From bees hunting for a mate to a giant sea star procreating, these incredible images are some of the winners in the prestigious wildlife photography competition

Earth 17 October 2022

Karine Aigner, Wildlife Photographer of the Year

This dynamic photograph of cactus bees scrambling to find a mate on the hot sands of a Texas ranch by Karine Aigner has won the top prize in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

The shot shows a ball of male bees, all determined to mate with the single female at the centre. Aigner spent time lying in the dirt to take the photo, using a macro lens to confront the viewer with a new perspective on insect behaviour. “The sense of movement …