A partying caterpillar and a bridge made of ants: The winners of the National Insect Week Photo Competition

The winners of the National Insect Week Photography Competition have just been announced by the Royal Entomological Society.

A record 2,443 entries were received from amateur photographers in 72 countries during 2020. Each winning photograph captures a moment in the busy and often beautiful lives of insects. People of all ages have been discovering the smaller animals we see around us every day, even during the pandemic.

Head judge Dr Tim Cockerill from Falmouth University’s Institute of Photography said “In a year that has been memorable for all the wrong reasons it is wonderful to see how so many people around the world have taken solace in nature".

“Life has gone on as normal for insects and it’s clear that watching wildlife has been a great comfort to many of us. Every one of the photographs entered into the competition represents someone turning their attention to insects. They are truly fascinating animals and are all around us, but often go unnoticed. Photographs like these really allow us to appreciate them and the great many roles they play in nature.”

Take a look at some of our other galleries:

• The best science images of 2020
• The record-breaking MOSAiC Mission that is studying the Arctic like never before

Check out all of the winners and runners-up at nationalinsectweek.co.uk/photography