding colony, brooding egg, Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, June, Finalist in the Portfolio Category of the Terr...

Claudio Contreras / Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) tending to newborn chick while another feed two day old chick, breeding colony, Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, June, Finalist in t...

Tim Fitzharris / Trident Range from Pyramid Lake, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

James Dunbar / Rose chafer (Cetonia aurata) nectaring on a thistle flower, England, UK, September.

Steve Downer / Honey bee (Apis mellifera) fast motion of bee collecting pollen from begonia flower and flying lies off. Birmingham UK. September.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Mountain hare leveret (Lepus timidus) grooming amongst flowering heather, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, UK, August.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Puffin (Fratercula arctica), with Thrift (Armeria maritima) in the foreground, Fair Isle, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK, July.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) feeding, Scotland, UK, September 2011.

Alex Hyde / Cup fungi (Cookeina sp) growing on decaying log, Danum Valley, Sabah, Borneo.

Frederique Olivier / View of icebergs and pack ice at sunset, seen from a moving boat, Antarctica.

Frederique Olivier / Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) tobogganing on an iceberg at sunset and diving from the edge, seen from a moving boat, Antarctica.

Frederique Olivier / Drifting snow in high wind, Antarctica.

Alastair MacEwen / Time-lapse of Cherry (Prunus) blossom emerging, Somerset, England, UK, April.

Konrad Wothe / Leafcutter ants (Atta cephalotes) carrying leaves and filaments along a trail, Panguana Reserve, Huanuco Province, Peru.

Alastair MacEwen / Timelapse of frost forming on Rose (Rosa) hips, controlled conditions, Somerset, England, UK.

Ingo Arndt / Great Bowerbird (Chlamydera nuchalis) male at courting bower, Litchfield National Park, Australia.

Ingo Arndt / Green tree ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) group on entrance from nest, built from woven leaves, Northern Territory, Kakadu National Park, Australia.

Alex Hyde / Cup fungus (Cookeina sp) growing on decaying wood on the rainforest floor, Corcovado National Park, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

Alex Hyde / Fragrant Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea) and Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus sp.) flowering in ancient alpine hay meadow. Nordtirol, Austrian Alps. June.

Bence Mate / Great flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) group in flight, Pont De Gau Park, Rhone River, France.

Bence Mate / Leaf cutter ant (Atta sp) carrying colourful pieces of plant material, Santa Rita, Costa Rica.

Bence Mate / Greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus) with necks intertwined, Pont De Gau Park, Rhone River, France. February.

Bence Mate / Leaf cutter ant (Atta sp) carrying pink flower segment, Santa Rita, Costa Rica.

Alex Hyde / Keeled garlic flowers (Allium carinatum subsp. carinatum) flowers on black background, Julian Alps, Slovenia. July

Andres M. Dominguez / Dew on spiderweb with Grey-leaved cistus (Cistus albidus) Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, El Bosque, southern Spain, April.

Andres M. Dominguez / Dark-red helleborine (Epipactis atrorubens) Linares, Cantabria, Spain, August.

Benjamin Barthelemy / Long exposure of tidal water flowing off rocks, with the Okshornan Mountains in the background, Isle of Senja, Troms, Norway, February 2015.

Brent Stephenson / Sunset off Scott Island, with floating pieces of sea ice, Scott Inlet, Baffin Island, Canadian Arctic, August 2015.

Rod Williams / Longhorn beetle (Rutpela / Strangalia maculata) feeding on Dog rose flower, Hutchinson's Bank, New Addington, London, England, June.

Hiroya Minakuchi / Jellyfish (Spirocodon saltator), Japan

Constantinos Petrinos / Peacock Anemone (Anemone pavomina) with dew. Pink flower. Mount Hymettus, Kessariani Aesthetic Forest, East-Central Attica, Greece, March.

Claudio Contreras / Caribbean flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) preparing to sleep, Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Yucatan Peninsula Mexico, July. Bookplate.

Claudio Contreras / Caribbean flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) adults guarding chick, Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Yucatan Peninsula Mexico, June. Bookplate.

Claudio Contreras / Caribbean flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) about to take off to roosting site, Ria Celestun Biosphere Reserve, Yucatan Peninsula Mexico, January. Best image taken in Mexico and specially commended in...

Theo Bosboom / Birch tree (Betula pendula) with lichen, camouflaged against lichen covered rock face, Muddus National Park, Sweden. September 2014. Highly commended in GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Yea...

Alex Mustard / Portrait of a Severn's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus severnsi) at Mioskon Island, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia. Dampier Strait. Tropical West Pacific Ocean.

Dave Watts / Northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremita) feeding, Morocco, Critically endangered species.

Dave Watts / Dark green fritillary (Argynnis aglaja) on pink clover, south west France.

Pascal Pittorino / Corsican pig (Sus scrofa domestica) sow, suckling the piglets, Parc Naturel Regional de Corse / Natural Regional Park of Corsica, Corsica Island, France. September.

Cyril Ruoso / Woman with baby collecting Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) flowers and leaves, used in herbal medicine, and containing molecules which are used in the treatment of leukemia cancer. Berenty...

Eric Baccega / Salt caravans made up of hundreds of Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) and their pullers transporting salt slabs cut from Lake Assale to the Mekele Market, Danakil depression, Afar region, Ethiop...

Sven Zacek / Pink algae in fresh snow on the coast of the Baltic Sea, Lahemaa National Park, Northern Estonia. December 2012.

Solvin Zankl / Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis) colony, underwater Sargasso Sea, Bermuda

Solvin Zankl / Portuguese Man-of-War (Physalia physalis) close up of tentacles, Sargasso Sea, Bermuda

Richard Du Toit / Longtailed widowbird (Eupletes progne) male perched in flowers, Rietvlei Nature Reserve, South Africa.

Pascal Pittorino / Mediterranean tree frogs (Hyla meridionalis) mating on a branch of Quince tree (Cydonia oblonga) Var, Provence, France, April.

Pascal Pittorino / Mediterranean tree frog (Hyla meridionalis) resting on a Red rose (Rosa sp) in organic garden, Toulon, Var, Provence, France, May.

Jack Dykinga / Great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) chicks in nest in Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) at sunset, Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona, USA, May.

Jan Vermeer / Rose (Rosa sp) and Aster (Asteraceae) flowers

Georgette Douwma / Stove-pipe sponge (Aplysina archeri) and Orange elephant ear sponge (Agelas clathrodes) Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean, Atlantic Ocean.

Claudio Contreras / Canal between chinampas, a wetland agricultural system, at dawn, Xochimilco wetlands, Mexico City, November

Cyril Ruoso / Bromeliad (Bromeliaceae) pair flowering, Pacaya Samiria National Park, Peru

Pascal Tordeux / Aerial view of Cappadocia with hot air balloon, Turkey, March 2006.

Ole Jorgen Liodden / White anemone (Anemone nemorosa) against pink background, Ringerike, Norway, May.

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

Richard Robinson / Featherstar (Crinoidea) on red coral (Errina novazelandiae) in Doubtful Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand.

Marie Read / American goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) male in breeding plumage, perched in Eastern redbud flowers in spring, New York, USA May.

David Woodfall / Buff tailed bumble bee (Bombus terrestris) on Marsh Woundwort (Stachys palustris) North Wales, UK, July.