Two kids wandering in wonderland? No, this is a murder case!

A lot of things happened in 2022, some of which were clearly visible, while others were still ignored. Because of this, many people picked up cameras to magnify, record, depict and share some details of this world.

Earlier this month, the Close-up Photographer of the Year competition announced the results of the 2022 competition. Among more than 9,000 entries, 100 works stood out. We selected some of them and let you follow the photographer's unique perspective to appreciate the often overlooked tiny beauties .

Don't pick wild flowers on the roadside

Nature's Pitfall | Samantha Stephens

The overall champion of this competition was won by Canadian photographer Samantha. She used to be a biologist and is now a science and nature conservation photographer. When Samantha followed the researchers to conduct daily surveys of local plants, she accidentally discovered two small salamanders floating in a pitcher plant .

Every autumn, the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) migrates from the water where it was born to the nearby forest, then digs a hole and burrows underground to spend the winter. But apparently, these two salamanders met with misfortune and stayed in the cage of the northern pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea) - the inner wall of the insect trap is very smooth, so once the salamander falls into the pitcher plant, it is difficult to climb out .

In this nutrient-poor swamp, the pitcher plant uses its special cage-like leaves to capture prey. Prey that falls usually drowns, is then digested by bacteria and enzymes in the water, and is then absorbed and "eaten" by the pitcher plant.

Most of the time, pitcher plants feed on flies, moths and other insects, and salamanders are definitely a feast. Normally, there will only be one salamander in a pitcher plant. This time, two salamanders fell into a pitcher plant at the same time . Samantha knew that this was a fleeting special moment, so she quickly pressed the shutter of the camera.

The next day, both salamanders sank.

Thanks for the invitation. The worm is by the water and has just come out of its stomach.

Gordian worm knot | Ben Revell

Coming out of the host's stomach is considered the rite of passage for nematodes.

During their time inside the host, the worm larvae secrete digestive enzymes through their skin and absorb the host's body until the host's abdomen is completely digested and filled with worms. When the worms mature, they release mind-control substances that force the host to become a zombie and approach water. **As soon as they emerge, the worms immediately prepare to mate, and the long, thin worms begin to twist and tangle , looking like they are tied into a knot. **Sometimes, several worms will be entangled together at the same time, as if forming a loose ball of yarn.

The male dies after mating, and the female lays eggs in the water. After the larvae hatch, they swim freely in the water, waiting for the unfortunate ones to drink water, and then a new round of parasitism begins. Many animals such as insects, snails, and fish can be infected, but fortunately humans are not the target of nematodes.

Although he had heard of the horrors of parasites, this was the first time that Australian photographer Revell had seen it with his own eyes: the nematodes that had just emerged from the spider's belly began to tangle and knot right in front of him . The award for the photo may also be a compliment to the photographer's courage.

There is a mushroom made of rain in the wind

Ice Encrusted Comatricha | Barry Webb

After two days of freezing fog and sub-zero temperatures, some slime molds (Comatricha) were frozen into balls .

As a frequent winner of the competition, British photographer Barry Webb has photographed many slime molds, but this picture still fascinates him. He said he particularly likes the frozen water drop on the left, where the slime mold inside is blown by the cold wind and is frozen in the ice ball.

Slime molds usually appear on rotten leaves or branches, in woodlands or other damp and dark environments. Photographing slime molds is not easy, and searching for them is very time-consuming, because most slime molds are very small, about the thickness of a one-dollar coin. The tallest slime mold photographed by Weber this time, including the ice wrapped around it, is only 3 mm .

Sometimes, passers-by would look at Weber with doubts - he would lie prone in the woods, holding a flashlight and crawling slowly. Over the years, Weber has developed a unique shooting method through constant experimentation and learning.

Open Weber's social account page, and you will see a dazzling array of slime molds in various colors and shapes. In the past three years, he has been photographing these tiny creatures: " I hope my photography can illuminate the beauty of these often overlooked tiny slime molds. "

White, young and thin? No, it's a little beast

Little Predator | Viktor Lyagushkin

This is not a small white flower, but a cross jellyfish (Lucernaria quadricornis), which is only a few centimeters long, but it is a tiny predator.

It has eight arms, each with more than 100 tentacles. The open arms look like harmless petals, but they are actually waiting for prey. The cross jellyfish feeds mostly on plankton, and when prey passes by, the jellyfish's tentacles will strike out, tighten, and firmly grasp the prey. After that, its arms will bend and put the prey into its mouth in the middle of its body.

Most of the time, it will attach to rocks or seaweed; but if the place is not suitable for hunting, it will roll and float in the water, or use its tentacles and stalks to move to other waters . In the photo, the background behind the jellyfish is green because abundant algae are growing in the water, which is also a sign of spring.

Cross jellyfish often live in cold waters. This photo was taken under the frozen surface of the White Sea in Russia. In sub-zero waters, Georgian photographer Victor needs to dive for several hours to take photos , which is a great challenge for people's physical fitness, diving and shooting equipment. During one dive, Victor also witnessed an underwater blizzard - heavy snow fell into the water through the broken ice, but in the cold sea water, the heavy snow could not melt.

Global warming has also made Victor's work more and more difficult. He has been diving and photographing in the White Sea for more than ten years, but in recent years, he has found that the ice diving season is getting shorter and shorter, and the ice is getting thinner . In September one year, he planned to photograph jellyfish as usual, but the jellyfish died due to the abnormally hot weather. This also means that many small creatures in the sea may become extinct before we can recognize and understand them.

This year, Victor will be 52 years old. He hopes that he can dive and photograph for another 10 years, and continue to help people understand that " the smallest creatures live with us in this huge world ."

Can't escape the dog's paw

The Footprint Friend | Juan Jesus Gonzalez Ahumada

When the pond dried up, hundreds of young toads needed to find shelter again, and several of them took refuge in a large footprint.

This footprint may have come from a Spanish Mastiff, a large and strong dog. For a small toad that is only about 1 cm in size, it is indeed difficult to "know everything about its situation". But this also inadvertently created the legend of "the dog in front is stepping in the mud, and the toad behind is playing hide-and-seek".

Chasing dreams in the natural world

Little Naughty Draw Circle | Minghui Yuan

The circles on the leaves of the calla lily are the work of this leaf beetle (Aplosonyx nigriceps).

The leaf beetle is not chasing its dream of entering the art world. It first needs to satisfy its most basic survival needs. The leaves of the calla lily look green and plump, but the leaf sap is poisonous. In order to avoid poisoning, before eating the calla lily leaves, the leaf beetle will first dig a circular trench, cut off the calla lily and deliver the venom to the leaves inside the circle . The cut part of the leaf will secrete milky liquid, and the leaf beetle will avoid the venom and carefully eat the leaves inside the circle until the whole circle is eaten.

The leaf beetles dig circles instead of squares, triangles or other shapes, which is also very clever. When the perimeter is the same, the area of ​​a circle is the largest. In other words, the leaf beetles are most efficient in drawing circles and can eat the most leaves .

The photo was taken in Nonggang Nature Reserve in Guangxi by Chinese nature photographer Yuan Minghui.

The most beautiful boy on this reed

Veiled ｜ Wim Vooijs

In the morning light, a male damselfly (Calopteryx splendens) is covered in dew, glittering like diamonds.

The male and female of this damselfly have different colors. The male's body is metallic blue, while the female's is metallic green. There is also a clear difference between the two - the male has a conspicuous blue-black patch on its wings. When courting, the male will squat by the river and then perform a flying display for the females passing by. The male with a larger and darker patch on his wings is more likely to be chosen by the female.

In the photo, the resting male is not flapping its wings, but its dazzling static beauty has already mesmerized Dutch photographer Wim.

Light Kung Fu Water Floating

From Below ｜ Boldizsár Szűcs

Most of the time, the water spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) stays near the water, and the water surface is its hunting ground and big dining hall .

Through the vibrations of the water, the spider can sense nearby prey; relying on the surface tension of the water, it can run quickly on the water surface towards its prey. They often feed on insects such as water striders and dragonfly larvae, and can even catch fish. In order to catch underwater prey or to defend against attacks from natural enemies such as birds and bats, these spiders sometimes completely dive into the water .

The photo was taken in the Gemenc Forest in Hungary, the largest floodplain forest in central Europe. The water level varies at different times of the year, with larger floods in May and June. Last May, the water level in the area where photographer Boldizsár Szűcs went to explore was up to his neck. He took this photo from underwater.

Give you fafa

Next To My Tree | Sébastien Blomme

" The checkered fritillaria is one of my favorite flowers." Frenchman Sebastian's love for the checkered fritillaria is almost overflowing the screen. On his social account, he shared countless photos of the checkered fritillaria and wrote background introductions or shooting instructions for each photo, like he knew them all by heart.

The checkered fritillaria blooms in late winter and spring and is cold-resistant and frost-resistant. In mid-February every year, Sebastian looks forward to photographing the first blooming checkered fritillaria.

Algae

Batrachospermum Red Algae | Marek Miś

Under the microscope, it is difficult to capture more than one or two algae filaments. This photo is a panoramic photo stitched together from 9 photos.

Cuihua, pizza is served

Doner Kebab and Pizza | Anton Trexler

On the streets of Berlin, starlings eat bread and barbecue like city residents. A 17-year-old German photographer hopes to show the coexistence of humans and nature through this photo.

Watch the sea

Sea in Fan | Angelo Richardson

Looking at the ocean through a sea fan. A sea fan is a flat coral that looks like a fan. The photographer captured the scene of waves hitting the rocks from behind the sea fan.

You ignored me at first

Pollen Tubes Growing Through the Pistil of Arabidopsis Thaliana | Jan Martinek

Arabidopsis thaliana is a very inconspicuous little weed that was largely unknown until it became a model organism for plant genome research.

After chemical treatment, the tissue of Arabidopsis thaliana becomes somewhat transparent, and the pollen tubes in the pistil can be clearly seen. The blue part in the photo is the pistil, and the yellow part is the pollen tube.

Czech biologist Martinek studies plant cells. These gorgeous microscopic photographs are by-products of his research work , and they also allow him to win major awards in various photography competitions.

It was a close call. I almost couldn't stop.

A Tale in the Sand | Paul Lennart Schmid

In Israel's Negev Desert, a venomous snake buries itself in the sand, preparing to ambush its prey. Below is a sand dune gecko that makes a sharp turn and narrowly escapes death.

The Fish and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast | Kate Jonker

A bright red fish (Pavoclinus caeruleopunctatus) rests among a group of black mussels.

South African underwater photographer Kate called this scene "Beauty and the Beast" because these mussels are invasive species that have turned some of the colorful coral reefs into a dark mess. "Photography is a magical medium through which we can realize the beauty and the plight of the ocean," Kate said.

When Kate had seen the winners of the Close-up Photographer of the Year competition in the past, she had been in awe of the beauty of the work and had dreamed of taking photos like that herself one day. When she learned that her work had won the competition, she was so excited that she almost fell off her chair.

★

In 2018, the Close-up Photographer of the Year competition was co-founded by Tracy and her husband Daniel. Tracy has more than 20 years of experience working for photography magazines, has written many books on photography, served as a judge for many photography competitions, and is now a university teacher teaching photography. Daniel also has extensive work experience in the photography industry. They both have a common wish that close-up and macro photography can be given enough attention.

There are so many excellent works in the award-winning collection of the annual close-up photographer competition that we cannot show them all here. If you are interested in learning more, you can visit the official website (www.cupoty.com). This year's competition will start in March, and friends who love close-up and macro photography can pay attention to it.

Images can evoke many emotions. Close-up and macro photography always remind us that life is not just about poetry and distant fields, but also about the details in front of us. And details not only show another kind of beauty in nature, but also help us have a better understanding of the world we live in.

References

[1] Close-up Photographer of the Year. Retrieved from https://www.cupoty.com/winners-04

[2] Schultz, I. (2023). These Winning Close-Up Photos Show Life That's Often Overlooked. Gizmodo. Retrieved from https://gizmodo.com/close-up-photographer-year-2023-winners-1849959332

[3] Gilbert, S. (2023). Close Up Photographer of the Year 2023 – in pictures. the Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/culture/gallery/2023/jan/06/close-up-photographer-of-the-year-2023-in-pictures

[4] Spotted Salamander Symbiosis: Life Cycle | Maryland Sea Grant. Retrieved from https://www.mdsg.umd.edu/topics/k-12-lesson-plans/symbiosis-backbone/life-cycle

[5] Close-up Photographer of the Year. Retrieved from https://www.cupoty.com/about-us

[6] Meat-eating pitcher plants feast on baby salamanders. Retrieved from https://www.snexplores.org/article/meat-eating-pitcher-plants-feast-baby-salamanders

[7] Gordian Worms. Retrieved from https://australian.museum/learn/animals/worms/gordian-worms

[8] Hanelt, B., & Janovy Jr, J. (2004). Untying a Gordian knot: the domestication and laboratory maintenance of a Gordian worm, Paragordius varius (Nematomorpha: Gordiida). Journal of Natural History, 38(8), 939-950.

[9] Ambrose, D. (2022). Barry Webb Slime Moulds. Light Stalking. Retrieved from https://www.lightstalking.com/barry-webb-slime-moulds

[10] Nemo, L. (2023, January 18). See the Bizarre Fruiting Bodies of Slime Molds. Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/see-the-bizarre-fruiting-bodies-of-slime-molds

[11] BarryWebb (@barrywebbimages) • Instagram photos and videos. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/CZAfdcBDGiF

[12] Stalked Jellyfish - Lucernaria quadricornis. (2021, November 17). Retrieved from http://www.seawater.no/fauna/cnidaria/quadricornis.html

[13] Stacke, S. (2021). See the Amazing, Ethereal Creatures Living Under Arctic Ice. Animals. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/white-sea-arctic-underwater-marine-life

[14] Витя Лягушкин (@viktor_lyagushkin) • Instagram photos and videos. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/CM2yWJPhQel

[15] Darling, DC (2007). Holey aroids: circular trenching behavior by a leaf beetle in Vietnam. Biotropica, 39(4), 555-558.

[16] Taro leaf circles - Chinese Academy of Sciences. Retrieved from https://www.cas.cn/kxcb/kpwz/200912/t20091217_2710111.shtml

[17] Banded Demoiselle - British Dragonfly Society. (2021, December 09). Retrieved from https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/species/banded-demoiselle

[18] Szűcs Boldizsár (@szucsboldizsar_nature) • Instagram photos and videos. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdyi83dqAkV

[19] Raft Spiders - Dolomedes fimbriatus - UK Safari. (2018, August 08). Retrieved from http://www.uksafari.com/raftspider.htm

[20] r/natureismetal - Spider catching fish. Retrieved from https://www.reddit.com/r/natureismetal/comments/6z8yb9/spider_catching_fish

[21] Files, AF (2020, November 11). Fishing Spider facts: also raft spider rafts | Animal Fact Files. Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8swrgSRivc

[22] Hilfert-Rueppell, D., & Rueppell, G. (2009). Males do not catch up with females in pursuing flight in Calopteryx splendens (Odonata: Calopterygidae). International Journal of Odonatology, 12(2), 195-203.

[23] Sebastien Blomme Photography. Retrieved from https://sebastienblommephotography.tumblr.com/page/2

[24] Lao. Cat. On this ordinary day, studying this ordinary Arabidopsis thaliana in a very ordinary way. Retrieved from https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/YgkdrSvYX3ZBdDra8D_V_Q

[25] Unsung Invertebrates: Stalked Jellyfishes. Retrieved from https://nmnh.typepad.com/no_bones/2017/05/unsung-invertebrates-stalked-jellyfishes.html

Author: Cloud

Editor: Little Towel, Mai Mai

The copyright of the image belongs to the photographer

The official website of the Close-up Photographer of the Year competition is www.cupoty.com

This article comes from the Species Calendar, welcome to forward

If you need to reprint, please contact [email protected]