It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for…the results of our annual photo competition!
We’d like to start by saying a huge thank you to each and every one of you who submitted your photos. It’s been so wonderful to see such diversity between entries and to get a sneak peek into both your field work and general time you’ve spent in nature. I’m sure all our readers will agree with us how fantastic each photo is, but alas, there can only be one new photo banner!
You are all winners in our eyes but after struggling to narrow it down to our top 5, we couldn’t possibly decide on the winner alone…*Google poll enters the chat*. We had brilliant engagement during the voting process, so thank you to all of you who participated and voted for your favourite. Our winning photo took over 50% of the vote share, with the rest split evenly.
Before revealing our finalists and winner (no scrolling to the bottom yet please), join us while we take you through all of our 2022 entries:
The Entries
Green Shieldbug by Mairéad O’Donnell
This photo of a Green Shieldbug walking along a blade of grass was taken by Mairéad while surveying biodiversity in Cahir, Co. Tipperary. Mairéadwas struck by the water droplet resting on its back.
Mairéad is a PhD student in the Department of Botany. Her Twitter handle is @MaireadODonn
Sugar Kelp and more!by Jean Williams
A mix of kelp species was found during a foraging tour/field trip on Glassillaun beach in Renvyle, Connemara, Co. Galway in August 2020. In the bottom left of the image is Sugar Kelp (Saccharina latissima), whilst the predominant species in the image is beautiful example of the curled stipe base and holdfast of Furbellows (Saccorhiza polyschides).
Jean is a PhD student in the Dept. of Botany, working with Marcus Collier examining if wild edibles can transition towards a more sustainable food system.
Aminita Muscaria or Fly Agaric by Jean Williams
The Aminita Muscaria or Fly Agaric was found on a foraging tour/field trip in Devil’s Glen Wood in October 2021.
Imagine the noise! by Katrin Schertenleib
Can you spot the fat, fluffy chicks among their parents in this breeding colony of Northern Gannets (Morus bassana) on Great Saltee?
Katrin is a PhD student in Zoology, working in Nessa O’Connor’s lab and her Twitter handle is @KatMarSci
Keep your head down by Mat Cobain
Photo taken at Glendalough in January 2022.
Mat is a postdoc in Zoology and his Twitter handle is @CobainMat
Touch of innocence by Elena Zioga
This picture was taken in North Greece and shows a hoverfly on the stamens of a white water lily. Water lily flowers have a rather strange mechanism to prevent self-fertilisation. They open slightly on the first day as females, forming a cup shape filled with stigma exudates. Insects may enter the flower and often fall into the exudates, which wash off pollen carried from other flowers onto the stigma, and fertilise the flower. On the second and third days the flowers fully open as males and no exudates are produced. Insects that land on the flowers on these days get covered with pollen and transport it to flowers that are just opening, hence receptive to pollination.
Elena is a PhD student in the Botany department and her Twitter handle is @ZioElena
The third wheel by Elena Zioga
How many insects do you see in this picture taken in Northwest Greece? Some male solitary bee species would probably see more than one. To their eyes, the two orchid flowers are potential female partners! Not only because they look like female solitary bees in shape, colour and appearance, but also because these flowers secrete intense chemical pheromones highly attractive for the males. If a male solitary bee was passing by, it would probably try to mate with those orchid flowers. The grasshopper would become a witness to the miracle of pollination, but the male bee would leave rather disappointed afterwards…
The Bee Orchid by Marine Valmier
Bee Orchids (Ophrys apifera) are a real treat for the eyes, native but fairly hard to find in Ireland. They owe their name to their pollination strategy called “pseudocopulation” as they mimic both the scent and appearance of females of a select few species of solitary bee, to attract their males (but can also self-pollinate).
Marine is a PhD student in the Botany department and her Twitter handle is @MValmier
The Bee Orchid by Marine Valmier
The Bog Way is a wet one, as water is the blood that flows in every peatland veins. It is different shades of blue, and loads of green, and some darker secrets. The Bog Way is also a road of light, bringing some hope in the fight against climate change with the rehabilitation and restoration of damaged peatland.
Common blue butterfly by Bea Jackson
The photo is of a common blue butterfly in my parent’s garden.
Bea Jackson is a Research Masters student in Jennifer McElwain’s group and is studying Devonian plant fossils.
A Xylocopa violacea resting on a maple tree branch by Irene Bottero
A Xylocopa violacea resting on a maple tree branch. This bee might look scary because of its huge body size – one of the largest European bees – and because of its intense buzzing hum, but it’s a friendly giant. I spotted this large carpenter bee while I was working from home in Italy during the pandemic.
Irene is a PhD student in Botany working on pollinators under the Poshbee EU project.
A honey bee looking for some food fell into a trap… by Irene Bottero
A honey bee looking for some food fell into a trap…and she became the meal! Can you spot the trap? When I first saw the bee I thought something looked rather strange and it took some time to realise what was happening. The clever…and very sneaky camouflage of a white spider ambushed the hungry bee, just as she lowered her guard.
The Finalists
Lockdown Visitorby Floriane O’Keeffe
A honeybee perches on a fuschia plant
Floriane is a PhD student in Zoology, working in The Parasitology Lab and her Twitter handle is @florianeeok
Making a Mockeryby Floriane O’Keeffe
A Galapagos mockingbird mid call
Ichneumon Wasp on a Holly bushby Mairéad O’Donnell
This photo was taken by Mairéad while surveying biodiversity in Cahir, Co. Tipperary. This is an Ichneumon Wasp on a Holly bush. Mairéad noticed the wasp following her and hiding behind the bush while she was carrying out a survey.
Mairéad O’Donnell is a PhD student in Botany and her Twitter handle is @MaireadODonn
Eggs, Eggs, Eggsby Jason Keegan
A typical view down the microscope as part of my search for Toxocara spp. eggs in the public parks of Dublin City. No Toxocara eggs to be seen in this picture but plenty of other nematode, fungus and plant eggs to behold, all concentrated from just 50 grams of soil. Now when I go for a walk in the park I can’t help but think of how the soil under my feet is teeming with all sorts of eggs!
Jason is a postdoctoral research fellow in Zoology, working in The Holland Lab.
The WINNER!
Lookwhat I’ve brought!by KatrinSchertenleib
Two adult Puffins (Fratercula arctic) at Great Saltee. The left one stopped for a quick rest next to the other, before it hurried into one of the burrows to feed its Puffling. Puffins can hold multiple fish between their tongue and upper mandible while continuing to catch more. The world record is said to be 80 (small larval fish). Larger gulls like this and often try to steal the catch, so the successful hunters stay very alert.
Katrin is a PhD student in Zoology, working in Nessa O’Connor’s lab and her Twitter handle is @KatMarSci
Thank you to all who participated and congratulations to our deserving winner! The EcoEvo blog banner will be updated to Katrin’s beautiful image shortly.
