THE ENCHANTING FOREST OF FIREFLIES

WITH the phosphorescent blobs and mesmerising patterns, these spectacular images may look like the hall marks of an enchanted forest but it is in fact the scene of thousands of dancing FIREFLIES. The luminous green lights that glow from the insects help to give the impression of an extract from a fairy-tale. The magical photographs were taken by photographer Takaaki Ishikawa, 55, on a trip to Nagoya City in Japan. 'Fireflies are very delicate creatures, so it is important to not catch or disturb them,' said Takaaki

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BACK TO BASICS HOTEL

CAMPED out in the middle of a forest, these unusual hut hotels take you back to basics .

ARRR-DORABLE ONE-EYED PIRATE KITTEN

AN ADORABLE one-eyed kitten has been dubbed the 'pirate cat' because of his pirate-like facial expressions .

SOARING TAWNY OWL DELIVERS DINNER

SOARING through the air, this is the moment a hungry tawny owl arrives home with dinner .

RESTLESS BEAR CUB

An adorable black bear cub struggles to find the perfect spot for an afternoon nap as he wriggles around on the branch of a maple tree .

LOVE BIRDS

THESE LOVE BIRDS can’t keep their beaks off each other as they share a very public display of affection .

BAITBALL READY TO POP

LIKE A living balloon this baitball of sardines is ready to burst when threatened by a pointy nosed sailfish .

IN FLIGHT MEAL

This is the amazing moment two white-tailed kites take an in-flight meal - exchanging prey at 100 foot high in mid air .

CLOWNFISH OPENS WIDE TO REVEAL A CREEPY INTRUDER

A little clownfish opens its mouth to reveal a blood sucking intruder living on its tongue .

EYE-CATCHING TRIBAL HAIRSTYLES

BRAIDED, sculpted and beaded, these are the eye-catching hairstyles worn by the tribal women of Angola .

POLAR BEAR STRETCHES

Raising his arms above his head and lying flat on his back, a polar bear stretches as he sprawls out across the ice .

BEAUTIFUL BRITISH LANDSCAPES

FROM the rolling hills of the Scottish highlands to looming chalk cliffs in Sussex, these stunning photographs capture the spectacular beauty of Great Britain .

GIANT CANYON SWING

FORGET Thorpe Park this summer as this is a 50 mile-per-hour ride over the Colorado River CANYON .