2024 Photography Competition Winners – 18 and over

Detailed Gnat Ogre

Benjamin Salb

This is a highly detailed stacked image of a living gnat ogre robber fly Halcocephala sp. photographed in the field. A green background card was placed behind the subject to help with exposure on the tiny subject.

I love photographing gnat ogres because they’re such a challenge. They are ridiculously small and very flighty. This is my most successful attempt so far, and I am very pleased with how the detailed eyes came out.

• True flies

Aphid Mummy with Braconid Wasp Cocoon

Rupert Lees

This Sycamore aphid Drepanosiphum platanoidis has been attacked by a parasitoid braconid wasp Dyscritulus planiceps. Having emerged from the aphid, the wasp larva has constructed a disc-like cocoon beneath the ‘mummified’ body of the aphid. UK

I first found an aphid mummy wasp cocoon a few years ago, but it wasn’t in very good condition. I recently moved house and whilst looking for invertebrates on fallen sycamore leaves in the garden, was amazed to find many of these cocoons, this one was actually on my garden shed!

• Ants, bees, wasps and sawflies
• True bugs

Spittlebug’s world

Raghuram Annadana

The peculiar white frothy liquid clinging to the stems is called Cuckoo spit and is secreted by the nymphs of a sap-sucking true bug, specifically a froghopper commonly referred to as a spittlebug.

In the summer of 2024, I was out on an early morning macro walk in India, hoping for a memorable find. The sightings were sparse that day, but a common spittlebug caught my eye—a creature I’d usually overlook. This time, though, it held my focus, and I managed to capture this frame.

• True bugs

Beetle taking off

Marc Brouwer

The Common red soldier beetle Rhagonycha fulva is unfolding its wings and taking off.

As I watched many common red soldier beetles flying around, repeatedly landing and taking off, I wondered if I could capture them during takeoff or in flight. This is one of the results.

• Beetles

Reluctant to Leave

Luke Chambers

A Black Darter dragonfly Sympetrum danae resting after emerging from its old skin, UK.

While walking through a boggy wetlands, I was surrounded by 100s of dragonflies. It wasn’t until I looked on the surrounding vegetation that I noticed some that had just emerged.

• Dragonflies and damselflies

Hug yourself

Panagiotis Dalagiorgos

A close-up shot of a Geometrid moth Apochima flabellaria caterpillar on a branch.

I took this photo in April 2024, on a mountain near Athens, Greece. I spotted this caterpillar moving on this branch, and when I approached it for a photo it curled up for safety. I got the feeling that it was hugging itself, which is what inspired the title.

• Butterflies and moths

Ghastly Death

Marco Chan

A Spiny Ant Polyrhachis sp. clamps tightly onto a leaf while a deadly fungal species complex Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sprouts from its thorax. After being infected by the fungi, ants will become mindless zombies, crawling to higher ground where the fungi can release and spread its spores to infect even more ants.

While conducting field work in Northern Thailand, I came across many ants infected with Ophiocordyceps fungi, but this was the only individual where I observed this bright red fruiting body.

 

• Ants, bees, wasps and sawflies

Swarmed and Subdued

Benny Gauthier

A Robber fly, who is used to being a top predator, is being predated on by a group of American Furrowed Ants Myrmica americana in USA. They have immobilized the fly and began carrying parts of them away, back to their colony for consumption.

While exploring dune habitat on a very hot day, I was seeing very little insect activity. In the shadows of some groundcover, I noticed a pocket of commotion. I have never seen a Robber fly fall victim to any predator, so photographing this scene was a very unique opportunity.

• Ants, bees, wasps and sawflies
• True flies

Pteromalus ovipositing

Jamie Spensley

A parasitoid wasp Pteromalus sp. is ovipositing.

I gave myself an hour to take photos at a nature reserve in Cornwall. I was struggling to find subjects in this one overgrown area. I decided to stop and search closer in a smaller area. That’s when I noticed an extremely small wasp on a marsh thistle flower.

• Ants, bees, wasps and sawflies

Robber fly eating a termite

Jamie Spensley

Robber fly (family Asilidae) feeding on a drywood termite.

I was walking along the river at Butterflies Valley in Rhodes, Greece, when I saw a robber fly suddenly land on the wooden fence. I went in for a photo and noticed it was eating a termite.

• Cockroaches and termites
• True flies

Tiger moth laying eggs

Julian Lobo-Guerrero

A female tiger moth (Family Erbidae, subfamily Arctiinae) laying eggs on a stick, Colombia.

I had the fortune of witnessing this mother’s egg-laying. After separating from the male, the female climbed up a stake and laid her eggs in the perfect spot to photograph them. Once the egg-laying was completed, the female, exhausted by the process, died a few hours later…

• Butterflies and moths

With the aphid in the jaws

Pepe Badia Marrero

The ants defend the aphids from their predators and, in turn, the aphids excrete honeydew that serves as food for them. In the image an ant carries a small aphid in its jaws and does so delicately so as not to damage it in any way.

One spring afternoon in Spain, while I was photographing these seed bags, this little ant appeared carrying an aphid in its jaws. It stopped right in that position and I was able to take some photos of it until it decided to continue on its way.

• Ants, bees, wasps and sawflies
• True bugs

The Botyodes Moth

Raghuram Annadana

This striking Crambid moth Botyodes asialis was spotted in the rainforests of Wayanad, India. While the adult moths are captivating in their appearance, the caterpillars are often found in shades of green or brown, they blend seamlessly into their leafy surroundings on Poplar trees.

Last year while exploring the rain forests in Wayanad I encountered some fascinating mini wildlife. One of the standout discoveries on that trip was this Botyodes Asialis moth, that is adorned with a distinctive white nape that’s best captured in a portrait shot.

• Butterflies and moths

Lesser banded hornet

Raghuram Annadana

The Lesser Banded Hornet Vespa affinis is formidable creature worthy of both respect and caution due to its aggressive behavior with a powerful sting. They however seem to be docile at night when the temperatures drop and this allowed me to get close for this shot.

While on a late-night macro walk early this year in India, I stumbled upon this magnificent one resting, and that provided an opportunity to create this frame.

• Ants, bees, wasps and sawflies

Sandy beetle

Ben James

A dor beetle (Geotrupidae) in the sand dunes of Dorset.

I found this beetle while I was exploring the beautiful Studland and Godlingston Heath National Nature Reserve.

• Beetles

Electric Blue Longhorn

Douglas Barber

A portrait of a mesmerising blue longhorn beetle.

I couldn’t believe my luck (or contain my excitement) when I found this amazing longhorn on the first day of a jungle trek into Kerinci Seblat National Park, West Sumatra, Indonesia. As a confessed insect addict moments like this made the entire trip for me.

• Beetles

All the Better to Hear You With

Luke Chambers

A spittlebug Aphrophora sp. shedding its skin, taken from a creative angle to make its unfolded wings look like ears, UK.

While photographing a different subject, I just happened to look down to my left and noticed this spittlebug shedding its skin, which it had almost finished. I got a few shots, and then went for a portrait. I was seeing which angle would look best and then the wings lined up.

• True bugs

Put on a happy face

Matthew Thomas

A male Crabonid wasp Ectemnius lituratus emerging in the morning sun, UK.

The way the jaws are aligned on this wasp creates a lovely grin, which suited his tenacious character whilst trying to find a mate. These wasps are very active and are very challenging to photograph. Luckily I had a few residing in my log pile so it was a case of waiting for the morning sun on the log pile and aim at the holes that I knew had a wasp inside.

• Ants, bees, wasps and sawflies

Male mayfly

Rupert Lees

A freshly moulted male Southern Iron Blue mayfly Beatis niger rests on a cupboard door in my kitchen, UK

I’ve always loved these mayflies, especially the males with their incredible turbinate eyes, apparently evolved to spot females in a mating swarm. I was delighted when this year scores of them appeared in my kitchen and I was able to take this focus stacked side portrait of one.

• Mayflies or upwing flies

Iron man tenderness

Ji Yuan

Bush-cricket Lesina karnyi,Malaysia.

Even a grasshopper can have a feminine side.

• Grasshoppers, crickets and bush-crickets

Pentatomidae Portrait

Julian Lobo-Guerrero

A beautiful Spiny green shield bug Loxa sp. resting on a stick, Colombia.

On my nightly walks, this beautiful shield bug appeared. Thanks to its stillness, I was able to create this image stack, which clearly shows its compound and simple eyes.

• True bugs

Smiling Damselfly

Benjamin Salb

This is a stacked image of a living damselfly taken on an early morning macro outing this past spring, USA.

With that apparent smile, it’s easy to anthropomorphize and fall in love with this damselfly. I was lucky get all the frames I needed via focus bracketing without the mouthparts moving. This is my favorite damselfly portrait to date just because of that frozen expression.

• Dragonflies and damselflies

Aegean sunrise

Panagiotis Dalagiorgos

A backlit shot of an mantis during sunrise.

I took this photo in August 2024, in Sikinos, Greece. The sun’s reflection on the Aegean sea is visible in the background, while the mantis in the foreground gives an unusual perspective of what we’re used to see in Greek islands photos.

• Mantises

Banded Alder Borer Sunset

Thomas Barbin

A Banded Alder borer Rosalia funebris as the sun sets in the background, Canada.

• Beetles

Damsel at Dawn

Lee Frost

A damselfly settling down amongst the daisies at dawn, with the golden spring sun refracting through it’s wings, UK

Last spring, I found this beautiful Azure damselfly (Coenagrion puella) nicely positioned on a ox-eye daisy just as the golden spring sun was setting below the horizon.  The sun refracted through it’s wings whilst I used my flash at the lowest output to act as a fill light.

• Dragonflies and damselflies

Robberfly

Sydney Carnevale

Robberfly Megaphorus sp. A portrait taken on a cool morning, USA.

This robberfly was very still, resting on the twigs of a desert globe mallow.

• True flies

Acorn Weevil

Matthew Thomas

Acorn Weevil Curculio glandium on an Oak leaf, UK.

I tried for a while to capture the amazing rostrum but weevils are pretty frustrating subjects! Just when I thought I’d get a shot it would turn around. Finally I was able to get a stacked image. My aim was to find an acorn weevil and capture the rostrum. This is such a brilliant feature of this insect and I believe it creates an almost cartoon like character.

• Beetles

Vigilant

Jose Alza

The European dwarf mantis Ameles spallanzania is one of the smallest species of Mantis, it rests on a branch, keeping watch, completely sure that because of its size and color no one can see it…or so she thought.

I was walking through an arid area in Spain. There weren’t any flowers or grass and it was very hot. Suddenly, as if she was waiting for me, I saw her. A small Mantis watched from a top a branch, she didn’t move, thinking that maybe I hadn’t seen her, but that wasn’t the case…

• Mantises

Model Pose

Rosemary Haleem

Endemic Western horse lubber grasshopper Taeniopoda eques posing on a cactus.

The Western Horse Lubber only lives in the USA and Mexico. I was surprised to spot one and not the green grasshoppers I am used to. This one was big, shiny black with a cool, lacey, yellow pattern. It was sitting on a cactus next a yellow flower, as if it was posing for me.

• Grasshoppers, crickets and bush-crickets

Blue Dragonfly Yellow Scene

Paul Zimmer

A Eight-spotted skimmer dragonfly Libullela forensis perched amongst yellow flowers, USA.

• Dragonflies and damselflies

Flower Bee

 

Ryan Dale

A tiny Flower Bee sits on a yellow Corn Marigold flower, with a few droplets of rain following a short summer shower, UK.

• Ants, bees, wasps and sawflies

Walls have ears and sticks have eyes

Panagiotis Dalagiorgos

A close-up photo of a stick insect Bacillus atticus ssp. atticus nymph.

I took this photo in September 2024, on a mountain near Athens, Greece. I wanted to include some surroundings to show how this insect mimics the branches around it, but I wanted it to stand out in my composition.

• Stick-insects

Nature’s Winged Wonders

Sritam Kumar Sethy

Blue Pierrots butterfly Tarucus sp. captured while resting in midst of nature displaying its dynamic wings pattern dazzling in the sunrays, India.

Being a macro lover, I love to capture and study the behaviour of insects. While walking through the trails of the farmyard in search of photographing some macro moments I encountered this beautiful Blue Pierrots butterfly resting on a tiny leaf .

• Butterflies and moths

The Pollinator

Antaryami Das

A Green Metallic Sweat bee Ceratina sp. collecting pollen on a flower, India

In this image we see that how pollinators collect from different flowers and make their food and how important these little creatures of our planet.

• Ants, bees, wasps and sawflies

A spiritual experience

Marga Estrany

A tiny fly (Drosophilidae or Chloropidae) on some fluffy white flowers in an interesting pose, Spain.

As I approached a group of bushes blooming with some interesting white fluffy flowers I saw a tiny fly. I was grateful to capture the moment in which the fly seemed to make a prayer to some unknown insect divinity.

• True flies

Lost in another world

Gioi Ha Van

A shore fly Scatella sp. landing on the algae, South Korea.

There is a water bucket in my greenhouse with algae floating in it. This is the area where the shore flies always come to get water during early spring when they can’t find it anywhere else.  The shore fly is 5 mm in length, it is a vector for transferring some fungal diseases to my seedlings. I tried to take a photo and search for what kind of pest it is. It’s really difficult to take a photo of a tiny fly with an iPhone for identification.

• True flies

Hold on

Tyler Redford

Violet Leaf Beetle (Chrysolina sp.), UK.

I was searching for spiders when I found this leaf beetle holding onto grass. It clung on as a slight breeze challenged its grip. Its iridescent tones were just insane.

• Beetles

Desert’s Hidden Hunter

Gustav Parenmark

Along the north coast of Fårö, Sweden, you have to watch your feet to not step on the construction work of this creature: the antlion larva (family Myrmeleontidae). Their little cone-shaped homes might often be a mystery for the crowd, but it’s in fact these strange creatures that hide in these death traps.

When an insect falls down the pit, they cannot get back up due to the steep walls of sand that will not support their weight. The last thing they see is the larva’s venom-filled jaws, before meeting their fate. The larva later transforms into a beautiful winged insect.

• Lacewings, antlions and mantidflies

Common Water Strider (Aquarius remigis) with Prey

Thomas Barbin

A Common Water Strider (Aquarius remigis) feeding on a mayfly at the edge of a river, in British Columbia, Canada.

• Mayflies or upwing flies
• True bugs

Western Tiger Beetle Larva

Thomas Barbin

A Western Tiger beetle larva (Cicindela oregona) waiting at the entrance of its burrow for passing prey, in British Columbia, Canada.

• Beetles