Amazing photos of nature's smallest animals and insects

EVER seen the scales on a butterfly? Check out these amazing photos that capture the details of nature's smallest animals, insects and plants.

Can you see what it is yet? These are the follicle of a mouse tail by Dr Yaron Fuchs. Source: supplied

A COMPETITION by camera manufacturer Olympus has resulted in the most amazing close-up images of some of nature's tiniest life forms.

While it's hard enough for most of us to get a decent photo of a human, talented snappers that entered the BioScapes competition have taken artwork-worthy shots of microscopic animals and insects.

The outstanding pictures were captured using microscopes and offer up-close and personal views of nature that the human eye could never pick up - such as looking into the detailed eyes of a fly or the colourful scales on a butterfly's wings.

The overall winning picture is a psychedelic-looking shot taken by Dr Igor Siwanowicz, which shows the open trap of an aquatic carnivorous plant with single-cell organisms inside.

Here are our favourite images from all the entries. Prepared to be stunned:

The competition-winnig shot of a carnivorous plant with single-cell organisms inside by Dr Igor Siwanowicz. Source: supplied

Beautiful colourful body scales of a Great purple hairstreak butterfly by Mr David Millard. Source: supplied

Who you calling ugly? A Black Beetle by Mr Pekka Honkakoski. Source: supplied

Can you see what it is yet? These are the follicle of a mouse tail by Dr Yaron Fuchs. Source: supplied

What are you looking at? The Long-legged fly by Mr Laurie Wright. Source: supplied

The Scorpionfly by Mr Kurt Wirz. Source: supplied

A Weevil only 9mm in size perching on a leaf by Dr Csaba Pinter. Source: supplied

A pair of bugs only 3mm in size by Mr Kurt Wirz. Source: supplied