Your pictures on the theme of 'garden creatures'

We asked our readers to send in their pictures on the theme of "garden creatures". Here are some of the pictures sent to us from around the world.

John West: "While I was cutting the grass earlier this summer, I noticed a snail in front of the lawnmower. I took this photo before moving it to safety."

Milo Khey: "The bronze fennel in my garden attracts a variety of insects. Taken today, a praying mantis looms over a small bee. Moments later, the bee flew off and the mantis continued its vigil."

Jenny James: "Hoverfly, a helophilus pendulus (totally had to look that up) on a garden pond in Wirral this June."

Richard Hughes: "This spikey tortoiseshell caterpillar matches really well in the aging holly leaves. I definitely need some thicker gloves for clearing the holly leaves but will make sure to leave the nettles nearby by to keep these butterflies coming back."

Ian Bannerman: "A baby hedgehog exploring the long grass in our Oxfordshire garden."

Madhan Kumar: "Restricted to my home in Bangalore during one of the strictest lockdowns worldwide, I had no choice but to photograph the critters in my home garden - and was surprised to find that our small lily pond, which borders a local lake, attracted approximately 10 species of dragonflies and damselflies, of which the Crimson Marsh Glider is the most colourful."

David R. Lillington: "This photo was taken in July 2020 in our garden in Rolling Hills, California. The slug was enjoying an over-ripe peach that had fallen from a tree in our garden."

Judith Lamie: "The (overactive) spider."

Sam Whitaker: "As I was clearing under the arch at the end of my garden, I got the feeling I was being watched! This pigeon has found the perfect nesting spot, well-hidden and only a stone's throw from the bird feeders!"

Yolanda Valenciano: "I am an amateur photographer and like thousands of people during the lockdown, I started taking pictures of nature on a daily basis. This colourful creature turns up as an uninvited guest to my garden party."

Izzy Fry: "A swallow taken on a fence in Devon."

Carolyn DiFrancesco: "So lucky to call this little kit one of my garden creatures. They return every year, last year there were eight kits, this year only three."

Claire Buske: "The huge Inukshuk is guarded by a protective circle of muskox. These garden creatures are completely created and sculpted with various plants. This garden creation celebrating Canada's 150th anniversary in 2017, was located in Gatineau, Quebec."

Jeremy Diamond: "We watched this little guy (my four-year-old son insists it's a boy) grow up from a baby in our modest little garden in Kobe, Japan. He has recently hatched from his chrysalis and is now flying free in a nearby park."

Ollie Bacon: "I bought my camera about three months ago and have found wildlife photography to be my favourite type of photography so far. It's nice to spend time with nature, and wildlife photography poses many challenges for the photographer. I enjoy the fact that you need to be very adaptable in the moment."

Lauré Turmell: "A baby hummingbird found in our backyard this summer that decided to fly from the nest located in our sycamore tree. I wouldn't have seen it had it not been for the mother that nearly accosted me, warning me that I was too close to her darling baby. The cute little thing stayed on the chain-link fence, being diligently cared for by mama bird, for two days before growing strong enough to venture further."

Gabrielle Turnecliff: "Startled by the state of this robin as it landed on the fence in my garden, I soon realised it was only drying off after its daily visit to the bird bath."

Verna Evans: "Caught in the act! A squirrel making a getaway through my garden."

The next theme is "My summer" and the deadline for entries is 1 September 2020.

Send pictures to [e-mail] or follow the link below to "Upload your pictures here".

Further details and terms can be found by following the link to "We set the theme, you take the picture" at the bottom of the page.

All photographs subject to copyright.