21 Pictures That Will Change How You See Bugs

Courtesy Bernie Stang

Damselfly in the Grass

“On a beautiful summer evening in Paynesville, Minnesota, as I walked along a country road just enjoying the tall weeds, this damselfly gave me time to take pictures of bugs—such a joy! I love the shot because I’m starring eye to eye with the tiniest of creatures in the grass that most people don’t even notice are there,” says Bernie Stang. Marvel at these pictures of bugs, then discover the beneficial insects you want to see in your garden.

Pretty Picture of Bugs

“I call this the ladybug gathering. One summer, we had a huge number of ladybugs on our deck and flowers. I had to walk carefully as not to step on any of them. They are good for our gardens. What else can I say, we love those little bugs,” Carol Milisen. Learn 10 things you didn’t know about ladybugs.

Stunning Spider

“I planted morning glory flowers on the side of my house. One bloom this summer caught my eye because of the little white crab spider on it. I noticed that the white stamen on the flower matched the color of the spider, making them both stand out against the bright purple background,” says Joan Hunt. Check out these pictures that will change the way you look at moths.

Pink Praying Mantis

“One evening as I weeded my zinnia bed, I looked up and saw a praying mantis watching me. The sunset colors and the pink of the zinnia reflected onto the praying mantis making him appear to be pink! Zinnias attract so many interesting and beautiful pollinators as well as predators!” says Mary Lou Jubin. We found amazing nature photos you won’t want to miss.

Lovely Lightning Bug

“Pictures of bugs can be beautiful!” says Brittany Kershner. “This firefly landed in the center of a pink cosmos flower and illuminated it with a soft glow, as its petals began to furl for the evening,” Check out 7 illuminating facts about fireflies.

Sunflower and Friend

“I was cycling in Brooker Creek Headwaters Nature Preserve, in Hillsborough County, Florida, in early summer. In a stand of weeds alongside the trail, I saw a single small sunflower. I assumed a bird had likely dropped a seed from a neighborhood bird feeder. The flower stood out, so I reasoned it would be a good photo. Perched on the bloom was a green lynx spider. The beautiful lime green color of the spider contrasts perfectly with the bloom’s bright yellow coloring,” says Gail Diederich. Discover 7 fascinating facts about spiders.

A Teeny Tiny Bug

“My photo club members and I made a trip to the Green Bay Botanical Garden to take photos of the flowers and the new butterfly exhibit. I wasn’t expecting to take pictures of bugs. The delicate coloring of this particular rose really caught my attention. After shooting, I looked at discovered that an insect came and landed on the middle of the rose. This little flyer has a delicate body and wings, just like the rose petals,” says Laurie Painter.

Dragonfly on the Water

“I saw this blue dasher dragonfly on a waterlily at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron, Ohio,” says Marina Neyman. We found 6 fascinating dragonfly facts you should know.

Gorgeous Grasshopper

“I like to photograph a lot of animals, including birds, and I also take pictures of bugs. This particular grasshopper was quite cooperative and I really liked the way this photo came out. It’s one of my favorites!” says Margaret Sperling. You must see these contest-winning national parks pictures.

Happy Hoverfly

“I was taking this picture of my first sunflower of the season. It was a very sunny day and hard to see, so I didn’t see the hoverfly until I downloaded the images. I love this picture for the detail in the sunflower and the hoverfly enjoying it,” says Anita Storino. Bees or flies? Learn how to identify common garden bugs.

Fancy Fall Pollinator

“Coming to the end of summer, the sedum is in full bloom and all kinds of pollinators are vying for a place on the flowers. But this four-toothed mason wasp really stands out with the sun gleaming off its wings, causing them to shine a brilliant inky blue. The white stripes on its black body make a striking contrast on the pink flowers,” says Denise Maynard. Discover 6 key differences between bees and wasps.

Grasshopper Hello

“Sometimes we are just in the right place at the right time. I was lucky enough to see this grasshopper soaking up the sun’s warmth while resting on a daylily. It was very tolerant of me getting so close for the photograph,” says Christopher Campanaro. Psst—meet 8 bugs you should never kill in your garden.

Spider in the Zinnias

“I took this photo at my grandmother’s place among her many zinnia blooms, which we call ‘old maids.’ The spider is a green lynx. I thought the colors looked nice together—even my mother likes the photo!” says Angela Sampson. Did you know you can attract hummingbirds with water, bugs and spiderwebs?

Sunny Sunflower and Bright Bees

“This sunflower is a volunteer, as my late father would have said. A bird probably dropped the seed in my garden. Certain things warm my heart, and memories of Dad are at the top of the list,” says Rita Goldthwaite. These are the top sunflower varieties to add to your garden.

Dragonfly on Purple Lupine

“This purple lupine plant brought in not only butterflies, but also this beautiful common whitetail dragonfly. I ran into the house and grabbed my camera. Luckily, it stayed long enough for me to capture its beauty,” says Clara Learnard.

Lenten Rose—And Special Guest!

“Last spring, I was excited to capture a picture of a Lenten rose. When I noticed this hidden beetle, it made this picture even more special to me,” says Debbie Deloach.

Contented on the Coneflowers

“An eight-spotted forester moth was in the canopy of our coneflower patch last summer. The sight of moths, butterflies and other pollinators in the garden always brings me a high level of enjoyment,” says Jeff Burris. Check out these tips for watching and photographing butterflies.

A Pretty Visitor

“Dragonflies, such as this blue dasher, love to perch in my globe amaranth, which I grow in a container next to our pool. We get to enjoy the dragonflies all summer long,” says Julie Choate. Pictures of bugs are great—but have you seen these gorgeous pictures of butterflies?

The Perfect Perch

“A grasshopper had a good lookout spot from a sunflower in my garden. The bloom was on the south side of my yard and faced north, so it seemed as if the grasshopper was watching over the entire garden,” says Christie Johnson.

The Great Explorer

“A wheel bug explored the beginning of a beautiful sunflower,” says Keith Clemens.

After you’re done looking at pictures of bugs, check out these pictures of monarch butterflies.