All images on this website have been taken in Leicestershire and Rutland by NatureSpot members. We welcome new contributions - just register and use the Submit Records form to post your photos. Click on any image below to visit the species page. The RED / AMBER / GREEN dots indicate how easy it is to identify the species - see our Identification Difficulty page for more information. A coloured rating followed by an exclamation mark denotes that different ID difficulties apply to either males and females or to the larvae - see the species page for more detail.
Oddities
It can be challenging enough to identify the species you have come across, but sometimes nature throws a curve ball so it can be almost impossible to know what you are looking at! Here are a few of these natural oddities we have come across in Leicestershire and Rutland.
Mutation
Genetic mutation occurs all the time but mostly results in death. Sometimes a mutation allows the animal or plant to survive (at least for a while) and may be then encountered in the wild. Very rarely the mutation confers an evolutionary advantage and when the affected individual breeds the affected gene will become more widespread in the population. Over time it is possible that this could even lead to a new species forming.
