Scottish photographer captures the lives of insects in striking detail

When Jimmy Reid goes looking for incredible wildlife to photograph, he doesn’t have to stray very far from home.

He looks under drain covers, beneath rocks and even inside the dilapidated shed in his garden in Loanhead, Midlothian.

To some, the wasps, moths, ants and spiders that emerge may be considered mundane, or even a pest.

To Jimmy, a professional photographer, they are the subject of striking close-up shots revealing fascinating detail.

“I look in the strangest places and I usually get lucky,” he told BBC Scotland News.

“My shed seems to be a gold mine because it’s falling apart.

“It’s incredible that I’ve been doing this for 10 years but I still find creatures that I’ve never seen before.”

The 39-year-old father also travels to nearby woods and country parks to find new species that he hasn’t yet photographed.

“It’s so exciting that I’m tempted to go out most evenings in the summer hunting for new subjects whether it be birds or bugs,” he said.

“When I’m taking pictures of bees and wasps I try to do this at night when they are sleeping as they are less likely to move – but they are hard to find.”