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“The tiny creatures that run the world,” is how myrmecologist Edward O. Wilson described insects. They are nature’s cleaners, food for many other species and are essential for the pollination of plants, including our crops. For years, their populations have been plummeting dramatically due to habitat loss and the use of pesticides. It is vital that we stay connected with them and that is why they deserve a stage to put their importance and beauty in the limelight.

Rogier Maaskant’s (NL) enchanting images unveil a diverse array of insects in flight during twilight and nighttime – 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 caddisflies, moths, lacewings, dragonflies, gnats, and various other species that illustrate the rich biodiversity.

For Sense of Presence, Maaskant collaborated with scientists and butterfly experts. His work is in line with the current era of renewed interest in nature and a widespread awareness of the need to protect it.

With an essay by Auke-Florian Hiemstra, science communicator at Naturalis, Leiden.