Show Us Your Bugs

[JBW]

Strange as this may seem we have the same flower/weed and common blue butterfly in our yard! And ours don't like to sit still either.

[Geoff F]

There seems to be an absence of moths here. So how about this day flying moth.

Can anybody see the face of an old witch in the wings. That is how it got the name of Mother Shipton.



And a moth caterpillar. Tried several angles to get the best one for identification. I suspect this is a Dark Dagger moth but I'm open to other suggestions.



Another angle particularly shot for identification purposes. Orchid Beetle, I think.



How about the length of this thread? It is getting a bit long now and some people with very slow internet speeds will be struggling to load everything. The previous Post Your Insects went on for a couple of years and got to somewhere around 70 pages!

Should we start another one soon; say after 10 pages, or perhaps sooner?

[marlunn]

nice images. Love Mother Shipton
I would say 10 pages is long enough - or we could say a new page each month 'Julys Bugs' maybe ?

[JBW]

with no dedicated macro lens for the new camera this may be the last of these shots for a while.

[Geoff F]

Looks like some form of Tortoise Beetle, Brian. Slow moving but I never find them easy to photograph.

Another moth, this one is called Bee Moth because the larvae live in bumblebee nests.



Green Hairstreak which was reluctant to pose for a photo.



Netelia testacea, which is similar to the Ichneumon Wasps



Shall we start another thread for July postings in a couple of days; which will be a few days early?

Any preferences for a title, assuming we follow Mark's suggestion and have a new thread each month.

[Cantab]

I liked the original 70 page Post Your Insects. I'd have thought that download internet speed would be governed by the size of each individual page in a thread rather than by the total number of pages in a thread, but I may be wrong.
If we go to a monthly thread, maybe we should include the year in the title since history indicates that we'll be posting insects in future years. There are a number of high quality insect photographers on CiC but this group does not include me!

[JBW]

Hi Geoff, this caterpillar hides in the open by looking like a bird dropping. I would have taken a head on shot but I was unsure which end was the front!

[Geoff F]

I learned very early on in insect photography to always check out bits of bird poo, Brian. So often they turn out to be something really interesting. And regarding ends of caterpillars; I usually try to shoot from both ends then attempt to work out which is which when I have the image on my computer screen and an identification book beside me.

That is certainly an interesting image.

[Jimr1961]

my guess is the head is camera left. See what appear to be the rearmost feet on the right side? This would also be the attachment point for the chrysalis, which looks to be forming. What's interesting is that if this is indeed forming a chrysalis, they are normally found on the bottom of leaves and hand down by rear feet.

[JBW]

I learned very early on in insect photography to always check out bits of bird poo, Brian. So often they turn out to be something really interesting. And regarding ends of caterpillars; I usually try to shoot from both ends then attempt to work out which is which when I have the image on my computer screen and an identification book beside me.

That is certainly an interesting image.

I have a from the top shot which shows the body shape. I will try to work on it and post it later today.

[JBW]

my guess is the head is camera left. See what appear to be the rearmost feet on the right side? This would also be the attachment point for the chrysalis, which looks to be forming. What's interesting is that if this is indeed forming a chrysalis, they are normally found on the bottom of leaves and hand down by rear feet.

It is the morning of the next day and even before coffee I went out to check. He/she is not on the plant. So no forming of the chrysalis.

[JBW]

The same strangeness but from the top down. I love the clear antennae that look like they telescope.

[Ndukes]

with no dedicated macro lens for the new camera this may be the last of these shots for a while.

I'm not so sure of that. The extra resolution will facilitate some cropping. Depth of field will be the biggest challenge but with flash and a small aperture you will get good results.

[JBW]

I'm not so sure of that. The extra resolution will facilitate some cropping. Depth of field will be the biggest challenge but with flash and a small aperture you will get good results.

the camera has passed through the mid west, Anchorage, China and two cities in the Philippines. Sometime in the next four days it should be in my hands and then we will find out.

[JBW]

It is 4.5cm long, built on bamboo, looks like shredded toasted coconut and hides something but I have no idea what.

[TobyMac]

Just discovered this thread and I thought I'd make a contribution.

One little house fly shot in a "mini studio".

1 by Tobias Weber, on Flickr

One little Weevil.

1-1 by Tobias Weber, on Flickr


One Strange little jumpy guy that I do not know.

1-2 by Tobias Weber, on Flickr

and one Jumping Spider.

Jumpy -4 by Tobias Weber, on Flickr

[Geoff F]

Excellent images there, Tobias.

Horsefly - Tabanus bromius. There were several around on a gate but I really struggled to get the correct angle for identification.



I have been struggling to photograph Deer Flies for several years. I see them quite regularly but just can't get one to sit in front of my camera. Eventually managed one poor shot.



Then gradually moved around for a better position when a bluebottle landed close to my subject and shouted 'Look out, he's got a camera - follow me'. Then, of course, they were gone. And just to prove Murphy's law is still in existence. Later that day one landed on top of my flash unit, then another actually on my hand! Both obviously in non photographable positions.

[marlunn]

just realised - this is a different fly than the other one but same size, i think male / female ? as they were within short distance on same boardwalk ?

[Geoff F]

Definitely male. I will take a closer look later. At the moment, I'm trying to update my Botanical subjects thread.

OK. How about Tabanus autumnalis male.

[Jimr1961]

Some species of yellow crab spider.