Tracey McGreevy, Australian Native Bees in the garden (ANIMAL & NATURE 2025)

A Blue-banded Bees (Amegilla cingulata) mid flight and seconds before landing on a vibrant Blazing Star (Liatris spicata). Known for its unique ability to perform buzz pollination, this bee vibrates flowers at a precise frequency to release tightly held pollen — a remarkable behaviour essential to many plant species. The image captures this moment with crisp focus and rich detail, showcasing the bee’s striped body, translucent wings, and determined posture. The interplay of motion, colour, and purpose reflects a quiet but powerful act of ecological precision.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.