“The tiny creatures that run the world,” is how myrmecologist Edward O. Wilson described insects. They are nature’s cleaners, provide food for many other species and are essential for the pollination of plants, including our crops. They deserve a stage. With spotlights.

The magical images of Rogier Maaskant (NL) show the vast quantities of insects flying through the air at night – in forests and above fields, ditches, and ponds around Rotterdam. By using strobe light, his single exposures provide a unique view of the flight of trichoptera, moths, hoverflies, dragonflies, mosquitoes, and countless other species that illustrate the rich biodiversity.