Post your insects

[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.

[Jim B.]

Silver Spotted Skipper

[Dave Humphries]

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

Not just me then

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

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

Well done,

[Frankie]

Peck's Skipper

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

[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


Torquatus Swallowtail - Papilio torquatus


Orchard Swallowtail - Papilio demodocus - mating


Atala Hairstreak - Eumaeus atala

[Seriche]

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

[Letrow]

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.

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.

[Letrow]

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


Torquatus Swallowtail - Papilio torquatus


Orchard Swallowtail - Papilio demodocus - mating


Atala Hairstreak - Eumaeus atala

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

[Geoff F]

Warning. Explicit uncensored beetle porn.



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

[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.



- Bill

[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.

[Rasbury]

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.

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

[MiniChris]

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.

[Letrow]

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.



- Bill

He looks kind of unfriendly. Nice photo.

These seemed to like to land on a sandy part of the shoreline rather than on a blade of grass.

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

[ktuli]

He looks kind of unfriendly. Nice photo.

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

[Letrow]

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

- Bill

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

[Wendy Stanford]

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


Emperor Gum Moth Caterpillar by indigo37, on Flickr

Hawk Moth Caterpillar


Hawk Moth Caterpillar by indigo37, on Flickr

[Seriche]

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

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

Seri

[ScoutR]

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.


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


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.


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

Wendy

[ktuli]

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

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

- Bill