First Prize in the 41st Annual Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition was awarded to Australian Ralph Claus Grimm for capturing an amazing close-up of the eye of a honey bee covered in dandelion pollen.
Grimm, a high school teacher from Queensland, self-taught microscopist and former bee keeper, was recognized along with more than 80 other international winners. He hopes his image can serve as a voice for this endangered insect that plays such a critical function in pollinating the world's crops.
Read on to see more winning images from the competition.