
Alder Alnus glutinosa leaves and cones
Sprig of Alder showing several leaves and three ripe cones

Ash Fraxinus excelsior keys
Ash Fraxinus excelsior keys in autumn, having turned brown

Scots pine Pinus sylvestris cones
Scots pine Pinus sylvestris cones, one mature and one less ripe

Sweet chestnut Castanea sativa
Leaf and prickly seed case along with one chestnut

Silver birch seeds Betula pendula
Silver birch seeds with detail of one individual seed

Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus winged seeds
Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus winged seeds showing ripe and unripe paired seeds

Wych Elm Ulmus glabra leaf and seeds
Wych Elm Ulmus glabra leaf and seeds with close up of one seed

Small-leaved Lime leaf and seeds Tilia cordata
Small-leaved Lime leaf and seeds Tilia cordata with bract

Horse chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum conkers
Horse chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum conkers both in, and out of, their seed case

London plane Platanus × acerifolia leaf and seeds
London plane Platanus × acerifolia leaf and seeds, with details of individual seeds

Norway spruce Picea abies cone
Norway spruce Picea abies cone and individual seed

Spindle Euonymus europaeus leaf and berries
Spindle Euonymus europaeus bright coloured autumn leaf and berries

Guelder rose Viburnum opulus leaf and fruit
Guelder rose Viburnum opulus leaf and fruit showing shiny red berries

Field maple Acer campestre sprig
Field maple Acer campestre sprig showing leaves and developing seeds and close up of mature seeds

Hornbeam Carpinus betulus seed
Hornbeam Carpinus betulus mature dry seed with bracts

Wood ant nest
Wood ant nest. This nest belongs to the Southern red wood ant, Formica rufa. Wood ant nests do differ between species, although it can be hard to tell them apart.

Nest and budded smaller nest of wood ant
Nest and budded smaller nest of wood ant. This budding often happens with wood ant species.

Mating Formica rufa Southern Red wood ant queen and male
Mating during nuptial flight Formica rufa Southern Red wood ant queen and male

Narrow headed ant Formica exsecta
Worker caste of the Narrow headed ant Formica exsecta. This species have curved backs to their heads.

Slender ant Leptothorax acervorum
Slender ant Leptothorax acervorum worker. This ant is only 3mm, and although similar to the Shining Guest ant, has a darker and less smooth head.

Scottish wood ant Formica aquilonia
Scottish wood ant Formica aquilonia worker. These ants are only modestly hairy.

Southern Red wood ant Formica rufa
Southern Red wood ant Formica rufa. One of the most common species of European wood ant.

Shining Guest ant Formicoxenus nitidulus
Shining Guest ant Formicoxenus nitidulus worker. This tiny species is extremely shiny, and only 2.75mm long.

Hairy wood ant Formica lugubris
Hairy wood ant Formica lugubris, showing species-specific long hairs. These reach up to and beyond the eyes.