Clouds of ash spewing from fissures in the volcano caused travel chaos across Europe for months as flights were grounded and holidaymakers were left stranded. Icelandic photographer Ragnar Sigurdsson spent weeks capturing the dramatic scenes as the volcano continued to erupt, including flying over the bubbling crater. Some of his most awe inspiring pictures show lightning storms within the darkened plume of the volcano, caused by water vapour from the nearby glacier releasing energy in response to the superheated ash cloud. He has captured more than 10,000 images of the volcano as red hot lava was thrown into the air and compiled three book volumes entitled Untamed Nature. Sigurdsson, 52, chose to fly into the epicentre of destruction on a mission to record the spectacular wrath of one of nature’s most deadly phenomena. He and geologist co-writer Ari Trausti Gudmundsson have now made a selection from 10,000 of Ragnar’s pictures of the catastrophe. Interest generated by their first two sell out editions of ‘Eyjafjallajokull: Untamed Nature’, spurred the duo to add new personal accounts, giving fresh insight into the drama, in their brand new third edition.

Traveling Iceland in a converted military Land Cruiser Ragnar was able to record spectacular and unique images of the Icelandic eruption as it unfolded on a global scale. ‘Once all the airports started shutting down I knew this was a major story of global significance,’ said 52 year-old Ragnar, from Iceland. ‘This eruption clearly had a great impact on the whole world. However, because of the intensity of the experience it was actually a rush for me and was exciting to be involved in such a hands-on way. ‘Getting the very best shots I can is a great reward. Personally my favourite picture is an aerial shot of the crater taken while flying at low altitude, in high wind speeds and the door of the plane taken off so I didn’t have to shoot through glass.

‘I could feel the heat of the volcano against my face as we made our pass. It was taken with a telephoto lens and an extremely high ISO, which can make pictures grainy, but it turned out to be a pin sharp shot. I couldn’t have been more pleased.’

Water leap! A manta ray soars out of the sea a staggering three metres in the air

And, if they’re feeling particularly playful, some even manage a somersault before plummeting back into the water with an impressive splash. Photographers Roland and Julia Seitre captured the spectacle off the coast of Costa Rica, Central America. The French couple had sailed six miles out to sea in the hope of catching sight of some whales but were also treated to this extraordinary rare acrobatic display. Mr Seitre said: ‘The males jumped clear out of the water, up to three metres  high. They flapped their wings during the few seconds of flight, before hitting the surface with a loud banging noise. ‘Some think it is a way to attract female attention as we saw pairs close by. ‘Numerous males take off and land one after another. ‘The bangs are so loud it’s like you’re being close to a hunting party with guns. ‘Occasionally one seems to have even more fun by doing a somersault. ‘This kind of behaviour is extremely unpredictable and incredibly rare to witness. ‘We were so lucky, it was a complete coincidence that we were there in the first place.’  He added: ‘These manta rays are beautiful. Their large wing-shaped bodies and slow motion make them excellent sea gliders. ‘They not only impress with their size but also with their very elegant flight into the blue oceans.’  The manta ray is the largest of the all the rays. They can grow up to 25ft across and weigh around 5,100lb.

The species are found in tropical waters and feed mostly on plankton, which is filtered into their bodies through their gills as swim. Perfectly stream-lined for gliding through the water, the manta ray can reach speeds of up to 7mph. They are often spotted swimming with divers and will sometimes surface alongside boats.

INVERTEBRATES AS LEAVES

The “dying” leaf-mimic katydid below is a fascinating creature, and evolution natural selection has endowed it with the ability to mimic a dying leaf.

Dead leaf butterflies are extraordinary creatures to observe up close.  The specimen below illustrates the intricate details chiseled out by adaptation through natural selection, which is a driving force of evolution.  The remarkable details help the butterfly evade predation by mimicking a dead leaf.

The images and videos below show various species of leaf- and stick-mimicking praying mantises, including a dead leaf mantis (Deroplatys desiccata) and a violin mantis subadult (Gongylus gongylodes). The detail and similarity to vegetation in some species, like the specimen in the first image, is extraordinary.

Another leaf mimic katydid positions itself below.  This specimen mimics a decomposing leaf instead of a dying leaf.

Leaf insects or walkingleaves from the family  Phylliidae are some of the best examples of leaf mimics.

Phyllium giganteum

An unidentified species of dead leaf insect

Here are more examples of leaf-mimicking katydids.  The species directly below from Costa Rica is mimicking a dead or brown leaf.  Note the mottling or splotching of darker browns, which certainly allows this species to camouflage itself amongst decaying leaves very well.

Bladderwort Traps

Rather unremarkable in appearance from above, these tiny aquatic plants are actually carnivorous, and display one of the most sophisticated mechanisms (carnivorous or otherwise) in the entire known plant kingdom.

The “bladders” of the plant’s namesake are thousands of tiny, sac-like pods which hang from submerged branches, each equipped with a hinged “door” and membranous seal held shut by a delicate equilibrium of pressure. At the slightest touch by some tiny insect, crustacean or even protozoa, the seal is broken and the bladder floods with water, sucking in the prey for digestion.

Un-carnivorous Plants

Members of the genus Nepenthes are usually adapted to attract, trap and digest insect prey in their fluid-filled “pitchers,” but Nepenthes lowii favors an alternative, even less savory diet. The rim of its “trap” secretes a sweet, milky substance that small birds may find both an enticing treat and fast-acting laxative; only seldomly catching insects, lowii derives most of its sustenance as a public toilet.

Another un-carnivorous pitcher is Nepenthes ampullaria. While other pitcher traps are shaped to keep clear of fallen leaves, twigs and other inedible detritus, this scavenging cannibal leaves itself open to whatever might fall into its gaping gullet, actually favoring the digestion of vegetable matter.

Ants in the Plants

Most trees and shrubs in the Acacia genus discourage hungry herbivores with a bitter alkaloid chemical in their tiny leaves, but a few species have developed an even more effective and far more amazing line of defense by forming a mutual partnership (symbiosis) with biting, stinging ants. One such partnership is demonstrated by the Acacia cornigera or “bullhorn” acacia and the ant Pseudomyrmex ferruginea. The large, hollow pods of the plant’s namesake are a perfect place for the ants to raise their young, and the plant produces two kinds of sustenance especially for its tenants; carbohydrate-laden nectar from glands along its stalks and nodules of protein from the tips of its leaves. In return, the ants not only attack other animals that disturb their home but clear away any other vegetation that may grow around the base of the tree.

“Sexual Deception” in Orchid Flowers

At first glance, the flowers of many orchid species can fool even a human into seeing some colorful bee, fly or wasp, and the resemblance is far from coincidence. Each flower not only approximates the size, shape and color of a different local insect, but imitates the female reproductive pheromones of the appropriate species, attracting male insects in a
certain special mood.

Dung Beetle Jail

Hydnora africana is a plant that spends most of its existence completely underground, feeding parasitically off the roots of more conventional flowering plants in the Spurge family. The parasite reveals itself only when its bizarre, fleshy flowers begin to poke up through the soil, emitting the smell of fresh, steamy feces. With their joined petals and thick, inward-pointing hairs, the flowers are structured so that dung beetles and other scavenging insects can easily enter, but cannot escape until the flowers are mature, ensuring their prisoners will be thoroughly coated in pollen by the time they leave.

A Predatory team-up

Though adapted to attract and trap insects in its sticky coating, the “paracarnivorous” Roridula genus produces no digestive enzymes of its own, leaving the final act of predation in the hands of a second party…

The Parasitic Corpse Flower

Over a meter across, the flower of this rare Malaysian plant is the single largest known to man, and that’s only the beginning of Rafflesia arnoldii’s unusual characteristics. The rest of the plant consists only of a fungus-like filament, which grows as a parasite exclusively within the vines of Tetrastigma, an exotic relative of the grape. Arnoldii produces its titanic bud directly from the surface of its host, and grows for several months to bloom for only a few days.

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Navagio Beach, or the Shipwreck, is an isolated sandy cove on Zakynthos  island and one of the most famous beaches in Greece. It is notable because it is home to the wreck of the alleged smuggler ship Panagiotis, it is often referred to as ‘Smugglers Cove’.