Andy Sands / Robberfly (Machimus cingulatus) head close up showing large compound eyes. Captive, UK, July.

Lisa Hoffner / A baby orphan Elephant (Loxodonta africana), named Murka, wounded by a poacher's spear is comforted by the touch of another elephant's trunk from outside its pen. David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Eleph...

David Maitland / Close-up view of the upward-looking giant dorsal compound eyes of the St Marks fly (Bibio marci) used to detect female flies flying above. Like many insects the eyes are "hairy". Feltwell, Norfolk, UK...

David Maitland / Close-up view of the upward-looking giant dorsal compound eyes of the St Marks fly (Bibio marci) used to detect female flies flying above. Like many insects the eyes are "hairy". Feltwell, Norfolk, UK...

David Maitland / Head of female St. Marks fly (Bibio marci) showing normal sized compound eyes. Feltwell, Norfolk, UK

Russell Cooper / Common Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum striolatum) head and compound eyes, South London, UK, September

Alex Hyde / Close-up of compound eyes of unidentified fly {Diptera}. Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Stephen Dalton / Head of Horsefly (Tabanus sp) showing compound eyes, UK

Pete Oxford / Mydas Fly (Mydas sp) showing large compound eyes, Yasuni National Park, Amazon, Ecuador

Stephen Dalton / Close-up head portrait of Southern hawker dragonfly (Aeshna cyanea) showing compound eye, UK

Stephen Dalton / Head portrait of Horsefly (Tabanus) showing compound eye, UK

Albert Lleal / Harvester Ant (Messor sp) SEM close-up view of eye at 140x magnification

Albert Lleal / Indian Meal Moth (Plodia interpunctella) SEM close-up view of face at 420 magnification

Albert Lleal / Harvester Ant (Messor sp) SEM close-up view of eye facets at 700x magnification

Albert Lleal / Assassin Bug (Reduviidae) SEM close-up view of eye, which is made up of multiple facets, at 45x magnification

Piotr Naskrecki / Green-eyed Fly (Scione sp) on human skin showing compound eyes, Guyana

Piotr Naskrecki / Green-eyed Fly (Scione sp) portrait showing compound eyes, Guyana

Piotr Naskrecki / Green-eyed Fly (Scione sp) portrait showing compound eyes, Guyana

Piotr Naskrecki / Horse Fly (Tabanidae) living under bark of Elephant-damaged Baobab, Botswana

Piotr Naskrecki / Hawk Moth (Enyo sp) portrait showing compound eyes, Costa Rica

Piotr Naskrecki / Centipede (Scutigera sp) cleaning its foot, Costa Rica

Kim Taylor / Snout / Hover fly {Rhingia campestris} close-up of compound eye, Surrey, England.

Kim Taylor / Close up of head of male horsefly {Tabanus distinguendus} UK.

Kim Taylor / House fly {Musca domestica}, close up of head of female. UK.

Kim Taylor / Close up of horsefly or cleg fly {Haematopota pluvialis}. UK.

Kim Taylor / Close up of head of Horsefly {Tabanus sp}, UK.

Heidi & Hans-Juergen Koch / Blue Bottle Fly (Calliphora erythrocephala) feeding on Kiwi fruit showing compound eyes and mouth parts, worldwide distribution

Heidi & Hans-Juergen Koch / Greenbottle Fly (Lucilia caesar) close-up of compound eye, worldwide distribution

Heidi & Hans-Juergen Koch / Blue Bottle Fly (Calliphora erythrocephala) close-up portrait showing compound eyes and mouth parts, worldwide distribution

Heidi & Hans-Juergen Koch / Blue Bottle Fly (Calliphora erythrocephala) close-up portrait showing compound eye, worldwide distribution

Konrad Wothe / Horse Fly (Chrisoms relictus) close-up portrait, Germany

Konrad Wothe / House Fly (Musca domestica) close-up, North America

Mitsuhiko Imamori / White-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum albistylum) dragonfly close up perched on reed, Shiga, Japan

Mitsuhiko Imamori / Robber Fly (Promachus yesonicus) close up portrait on leaf, Shiga, Japan

Constantinos Petrinos / Compound eyes of Smasher Mantis shrimp {Odontodactylus scyllarus} Sulawesi, Indonesia

Pete Oxford / Chiron Sphinx Moth (Xylophanes chiron) showing large compound eyes, Yasuni National Park, Amazon, Ecuador

Michael & Patricia Fogden / Harlequin Beetle (Acrocinus longimanus) in rainforest, Costa Rica

ZSSD / Julia Butterfly (Dryas iulia) close-up portrait of face showing compound eye, native to Brazil, Central America, Mexico, and southwestern United States