Photo of the Day: Best of December 2011

Cocooned Trees, Pakistan

Photograph by Russell Watkins

An unexpected side effect of the 2010 flooding in parts of Sindh, Pakistan, was that millions of spiders climbed up into the trees to escape the rising floodwaters; because of the scale of the flooding and the fact that the water took so long to recede, many trees became cocooned in spiderwebs. People in the area had never seen this phenomenon before, but they also reported that there were fewer mosquitoes than they would have expected, given the amount of standing water that was left. Not being bitten by mosquitoes was one small blessing for people that had lost everything in the floods.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest.)

National Geographic editor's note: Based on our experience with this news gallery (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/pictures/110331-pakistan-flood-spider-trees-webs/), it may be that the silk pictured here was not spun by spiders or at least not by only spiders.

Geisha, Kyoto

Photograph by Clancy Lethbridge

Within an ultramodern society Japan still maintains traditions passed down from generation to generation, making it one of the most beautiful and intriguing places in the world.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest.)

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Zebra and Cloud, South Africa

Photograph by Dmitry Gorilovskiy

On safari, it’s not only the animals that can attract attention. Aquila Game Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest.)

Great White Shark and Divers

Photograph by David Litchfield

Cage divers are confronted by a great white shark.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest.)

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Eagle Owl

Photograph by Mark Bridger

A large adult eagle owl in flight

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest.)

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Ocean Air Bubble

Photograph by Mark Tipple

An air bubble ascending from the ocean floor contorts and twists into a semicircle as a wave breaks in the background. Captured as part of the Underwater Project.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest.)

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Dragonfly, Indonesia

Photograph by Shikhei Goh

Arrows of rain seem to pelt a dragonfly in Indonesia's Riau Islands. To capture the photo, photographer Shikhei Goh took advantage of “superb lighting” and a friend spraying water on the dragonfly to simulate rain.

(This photo was submitted to the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest.)

Editors’ Note, January 12, 2012: This caption has been edited to accurately reflect how Goh took the picture. The original caption said that Goh had taken the picture in a sudden rainstorm, which he has done in previous occasions—but not for this photograph.

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Hiker, Scottish Highlands

Photograph by Luis del Río

A solitary person walking across a forest in the Highlands, Scotland

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest.)

Verreaux's Sifaka, Madagascar

Photograph by Robyn Gianni

Verreaux's sifaka lemur, Madagascar

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest.)