Colin Varndell / Close up of head and thorax of male migrant hawker dragonfly (Aesgna mixta) Hartland Moor, Dorset, UK September

Kim Taylor / Sexton beetle (Nicrophorus vespilloides) taking off showing elytra folded upwards along back and phoretic mites gathered on thorax to where they migrate whenever the beetle prepares for flight, digit...

Heather Angel / Butterflies and day flying moths feed from Loofah flower (Luffa cylindrica) and pick up pollen on their legs, underside of thorax and antennae, South Sichuan Bamboo Sea, China

Heather Angel / Wasp walking around a Spanish love-in-a-mist (Nigella hispanica) flower to sip nectar from ring of blue nectaries, thorax and abdomen pick up pollen from downward facing anthers that swipe over the wa...

Oliver Wright / Four-spotted chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata), close up of thorax, abdomen and wings, covered in early morning dew. Skipwith Common National Nature Reserve, North Yorkshire, England, UK. May. Focus s...

Heather Angel / Bumblebee (Bombus sp) nectaring on Indian horse chestnut flower (Aesculus indica). Yellow spots on banner petals turn pink as nectar resource declines. Orange pollen is pick ed up on wings and thorax...

Heather Angel / Flesh fly (Sarcophaga sp) nectaring on Bi-coloured pineapple lily (Eucocmis bicolor). Fly attracted by flower's rotting carion smell. Pollen is transferred via thorax and legs of fly. Cultivated i...

Heather Angel / Wasp (Dolichovespula sp) emerging from nectaring on Michailovski fritillary (Fritillaria michailovskyi) flower. To reach the nectaries it squeezes past anthers picking up large pollen load on head and...

Heather Angel / Wasp nectaring on Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris), picking up pollen on head, thorax and hairs on body. Turkey. May.

Heather Angel / Hornet (Vespa crabro) nectaring on Ivy (Hedera helix), pollen transferred to hairy legs and hairs on underside of head, thorax and abdomen. In woodland, Surrey, England, UK. October.

Heather Angel / Honeybee (Apis mellifera) with full pollen baskets and pollen on head, thorax and abdomen. Bee withdrawing from Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) flower after nectaring. In garden, Surrey, England, UK. Feb...

MYN / Lily Kumpe / Spiny-thorax stick insect (Acanthomima rhipeus) William Bay National Park, Western Australia. Meetyourneighbours.net project.

Will Watson / Scientist measuring a crayfish head and thorax of a non-native Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus), River Lugg SSSI, north Herefordshire, England, UK, August.

Andy Sands / Banded demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) male close up detail of head and thorax, Hertfordshire, England, UK, June. Captive. Focus stacked

Andy Sands / Banded demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) male close up detail of head and thorax, Hertfordshire, England, UK, June. Captive. Focus stacked

Nick Upton / Female Blue tailed damselfly (Ischnura elegans ), rufescens form with salmon coloured thorax, resting on a grass flower, Studland Heath, Dorset, UK, July.

Bernard Castelein / Southern hawker (Aeshna cyanea) close up of eyes, thorax and wing, Brasschaat, Belgium, July.

Phil Savoie / Early bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) queen feeding, with heavy mite infestation between head and thorax, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK, March.

MD Kern / Palo Alto JR Museum / European honey bees (Apis mellifera) on brood comb, with new hatchlings which are paler in colour. Adults include one with Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) - a red patch on central bees thorax, and one...

Nick Upton / Female Blue tailed damselfy (Ischnura elegans f. rufescens), rufescens form with salmon coloured thorax, resting on a grass blade near a pond, Wiltshire, UK, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Green flower beetle (Psilothrix viridicoerulea) an irridescent flower beetle often with a bluish tinge on the thorax and head, Orvieto, Umbria, Italy, April

Paul Harcourt Davies / Green flower beetle (Psilothrix viridicoerulea) an irridescent flower beetle often with a bluish tinge on the thorax and head, Orvieto, Umbria, Italy, April

Wild Wonders of Europe / Möllers / Female Banded demoiselle damselfly (Calopteryx splendens) close-up of head and thorax, Pont-du-Chateau, Auvergne, France, August 2010

Colin Varndell / Close up of eye and thorax of female Golden-ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii) at rest. New Forest, UK, July.

Chris Gomersall / 2020VISION / Worker European honey bees (Apis mellifera) on honeycomb in beehive, showing queen bee indicated by white paint spot applied to thorax by bee keeper, Suffolk, UK, August

Nature Production / Cross section through soil showing Scolid wasp (Campsomeriella / Campsomeris annulata) oviposting into the thorax of a leaf chafer larva (Mimela sp) Japan

Diane McAllister / Two honey bees (Apis mellifera) battling. One appears to be collecting pollen with its mouthparts from the other bee's thorax. USA, April

Daniel Heuclin / Close-up of Vinchuca (Triatoma infestans) head and thorax. The bug is a blood feeder, and vector of Chagas disease. Controlled conditions. Bolivia, April.

Nick Upton / Flesh fly (Sarcophaga sp) with pollen dusted thorax, feeding on Ivy flowers (Hedera helix) with extended proboscis sponging up nectar with disc like labellum, Wiltshire garden, UK, September

Nick Upton / Honey bee (Apis mellifera) combing pollen from the hairs on its thorax after visiting a Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) flower. Wiltshire pastureland, UK, September

Nick Upton / Large Darkling beetle with spiky thorax (Akis bacarozzo), running on streamside river gravel. Corsica, France, June.

Stephen Dalton / Close up of Rhinoceros beetle's horn (Oryctes sp) on thorax.

Stephen Dalton / Blowfly (Calliphoridae) viewed from directly below, UK

Stephen Dalton / Close up of 'horn' at front of thorax of Rhinoceros beetle {Oryctes sp}

Nick Upton / Early bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) combing pollen from the hairs on its thorax with its middle legs, garden, Wiltshire, UK, June

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Assassin bug / Wheel bug (Arilus cristatus). It gets its name from a structure on its thorax which resembles a gear or saw blade. The wheel bug is notorious for its painful bite, but it only bites by...

Kim Taylor / Tropical luminous Click beetle {Pyrophorus sp.} showing luminescent spots on thorax, Trinidad, West Indies.

Pete Oxford / Least Auklet {Aethia pusilla} thoraxes drying in sun, Little diomede Aleut community, Bering Sea, Alaska. Note- The thorax is dried for consumption.

Kim Taylor / Red spider mites {Acari} on thorax of Short palped cranefly, UK.

Paul Hobson / Common crayfish female with eggs under thorax {Astacus pallipes} Derbyshire, UK

Paul Hobson / Common crayfish female with eggs under thorax {Astacus pallipes} Derbyshire, UK

Paul Hobson / Common crayfish female with eggs under thorax {Astacus pallipes} Derbyshire, UK

Duncan Mcewan / Golden-ringed dragonfly, close up of head & thorax (Cordulegaster boltonii)

Emanuele Biggi / Namib desert dune ant (Camponotus detritus), queen on sand with visible wing scars on her thorax, Swakopmund, Namibia.

Doug Wechsler / Rove beetle ( Staphylinidae sp.) with mite on thorax, La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.

Nigel Cattlin / House fly (Musca domestica) on cheese, kitchen hygiene

Nigel Cattlin / House fly (Musca domestica) on cheese, kitchen hygiene

Nigel Cattlin / Flesh fly (Sarcophaga carnaria) adult, Devon, England, UK.

Nigel Cattlin / German wasp (Vespula germanica) feeding on nectar from fennel flowers, Berkshire, England, UK, August

Nigel Cattlin / Grey garden or common woodlouse (Oniscus asellus) adult crustacean on old wood