See a prize-winning photograph of mating golden-tabbed robber flies

SMALL, speedy and often fleeting, it tin beryllium difficult to drawback insects successful each their miniaturised glory. Yet these close-up photos emphasise nan beauty and intricacy of these critters successful astonishing clarity.

The photos are from nan Insect Week Photography Competition 2022, organised by nan UK’s Royal Entomological Society arsenic portion of its yearly inaugural celebrating insect science. Pete Burford scooped nan apical prize for his photo, main image, of a brace of mating golden-tabbed robber flies (Eutolmus rufibarbis), so-named for nan characteristic aureate tufts of hairsbreadth connected nan underside of males. Native to nan UK, they are recovered successful heathland successful nan cardinal confederate and cardinal eastbound parts of England, though they are a scarce species.

Burford, who took up macro photography 2 and a half years ago, during 1 of nan UK’s covid-19 lockdowns, spent respective fruitless hours astatine a quality reserve only for nan flies to onshore connected his limb midway done mating erstwhile he sewage location and sat down connected nan sofa. He managed to prime them up connected a instrumentality and seizure his winning shot, entitled It Takes Two.

Pictured supra is 1 of nan competition’s highly commended entries, taken by Benjamin Salb and showing a vulnerable forktail damselfly (Ischnura posita), a type autochthonal to eastbound North America. Reaching a maximum magnitude of 3 centimetres, it is 1 of nan smaller members of nan flying insect family that includes dragonflies – not that this hindered Salb. He stacked aggregate images together to create nan crisp last result.

Insect Week 2023 runs from 19 to 25 June successful nan UK and Europe.

Topics: