Post your insects

[Letrow]

European honey bee


bumblebee or bombus lapidarius

[ktuli]

A couple super-macros I took this past weekend. Done using my Canon 100 f/2.8 at 1:1 and a 2x teleconverter to make it a 2:1 magnification...

Bee on Flower (I wanted to get more of its face, but this guy really was tucking in to this flower and this was the only time he held still enough was with his face half buried):


Fly on Flower:


I never knew this, but apparently bees and flies have 5 eyes. Two large compound eyes, and three simple eyes. You can see one of the simple eyes on the bee (reflection to the left of the large eye), but on the fly, you can see the whole cluster of 3 simple eyes between the two large compound eyes. Learn something new every day...

These shots are uncropped, and basically SOOC.

- Bill

[Letrow]

A couple super-macros I took this past weekend. Done using my Canon 100 f/2.8 at 1:1 and a 2x teleconverter to make it a 2:1 magnification...

Bee on Flower (I wanted to get more of its face, but this guy really was tucking in to this flower and this was the only time he held still enough was with his face half buried):


Fly on Flower:


I never knew this, but apparently bees and flies have 5 eyes. Two large compound eyes, and three simple eyes. You can see one of the simple eyes on the bee (reflection to the left of the large eye), but on the fly, you can see the whole cluster of 3 simple eyes between the two large compound eyes. Learn something new every day...

These shots are uncropped, and basically SOOC.

- Bill

Nice shots Bill. Nikon should be thinking of getting closer too. I get to 1:1 and that is it, unless I go for a teleconverter.

[ktuli]

Nice shots Bill. Nikon should be thinking of getting closer too. I get to 1:1 and that is it, unless I go for a teleconverter.

My next lens purchase is going to be the Canon MP-E65mm which goes all the way to 5:1! Should be able to fit it into the budget in a couple months.

- Bill

[Letrow]

My next lens purchase is going to be the Canon MP-E65mm which goes all the way to 5:1! Should be able to fit it into the budget in a couple months.

- Bill

You are rubbing it in, nice

[Jim B.]

Pale Swallowtail

[Letrow]

Pale Swallowtail

Great photo and very beautiful combination

[Geoff F]

The only trouble with that Canon MP-E lens, apart from the price, is that it works something like a microscope and has a rather shallow depth of field. Although I have seen some stunning stacked images taken with one. But taken in studio conditions.

[Jim B.]

Thanks,Peter.
All the shots in this thread have been outstanding.After dealing with some knees troubles I'm finally able to get out in the fields and do some work.Great inspiration here.

[Geoff F]

This Sawfly is quite well hidden amongst a Toadflax Flower.

[Letrow]

This Sawfly is quite well hidden amongst a Toadflax Flower.

Interesting species, I have just been reading up on them here. I am always surprised at the variety there is in flies.

[Mongwopman]

I thought that this was quite funny :

[Geoff F]

I recognise that bee, Damien. She's called Edna Flower.

OK, Sorry.

That is a useful site, Peter, I have used it before. But this is the complicated professional site http://www.diptera.info/photogallery.php?album_id=21 Not quite so 'user friendly' though.

I was considering Tenthredo scrophulariae for that sawfly identification, but they are a complicated family.

[Letrow]

Bumblebee (bombus hortorum I think).
I really like them. They are quite relaxed, big and (seemingly) cuddly and beautifully coloured in their various varieties.

[Geoff F]

On reflection, I think I have muddled my Sawflies, the previous one was probably Tenthredo arcuata.

This one looks more like Tenthredo scrophulariae.



These were somewhat more forceful and when they considered that I was getting too close they pulled back their wings and raised their bodies to face me out instead of running away.

If you didn't know they were harmless this would appear quite threatening.

[ktuli]

I have no clue what it is, but it struck a nice pose and those red eyes just screamed to be shot...



- Bill

[Letrow]

Pieridae.
The angles of the shots are caused by other floweers obstructing the view on this little butterfly. And of course he refused to spread its wings

[Letrow]

Damselfly or Coenagrionidae. He/she was nice enough to keep still for 5 or 6 shots.

[Letrow]

A popular place it seems.

[ScoutR]

Here are a couple shots of some Black Swallowtail caterpillars that I am watching in my garden. They are not good photographs but I thought I would share what I have learnt about these guys. I saw the butterflies earlier in the season, but never did manage to get a good shot of them.

This spring I planted Dill and Fennel with the intent of attracting Blue Swallowtails and i have been watching daily for the butterflies or the caterpillars. No luck so far with the Blues, but I have found these caterpillars in various stages. I've looked them up and they belong to the Black Swallowtail I saw earlier. Here is a link for the Black Swallowtail

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Swallowtail

Anyway, long story short, if you want to attract swallowtails, Dill and especially Fennel seem to be a sure fire way to get them there. I planted Fennel at my old place and I did have a black Swallowtail caterpillar there but my neighbours who shared the garden did not know what it was and they killed it. This is the second time I have planted Fennel and walla - Swallowtails again, and they like Dill too. Note though that these are host plants so if you plan to wait for the butterflies there probably won't be much left of the plant. They don't bother with anything else though so the rest of your plants are safe. I hope this time nothing human or otherwise gets to them.

#1. First Instar Caterpillar - So far there are 2 of these.


#2. Second third or fourth instar caterpillar. The shot is not clear enough to tell whether it still has spikes or not, but I can say that I have 1 caterpillar in late stages without the spikes and a couple others that still have the spikes. Read the link to find out about the different stages, that's where I found out. I just love photography, it's like going back to school. Even if the shots don't turn out I'm always learning and that's a good thing even though I probably knew this in grade 5 or thereabouts


Wendy