Post your insects

Peter, that 'orange bum' makes it Bombus pratorum.

That photo has worked well. They are surprising difficult to photograph, and most of my bumble shots get ditched when I see them on the computer screen.

Silver Spotted Skipper

http://phoenix54.smugmug.com/MACRO/W.../skipper-L.jpg

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Originally Posted by Geoff F

~ and most of my bumble shots get ditched when I see them on the computer screen.

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Not just me then :(

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Originally Posted by Geoff F

That photo has worked well. They are surprising difficult to photograph

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http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5302/...c7b0a2a2_z.jpg

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I agree, a good shot Peter.
It might stand losing a bit off the right hand side.

Well done,

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Originally Posted by Jim B.

Peck's Skipper
http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/v...P/IMG_6993.jpg

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Really love how you were able to get the proboscis in the flower! Very nice shot!
frankie

I have a slight advantage when it comes to photographing Butterflies since I am an amateur lepidopterist and volunteer at the Butterfly Pavilion at the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum; therefore, I am around them a lot. Here is a small sample of some of the more exotic butterflies we get in the pavilion.

Heliconius melpomene
http://i53.tinypic.com/o6irtx.jpg

Torquatus Swallowtail - Papilio torquatus
http://i52.tinypic.com/mkyvtg.jpg

Orchard Swallowtail - Papilio demodocus - mating
http://i51.tinypic.com/2iad0s0.jpg

Atala Hairstreak - Eumaeus atala
http://i55.tinypic.com/97qkch.jpg

So many beautiful shots here since I last posted!

Since I joined this forum I’ve seen my past photos in an entirely new light. You’ve all helped me to delete 95% of the insect photos clogging my hard drive, and that was sorely in need of being done.

I love looking at all the wonderful images on this thread, as well as enjoying the info about the subjects, but most of all it’s given me a huge boost to improve. I had been getting nowhere for ages; learning nothing. Now I’m inspired again :)

No need to reply to this, I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who posts here.

Seri

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Originally Posted by Geoff F

Peter, that 'orange bum' makes it Bombus pratorum.

That photo has worked well. They are surprising difficult to photograph, and most of my bumble shots get ditched when I see them on the computer screen.

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Thanks Geoff. Your comment led me to the http://www.bumblebee.org/index.html site. Quite interesting and good for identification purposes. I now know that the males of the species are sad creatures: once they leave the nest the don't go back, but wait for the queen to come out to mate. They have to endure cold nights, finding protection under flowers and drinking some nectar in the morning to sustain them.:eek:

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Originally Posted by Frankie

I have a slight advantage when it comes to photographing Butterflies since I am an amateur lepidopterist and volunteer at the Butterfly Pavilion at the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum; therefore, I am around them a lot. Here is a small sample of some of the more exotic butterflies we get in the pavilion.

Heliconius melpomene
http://i53.tinypic.com/o6irtx.jpg

Torquatus Swallowtail - Papilio torquatus
http://i52.tinypic.com/mkyvtg.jpg

Orchard Swallowtail - Papilio demodocus - mating
http://i51.tinypic.com/2iad0s0.jpg

Atala Hairstreak - Eumaeus atala
http://i55.tinypic.com/97qkch.jpg

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Love those colours and... check, check, check and check...yeah we don't see those around where I live.

Warning. Explicit uncensored beetle porn.

http://i51.tinypic.com/2cyo5yg.jpg

The common UK name of these Rhagonycha fluva beetles is Bonking Beetles - for obvious reasons. ;)

Not as crisp as I would have liked, but this was shot at 10PM, outside, and I was holding the leaf this guy was on with one hand while shooting with the other.... lemme see, can I squeeze any more excuses in there? nah, that'll do.

I believe this is an assassin bug nymph or young adult.

http://gallery.ktuli.com/main.php?g2...serialNumber=2

- Bill

Not sure if a dragonfly is considered an insect, but not sure what he would be, if not... these were both shot with a 70-300 zoom (no macro). In some cases, I've found my zoom does almost as good as my macro (which I did not have with me). These seemed to like to land on a sandy part of the shoreline rather than on a blade of grass. There were also a lot of mud daubers in and around these guys.

http://i53.tinypic.com/15kf95.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/2ljtkhw.jpg

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Originally Posted by MiniChris

Not sure if a dragonfly is considered an insect, but not sure what he would be, if not... these were both shot with a 70-300 zoom (no macro). In some cases, I've found my zoom does almost as good as my macro (which I did not have with me). These seemed to like to land on a sandy part of the shoreline rather than on a blade of grass. There were also a lot of mud daubers in and around these guys.

http://i53.tinypic.com/15kf95.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/2ljtkhw.jpg

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Very good photo's Chris.#2 looks really good considering the dof at that focal length.

This is one of the mud daubers that inhabited the same mud flats as the dragonflies. If you look carefully under him, up toward the front, you can see the mud ball he is collecting.

http://i56.tinypic.com/kefbr6.jpg

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Originally Posted by ktuli

Not as crisp as I would have liked, but this was shot at 10PM, outside, and I was holding the leaf this guy was on with one hand while shooting with the other.... lemme see, can I squeeze any more excuses in there? nah, that'll do.

I believe this is an assassin bug nymph or young adult.

http://gallery.ktuli.com/main.php?g2...serialNumber=2

- Bill

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He looks kind of unfriendly. Nice photo.

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Originally Posted by MiniChris

These seemed to like to land on a sandy part of the shoreline rather than on a blade of grass.
http://i53.tinypic.com/15kf95.jpg

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I noticed that too, they rest a bit and fly off again. Way too fast for me at the moment to capture in flight.

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Originally Posted by Letrow

He looks kind of unfriendly. Nice photo.

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Well, with a name like "Assassin bug" what do you expect? Cuddly teddybear with wings? ;)

If you look close, you can see the proboscis on this guy... it is semi-clear and is about as long as his legs. Assassin bugs have a ridged groove on their underbellies that the proposcis rests in when not in use... supposedly they can rub it back and forth to produce a chirping sound. When in use, it is stabbed into their prey (usually while still alive) and used to suck the internal organs out of the prey.

He didn't give me a problem, but I am always cautious while handling insects of any sort.

- Bill

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Originally Posted by ktuli

Well, with a name like "Assassin bug" what do you expect? Cuddly teddybear with wings? ;)

- Bill

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I love the name, just as with scorpion you know exactly what kind of beastie to expect:D

Emperor Gum Moth Caterpillar
Commomly called Stinging Joey's, and yes they do sting:eek:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5294/...b5a524acce.jpg
Emperor Gum Moth Caterpillar by indigo37, on Flickr

Hawk Moth Caterpillar

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5227/...19f3f79f38.jpg
Hawk Moth Caterpillar by indigo37, on Flickr

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Originally Posted by Wendy Stanford

Emperor Gum Moth Caterpillar
Commomly called Stinging Joey's, and yes they do sting:eek:

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Wow! (And I don't say that very often ;)). They're both utterly gorgeous and perfectly captured :)

Can't say that the Stinging Joey doesn't give enough warning :D

Seri

This is an action shot and I tried so hard to get the focus on the eyes but it was moving towards me at quite a clip and I was not very successful with the eye contact business.
http://ftp.execulink.com/~wfsweb/Ima...711-0226-2.jpg

Galloping, (sigh) again lost the eye focus, however this does demonstrate that when these things get moving most feet are not on the ground. Somewhat like a Cheetah except of course the cheetah having only 4 legs manages to have them all off the ground in full flight
http://ftp.execulink.com/~wfsweb/Ima...40711-0230.jpg

And the still life that I PP'd to death. If I see another one of these and have my fancy backgrounds handy I will see if I can lure it onto something nicer. I think it makes a nice abstract, but not on cement.
http://ftp.execulink.com/~wfsweb/Ima...40711-0223.jpg

:D thought I better add the smiley in case you thought I was serious.

Wendy

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Originally Posted by ScoutR

:D thought I better add the smiley in case you thought I was serious.

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I'm highly disappointed that you're not serious. :eek:

- Bill