MOTHS are said to be attracted to the light and this summer the light in the former telephone box that forms the Gallery on the Green in Settle has attracted some stunning photographs of this often overlooked species.

Following on from his 2010 exhibition in the gallery, Canadian photographer Jim des Rivières will be displaying a new collection of moth photographs from this Saturday to September 18.

Using a desktop scanner instead of a camera, Jim directly captures high-resolution digital images of moths which reveal their intricate wing patterns and colours.

By putting moths under a spotlight, Jim raises awareness of these important but lesser-known building blocks of the ecosystem.

The exhibition includes 28 moth species representing a tiny cross-section of the species found in the immediate locale of the photographer’s home in Ottawa, Canada.

A common theme in Jim's photography is connecting the viewer with the beauty that is all around.

Moths are a common part of the natural environment but their nocturnal habits mean they seldom come to people's attention.

Even when people do see them, their small size and humans' modest eyesight means they rarely are seen up close.

Jim’s large high-resolution prints allow the viewer to see them in all their glory without a magnifying glass.

This opens up a world of intricate shapes, structures and colours that will surprise and delight viewers of all ages.

Jim has been displaying his work for more than 15 years. A feature exhibition of 45 large format moth prints was first shown at Ottawa’s Canadian Museum of Nature in 2010 and is currently touring nature museums in cities across Canada and the US and his work has featured in publications including The Wall Street Journal.

To coincide with the opening of the exhibition Jim will be visiting Settle.