"It looks like lots of pink tongues and smells like rotting flesh." 10 weirdest orchids on the planet, including one that looks rather gruesome
We might think we know all about orchids, but these might surprise you - from stinky orchids to ghost orchids, here are ten that are weird and wonderful
“Its fruits explode when ripe, firing toxic seeds in all directions at speeds of up 160mph…”
You’ll want to steer clear of this tree if its moniker ‘dynamite tree’ is anything to go by…
"They act as a temporary living drain, keeping the skin tissue alive..."
We take a look at why leeches are back in fashion...
A mighty hawk has made a home in New York City's Central Park. This is its story
Red-tailed hawks have taken up residence in the heart of Manhattan.
I've caught the baby wombat": 10 unbelievably idiotic and foolish acts committed by tourists that will have your blood boiling
if you’re thinking of going on holiday to see some wildlife, here are 10 cautionary tales of what not to do...
"Its venom is 1,200 times more deadly than cyanide and there's no antidote." 10 deadliest and most dangerous animals on the Great Barrier Reef
A golf-ball sized octopus, a headbutting shark, the animal that killed Steve Irwin... 10 creatures you definitely want to avoid
Jungle vs rainforest: what exactly is the difference?
Think they’re interchangeable? Think again. While they might share some of the same tropical features, the difference between a jungle and a rainforest comes down to one crucial thing – light.
"One day it’s there. The next it’s gone. Then it’s back again." 11 weirdest, bizarrest lakes on the planet – including one that contains a fluid that's not water...
From the deepest to the oldest, the deadliest to the smallest here are the weirdest lakes in the world
Crayfish, crawfish and crawdad: what exactly is the difference?
Crawfish, crawdad and crayfish are often used interchangeably alongside lobster, but are these creatures all the same?
A snake hitched a ride to a remote Pacific island. This is what happened next.
It looks like your average snake, but it has been wreaking havoc on this remote island for decades.
Birds
“It attacks with a short movement, sucking up the prey with an expansion of its tubular snout.” Meet 8 weirdest, bizarrest animals in Hawai'i
From a squid that projects moonlight to hide from predators to a snake that reproduces by cloning itself, Hawai'i's wildlife is stranger than you'd expect
“They simply moved in.” Thousands of tiny falcons are taking over this ancient Italian city
Thousands of lesser kestrels have been living in and around the ancient Italian city of Matera for centuries
It’s the fastest animal on Earth and ruthlessly kills prey in mid-air – and it’s taking over London’s skyscrapers
The fastest animal on Earth is proliferating
among the skyscrapers of central London
“They produce 7 tonnes of guano – nightly”: Romans in biohazard suits are facing a relentless rain of oily poop. Here’s what’s going on
Millions of starlings descend upon Rome every year, creating spectacular murmurations – and a mess
“These parrot apartment blocks can be the size of a small car” – and they’re causing chaos in a city near you
The monk parakeet has been a colourful, not to mention noisy, addition to the cityscapes of Madrid
“They stick out like a sore thumb.” This clown-like bird has really weird feet – and here’s why
There’s a lot more to these quirky seabirds than their eye-catching limbs
How to identify wildlife
Red squirrel vs grey squirrel: Think you know how they differ? Think again as the differences between these two squirrels will surprise you
We take a look at how the red squirrel differs to its American grey cousin
Brown rat or water vole: How to tell the difference between these two lookalike-rodents
When all you've seen is a flash of brown fur, it can be hard to know whether it was a water vole or rat. Though the two species tend to live in different habitats, there are areas where they overlap, potentially leading to cases of mistaken identity. So how do you tell rats and water voles apart?
Mink or otter? What's the difference between these two slippery, semiaquatic lookalikes?
How do you tell the difference between otters and mink?
LRPs, PG Tips and Jizz: Cracking the secret language of birders
You’re sitting in a hide and overhear other birders talking. The conversation ranges from ‘LRPs’ and ‘roosting Leos’ and you scratch your chin as you try to decipher their code – welcome to the world of birding jargon.
It's the fastest animal in the world and its deadly claws can catch prey mid-air: Meet one of the world's most incredible birds of prey
Peregrines are the ultimate urban predator. Learn all about them, including how to spot them ‘stooping’ to catch prey
Save 30% when you subscribe to BBC Wildlife Magazine, plus receive Simon Barnes’ latest release, Spring is the Only Season
Save 30% when you subscribe to BBC Wildlife Magazine, plus receive Simon Barnes’ latest release, Spring is the Only Season
Plants
Fungi vs plants: what’s the difference?
Fungi were grouped with plants by early taxonomists. While the two kingdoms share some superficial similarities, modern analysis has shown them to be incredibly different.
“Untreated, the progression is grim: nausea and vomiting give way to cardiac arrest. Death can come within an hour.”
It bears white flowers and green fruit – but hidden inside its seeds is a potent cardiac poison called cerberin.
This may be the most photographed tree on the planet. Here's how it got so famous
The Wānaka Tree, rising from the shallow waters of Lake Wānaka in New Zealand, is a must-photograph for many nature-lovers. But why?
“It’s like being electrocuted and set on fire at the same time…” Discover one of the world's most dangerous trees
This tree is considered one of the world’s most venomous plants, and its painful effects can last for years.
