Spiders found in Ireland include 583 unique species.

A medium sized raptor (bird of prey) with broad wings, a compact body, short neck and medium-length tail. Has a short hooked bill suitable for eating meat.

Wild salmon are born in freshwater, travel to the sea, and then return to their birthplace to spawn, making them a clear sign of how well we’re managing to coexist with other life.

Crayfish are freshwater crustaceans belonging to the infraorder Astacidea, which also contains lobsters. Taxonomically, they are members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea. They breathe through feather-like gills.

The conger is an ambush type predator seeking out cover in which to hide and then pounce on passing victims, though it will roam around openly on occasions to flush prey fish. Is found living in rocky holes underneath breakwaters, harbour walls, groynes and sewer outlets

These are small trees, quite unusual in the wild, and many imported specimens have been planted in towns and parks, along roads etc. If you want the truly native tree you may have to search – it is most common in the south of the country.

As apex predators Sharks play a vital role in maintaining the delicate balance of marine ecosystems. They regulate fish populations and ensure the health of coral reefs and seabeds. In Ireland, sharks have a special connection to coastal communities, which have relied on the ocean for generations.

Sea are a group of predatory marine invertebrates constituting the order Actiniaria. Because of their colourful appearance, they are named after the anemone a terrestrial flowering plant.

Ringlet and Meadow brown butterflies are on the wing through high summer, filling up with nectar in flower rich meadows and finding the perfect places there for their larvae too. Explore the summertime highs of brown butterflies on this weeks Nature File.

Creamy, perennial of damp waysides, meadows, marshes and woods, this tall, hairless plant flowers throughout Ireland from June to September.

The Goshawk is a large hawk, almost reaching buzzard size. When seen up close, it has a fierce look with bright red eyes and a distinctive white eyebrow. Thanks to its broad wings, it can to hunt at high speed, weaving in and out of trees, while its legs and talons can catch its prey in flight.

Nymphaeaceae is a family of flowering plants, commonly called water lilies. They live as rhizomatous aquatic herbs in temperate and tropical climates around the world.

Resident along coasts and rivers throughout Ireland, but still scarce in the Midlands and north-west of the country. Little Egret was considered rare in Ireland until it first started breeding here in 1997. It has since expanded and now occurs in almost every coastal county, as well as at a number of inland sites.

Sphagnum mosses carpet the ground with colour on our marshes, heaths and moors. They play a vital role in the creation of peat bogs: by storing water in their spongy forms, they prevent the decay of dead plant material and eventually form peat.

The pygmy shrew is Ireland’s smallest mammal and, up until 2007, was the only shrew species found on the island. Fossil and molecular evidence suggest that the pygmy shrew likely arrived in Ireland from Britain, accidentally introduced by early human settlers.

Growing to a mere 1-8cm in height, the dwarf willow (Salix herbacea) is arguably the world’s tiniest tree. Well adapted to live in arctic and subarctic environments, this tiny wooden sprout has developed the key strategy to surviving the cold; staying really small. 

Our smallest breeding Hirundine species, being about a third smaller than both House Martin and Swallow. Adult Sand Martins have a brown head, back, rump and wings. The throat is white, as are the belly and vent except for a broad brown breast band.

Naturefile returns to Daybreak with a seasonal look at these beauties now appearing in our gardens.

A winter migrant from high-Arctic Canada. Most occur in Ireland between October and April. This population winters almost entirely in Ireland, with small numbers in parts of Britain and France.

Many people are surprised to hear that hedgehogs are not actually native to Ireland. It is believed that they were introduced in the 12th century from Britain ...