Spikey

Bis forBarbed wire

Barbed wire, or barb wire, is a type of wire usually used for fencing that has twists of sharp wire along its length. Barbed wire is most often used on fences that keep livestock like cows and sheep from escaping. The sharp barbs on the wire will hurt anything that tries to climb over it. Barbed wire is not just used to keep animals in or out. Barbed wire was used extensively during war time to protect soldiers, and is also used around prisons to keep the prisoners in.

Weapons & war terms, List of materials, Spikey

Irwandy Mazwir / CC BY-SA

Dis forDurian

Scientific name: genus: durio

Durians are a large, heavy, prickly fruit from Malaysia and Indonesia. They have a very strong smell that some people find disgusting and other people really like. The taste is described as like custard with almonds. Durians are used in many dishes in Malaysia, especially sweet desserts.

Fruit, Spikey

Robert Young / CC BY-SA

Eis forEchidna

An echidna, or spiney anteater, is a small, spiney animal found in Australia and New Guinea. They eat mostly ants and termites. Along with the platypus, echidnas are the only animals that lay eggs.

Monotremes, Australian animals, Spikey

Juan Tello / CC BY-SA

Pis forPorcupine

Scientific name: Families: erethizontidae and hystricidae

Porcupines are a large rodent related to the beaver. They are spiny like hedgehogs and echidnas but are not related to either of them. Porcupines come in many shapes and sizes, but all have sharp quills. Porcupines can lose their quills, so if something bites a porcupine they get a mouthful of spikes.

Rodents, African animals, Spikey

Ken Bosma / CC BY-SA

Pis forPrickly pear

Scientific name: opuntia stricta

The prickly pear is a kind of cactus. When you eat the fruit of the cactus, you have to be very careful to remove the thorns from the fruit. The entire cactus including the fruit is covered in thorns.

Fruit, Plants, Spikey

Eric Kilby / CC BY-SA

Sis forSea urchin (creature)

Scientific name: class: echinoidea

Sea urchins are a small, round, spiny creature related to the starfish. They move very slowly on hundreds of small tentacle-like legs that use suction to stick to rocks. Their mouth is at the bottom of the sea urchin, and they eat algae as they move around. Different kinds of sea urchin have different colours and different lengths of spines. The spines are hinged and can move around. Sea urchin shells don't have spines and look very different to a live sea urchin.

Invertebrates, Spikey

D H Wright / CC BY-SA

Tis forThistle

Thistles are any plants, usually weeds, that have thorny leaves. Thistles often have thorns all over them, on the stems and flowers too. The thistle in the picture is the national flower of Scotland, scientific name onopordum acanthium.

Plants, Spikey

mark roy / CC BY-SA

Tis forThorny devil

Scientific name: moloch horridus

Thorny devils, also called the thorny dragon, are lizards that live in dry regions in Australia. They grow to around 8 inches long, and can live to 20 years. They eat ants. Their skin has channels in that funnel water to their mouths if they get damp, which allows them to drink morning dew.

Reptiles, Australian animals, Spikey