April Fool's Day: Exploring nature's tricksters

It’s April Fools’ Day we are all on guard against the usual cheap tricks, but did you know some species also dedicate their lives to deception?

While most flowers go traditional by using scents and colours to attract pollinators the Bee Orchid goes a step further.

Its petals mimic the body of a bee to lure in male bees looking to mate. Instead, they discover the trick and depart with pollen in tow.

There are times where all parents wish there was someone else around to look after the children. The common cuckoo has its own method of childminding.

These birds sneak into other birds’ nests to lay an egg and leaving it to the other bird to raise it as their own.

When you think of a turtle speed isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But these turtles possess an incredibly strong bite at lighting pace.

During the day they lay motionless in water acting like any other rock. With its jaws wide the turtle uses its worm-like tongue to attract hungry prey.

The cuttlefish is the master of hide and seek. These cephalopods can camouflage themselves against their surroundings using specialised skin cells that act as ‘pixels’ much like a standard TV.

Cuttlefish use millions of these cells to maintain their masquerade.