Stunning winners of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition

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

By Kismat Shrees

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 …