‘Bulldozers of the Shore’ (Stephen Hawkins, University of Southhampton)

Like other creatures of the littoral zone, limpets need to be tough to survive. For half the day they are exposed to sun, wind and weather at every time of year - hot or cold; for the other half they are submerged in salt water, battered by every crashing wave and violent storm. If you have ever walked on a limpet you will know how strong they are. When the tide comes in, they leave their home spot to forage, feeding on algae they scrape from the rocks with a dedicated feeding organ (radula) that has incredibly strong teeth. As the tide ebbs, they return to their home spot – gluing themselves back to their rock with a strong-woman’s grip (most limpets are female – though they can change sex when necessary). Limpets are well worth the photographer’s gaze. Shaped by their environment, individual limpets display different colours, shapes and sizes; they can be barnacle encrusted, delicately ridged, or ground smooth by the action of the water.