Erlend Haarberg / Midges (Chironomus islandicus) swarming, Myvatn, Iceland, June

Erlend Haarberg / Midges (Chironomus islandicus) on a 'No Walking' sign, Myvatn, Iceland, May

Steve Knell / Whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) on water, backlit showing swarming midges. Iceland, May

Steve Knell / Tufted duck (Aythya fuligula) drake on water with Midges (Chironomidae) Iceland. June

Steve Knell / Swarm of Midges (Chironomidae) flying around grass stems. Lake Myvatn, Iceland. June

Steve Knell / Swarm of Midges (Chironomidae) flying around grass stems. Lake Myvatn, Iceland. June

Mark Bowler / Swarm of Phantom midges / Lake flies (Chaoborus edulis) over Lake Victoria, Entebbe, Uganda, July 2006

Orsolya Haarberg / Flowering willows (Salix sp.) in midges (Chironomus islandicus) swarming. Mývatn, Iceland. June 2008

Erlend Haarberg / Orsolya Haarberg in midge (Chironomus islandicus) swarming. Mývatn, Iceland. May 2008

Laurent Geslin / A swarm of midges (Chironomidae) flying in the morning. Walthamstow reservoir, London, UK

Pal Hermansen / Fallow deer (Dama dama) herd in grassland with Midges overhead. Oland, Gotland, Sweden. June.

David Perpinan / Small group of Non-biting chironomid midges (Chironomidae) flying among the vegetation, Barcelona, Spain, May.

David Perpinan / Non-biting chironomid midges (Chironomidae) larvae at bottom of riverbed, Barcelona, Spain. May.

David Perpinan / Rack focus between Non-biting chironomid midges (Chironomidae) and Mosquito larva (Culex sp.) on the water's surface and unidentified Polychaetes underwater, Barcelona, Spain, May. Controlled conditio...

David Perpinan / Non-biting chironomid midge (Chironomidae) resting on surface of water while its exoskeleton hardens, surrounded by Mosquito larva (Culex sp.), Barcelona, Spain, May. Controlled conditions.

Edwin Giesbers / Buzzer midge (Chironomus plumosus) swarm above grasses, in evening light. The Netherlands. July.

Edwin Giesbers / Buzzer midge (Chironomus plumosus) swarm at night. The Netherlands. July.

Edwin Giesbers / Buzzer midge (Chironomus plumosus) swarm at night, movement trails, long exposure. The Netherlands. July.

Rod Williams / Non-biting midge (Chironomus luridus) Sutcliffe Park Nature Reserve, Eltham, London, England, UK. June

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Biting midges (Culicoides impunctatus) swarming in peat moorland on the shores of Loch Shin, Inverness-shire, Scotland, UK. August.

Jan Hamrsky / Biting midge larva (Ceratopogonidae), Europe, November, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Biting midge larva (Ceratopogonidae), Europe, November, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Biting midge larva (Ceratopogonidae), Europe, November, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Biting midge larva (Ceratopogonidae), Europe, November, controlled conditions

Phil Savoie / Common grackel (Quiscalus quiscula) male with billful of midges, Bozeman, Montana, USA.

Phil Savoie / Yellow warbler (Dendroica petechia) male hunting midges, Bozeman, Montana, USA. June.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Pine marten (Martes martes) reflected in woodland pool, Ardnamurchan, Lochaber, Scotland, UK, June.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Pine marten (Martes martes) plagued by midges, amongst buttercups, Ardnamurchan, Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, UK, June.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Pine marten (Martes martes) plagued by midges, Ardnamurchan, Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, UK, June.

Andy Sands / Mosquito (Chironomus sp.) male mosquito resting on grass, Hertfordshire, England, UK. April

Tom Gilks / Fishing boat with swarm of Lake flies (Chironomid sp) swarming in background, Lake Victoria, Kenya, February 2013.

Jan Hamrsky / Phantom midge (Chaoborus flavicans) adult male, Europe, March. Controlled conditions.

Jan Hamrsky / Phantom midge (Chaoborus flavicans) pupa, Europe, February. Controlled conditions.

Jan Hamrsky / Phantom midge (Chaoborus flavicans) larva, dorsal view, Europe, February. Controlled conditions. Image taken using digital focus stacking.

Jan Hamrsky / Phantom midge (Chaoborus flavicans) larva, Europe, February, controlled conditions.

Jan Hamrsky / Non-biting midge (Chironomidae) adult male, Europe, January, controlled conditions.

Jan Hamrsky / Non-biting midge (Chironomidae) pupa, Europe, January, controlled conditions. Image taken using digital focus stacking.

John Abbott / Small biting midge (Forcipomyia) feeding from the hemolymph of a slug caterpillar (Talima) Green Hills Butterfly Ranch, Cayo District, Belize, USA.

Jan Hamrsky / Non-biting midge larva (Chironomidae) in the shelter attached to the stone, Europe, August, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Non-biting midge larva (Chironomidae) hidden in its shelter and collecting organic debris from the current, Europe, May, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Large red damselfly nymph (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) feeding on phantom midge larva (Chaoborus flavicans) Europe, October, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Large red damselfly nymph (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) hunting phantom midge larva (Chaoborus flavicans) Europe, October, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Phantom midge larva (Chaoborus flavicans) head detail, Europe, October, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Phantom midge larva (Chaoborus flavicans) Europe, October, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Phantom midge larva (Chaoborus flavicans) Europe, October, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Non-biting midge larvae (Chironomidae) in the shelter attached to the freshwater sponge (Spongilla lacustris) Europe, August, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Non-biting midge larvae (Chironomidae) in the shelter attached to the freshwater sponge (Spongilla lacustris) Europe, August, controlled conditions

Nick Upton / Non-biting chironomid midges (Chironomidae) silhouetted as they mate under a leaf, with the female hanging below a male with plumose antennae, Wiltshire garden, UK, April.