As its name would suggest, the strawberry anemone is bright red in colour, covered in small green spots – which makes them look a lot like a strawberry, especially when their tentacles are retracted at low tide. They have a stout body and short, thick, stinging tentacles. It can be confused with the beadlet anemone, but is larger and obviously spotted.

Behaviour

Size

Up to 10 cm diameter.

Status

Common

Distribution

Strawberry anemones live attached to rocks on the lower shore all around the coast of the UK.

When to see

All year round

Facts

• These anemones are highly territorial, with a ring of beads beneath their tentacles packed full of stinging cells. They use these beads to fight off other anemones and defend their preferred patch.