Resting cuckoo bees win insect photo competition

Sleeping cuckoos, by Yorkshire-based Luke Chambers, has won this year's Royal Entomological Society Insect Week photography competition.

Chambers' photo shows two cuckoo bees resting on a blade of grass.

“Finding any sleeping invertebrate is always brilliant - but two so close together, well that's like winning the photography lottery," he said.

Tim Jonas's picture of caddis-fly larvae came second.

Head judge, broadcaster, photographer and Falmouth University senior lecturer Dr Tim Cockerill said: “Insects are the most diverse group of animals on the planet yet we know so little about most of them.

"Photography like this provides a window into the astonishing complexity and beauty of the insect world.

"At a time when insects face huge threats, I hope this collection of stunning images helps to showcase just how important – and beautiful – they really are.”

Swedish photographer Gustav Parenmark, 17, won the under-18 category, with this picture of a banded demoiselle damselfly at rest.

"Waking up early is the key to photographing sleeping odonates," he said.

"This species of damselfly is usually very skittish - but I went out at 04:00 to capture them inactive, making them easier to photograph."

Jamie Smart's picture of a robber fly came second.

"I was up early one morning and decided to have a wander around our wild garden with my camera, when I saw this fly on grass," the eight-year-old said.

"I didn't realise until looking on the computer that he was actually eating another fly."