Small world
Space bug
PHOTOGRAPHER
Jamie Smart
CATEGORY
Small world – Winner 2025
DESCRIPTION
I took this photo of a greater water boatman (or ‘backswimmer’) during a visit to the National Botanical Garden of Wales. There are some small ponds there and I noticed these boatmen upside down in the water, skimming the surface and darting around crazily as they tried to catch their prey. I captured this image using a macro set-up with my speed flash and diffuser. I love that the bug looks like they're in space with booster jets on!
Thistle feast
PHOTOGRAPHER
Angelo Anderson
CATEGORY
Small world – Runner-up 2025
DESCRIPTION
I was spending the day in Stanmer Park in Brighton, photographing insects in the flower gardens. The alien look of this gasteruption wasp really caught my eye, and I thought the muted greens of the background gave it a 'desert alien' feel! The thistle heads create a strong focal point against the soft background and allow the details of the wasp to grab our attention.
Autumnal bee
PHOTOGRAPHER
Thomas Easterbrook
CATEGORY
Small world – Commended 2025
DESCRIPTION
I was visiting a local nature reserve on a bright day in October and the bee was feeding on aster flowers at the edge of the lake. It would soon be winter, so I was pleased to be able to capture this moment in time.
An architect in the rain
PHOTOGRAPHER
Sam Morris
CATEGORY
Small world – Commended 2025
DESCRIPTION
On a rainy Saturday in August, as the downpour finally eased, I grabbed my camera gear and ventured outside in search of a spider on a dew-laden web. After some patient searching, I found a tiny spider clinging to the tattered, water-soaked strands of their web, silently repairing the damage left by the heavy rain. I set up my tripod and watched in awe as they wove fresh silk, mending each delicate thread of their fragile home.
Trapdoor home
PHOTOGRAPHER
Jamie Smart
CATEGORY
Small world – Commended 2025
DESCRIPTION
Here’s a trapdoor spider waiting patiently inside their home for unsuspecting prey to pass by. Most of these spiders are medium-sized but this one was much bigger than others I’d spotted during my bug hunt. It was quite tricky angling myself so I could get the flash to penetrate the tunnel and show the spider. But after a few adjustments I managed to capture her in her hideout.