The competition coincides with Insect Week and showcases the very best insect photography by amateurs of all ages, helping to shine a light on the miniature world of creepy crawlies.
The overall winner of this year's competition is Luke Chambers from the UK. His image ‘Sleeping cuckoos’, depicts two beautiful cuckoo bees resting on a blade of grass, covered in morning dew (scroll to see that).
The ‘Under 18’ category overall winner is 17-year-old Gustav Parenmark from Sweden. His image ‘Tranquillity' shows a banded demoiselle damselfly at rest.
The Royal Entomological Society exists to advance insect science through research and to increase public understanding and appreciation of insects and the important roles they play in global ecosystems.
Here are the winners and some of our other favourites from this year's amazing competition...
Under 18 specially commended – Purple Fire
A leafcutter bee (Megachile lagopoda). The species faces threats with increasingly intensive land use. Photo by Gustav Parenmark
Portraits specially commended – Picasso bug
An aptly-named Picasso bug (Sphaerocoris annulus) photographed in Ruiru, Kenya. Photo by Robin Backhouse
Under 18 runner-up – Rober fly breakfast
Slender-footed robber fly (Leptarththrus brevirostris) eats a smaller insect. Photo by Jamie Smart
Portraits specially commended – Les fleurs du mal
A European mantis (Mantis religiosa) among some cyclamen. Photo by Panagiotis Dalagiorgos
Portraits specially commended – Brown argus roosting at sunrise
A brown argus butterfly (Aricia agestis) warming up on a grass stem as the Sun rises at Martin Down, Dorset, UK. Photo by Richard Sheldrake
Two mating blood-vein moths (Timandra comai). Blood-vein moths are members of the moth family geometridae. They get the name from the distinctive reddish line that runs from wingtip to wingtip. Photo by Heath McDonald
Environment specially commended – A pair of silverfish
These silverfish (Lepismatidae) appear to be clinging together inside a small, clay nest structure. Some of their brilliant silver scales have rubbed off, which may indicate moulting is about to take place. Photographed in Western Australia. Photo by Frank Ashwood
Under 18 winner – Tranquility
A male banded Demoiselle damselfly (Calopteryx splendens), photographed in Sweden. Photo by Gustav Parenmark
Smartphone specially commended – Pollinator
A common carder bumble bee (Bombus pascuorum) collects pollen from a flower. Photo by Michael Wood
Behaviour specially commended – Fatal attraction
A swarm of dead flying ants float on the surface of a pool, USA. Photo by Rosemary Haleem
Under 18 specially commended – A master of camouflage
An Indian grass mantis (Schizocephala bicornis) is disguised on a leaf. The shades of the mantis and the leaf are almost the same and without the movement of the insect, it would be impossible to locate it. The body of the mantis was aligned with the veins of the leaf which made it harder to identify. Photo by Kushaan A Ksheerasagar
Behaviour specially commended – Conopidae column
Male and female ferruginous bee-grabbers (Sicus ferrugineus) embraced in a post-mating cuddle. The smaller male is mate-guarding – making sure no other potential suiters ruin their evening. Photo by Luke Chambers
Smartphone specially commended – A wasp joined us for a cream tea
A German wasp (Vespula germanica) joins a family for a cream tea in a café in the United Kingdom. Photo by Abi Batten
Smartphone specially commended – Moths and mountains
A male emperor moth (Saturnia pavonia) rests on top of heather, on the slopes of Meall Buidhe. In the background is the peak of Stuchd an Lochain, in the Highlands of Scotland. Photo taken in May 2023, Scotland, United Kingdom. Photo by Marian Coburn
Portraits specially commended – Robber fly
A brown heath robber fly (Epitriptus cingulatus) found settled on long grass, Droxford, Hampshire, UK. Photo by Steven Mahy
Behaviour specially commended – Junk bug
The junk bug (Chrysopidae) is a voracious predator in the insect world and earns its name by wearing plant matter and the exoskeletons of past victims on its back as part of an intricate camouflage to deceive predators. Photo by Rosa Dunbar
Portraits specially commended – Third eye
An ichneumon wasp (Ichneumonidae) pictured inside a moth trap in the United Kingdom. Photo by Ben James
Overall second place – Caddisfly larvae
Mottled sedge caddisfly (Glyphotaelius pellucidus) larvae in a jelly egg sac. Photographed in situ on a leaf overhanging water, this image shows recently hatched caddisfly larvae inside a transparent gelatinous egg sac. The larvae will drop into the water where they live as aquatic insects throughout the larval and pupal stages. Photo by Tim Jonas
Overall winner – Sleeping cuckoos
Black-thighed cellophane-cuckoo bees (Epeolus variegatus) sleep on the leaves of a plant. The morning dew is visible on the surface of their eyes. Photo by Luke Chambers
James Cutmore is the picture editor of BBC Science Focus Magazine. He has worked on the magazine and website for over a decade, telling compelling science stories through the use of striking imagery. He holds a degree in Fine Art, and has been nominated for the British Society of Magazine Editors Talent Awards, being highly commended in 2020. His main areas of interest include photography that highlights positive technology and the natural world. For many years he was a judge for the Wellcome Trust's image competition, as well as judging for the Royal Photographic Society.
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