Show Us Your Bugs

[Ziggy]

You did that very nice Jim...I love it very much. I have not seen one before...

Thanks Izzie and a view from the side. They are a challenge and a lot of fun to shoot.

[JohnRostron]

Thanks Izzie and a view from the side. They are a challenge and a lot of fun to shoot.

Aren't they just. I have wasted more shots on Hummingbird Hawkmoths than any other moth, even in years when they are abundant! This is about the best I've managed:



John

[IzzieK]

I like the colours, Ziggy...

Thanks Izzie and a view from the side. They are a challenge and a lot of fun to shoot.

[tao2]

Could someone ID the flower as well as the bug, for me?.... What bug? That one there...

[marlunn]

plant is Cherry laurel I believe - http://www.seasonalwildflowers.com/cherry-laurel.html

bug ???

[IzzieK]

plant is Cherry laurel I believe - http://www.seasonalwildflowers.com/cherry-laurel.html

bug ???

the one on the leaf...it's an ant ... or uncle, whichever one is closest.

[marlunn]

ah, its my opinion that its a 'fly'. Please feel free to get a 2nd opinion

[JohnRostron]

ah, its my opinion that its a 'fly'. Please feel free to get a 2nd opinion

Yes, definitely a fly!

John

[Ziggy]

Another one of my favorite bugs.

[Wavelength]

Excellent thread and great images..... hope i can contribute later

[marlunn]

just been a bad boy and bought a 2nd hand Nikon D7100 for the sigma macro to live on - first shots were okay - this is a small (10mm) hoverfly - I think its Melanostoma scalare - the flowers are forget-me-nots and this is .jpg SOOC about 50% of the frame

[Geoff F]

OK then Mark, time for me to get difficult.

Not a Melanstoma, those abdomen spots are definitely silver. Melanstoma can sometimes appear a little on the bronze side but never totally silver.

Which makes that fly Platycheirus albimanus. Yes, I also sometimes get confused by the two when I just have a quick glance from an odd angle.

Incidentally, male Platycheirus can easily be identified by the oddly enlarged front leg which is slightly different in each species. But of course there has to be an exception, which is P. ambiguus which has a normal shaped front leg.

However, a good in flight shot there.

Something of a real oddity from me today. The first time I have ever seen one.



A Snakefly.

Messed up a bit on the shot; the light was difficult and the little blighter just wouldn't stay still and pose for a portrait. Also, I wanted to get a specific angle for identification so I was attempting to change my shooting position; then, of course, when I was ready it was gone!

Thought it was still sufficiently of interest even if the photo isn't quire right.

[marlunn]

Thanks Geoff, good id, appreciated. Love the snake fly - never seen one so its a good photo for me

addendum - 14/05 - decidedly time to update my ref books, Platycheirus albimanus not in my insect book at all - so need more ref books

[IzzieK]

Mark...I like that you were able to capture a flying bug...whichever one that was...was it hard to do? Did you have to pan to get it? I'd be interested in learning some strategy on how to capture a flying bug...

Geoff...interesting fly...what does it live on? Is it like any other normal household flies or something??? Just curious...

[marlunn]

Izzie, in this case it was a sit on the deck low down and watch - the hovers tend to follow a repeat pattern of flight and hover so I focused on one as it was hovering in one spot and then moved off, then I waited till it came back into the frame and shot 3 frames on multi frame mode - this was the last frame.

The others were in focus but the wings were best on this one and it was more parallel to the camera so better for overall sharpness and image.

Basically it takes some time and patience but is also very interesting to watch then to understand their habits to allow me to set up hand held and get the shot

[Ziggy]

Very nice shots by all.

[marlunn]

one from last month -
Rhingia campestris on ladys smock

[JohnRostron]

one from last month -
Rhingia campestris on lady's smock.

What a fascinating fly!

John

[marlunn]

just remembered i had this one from last year - fascinating critter isnt it - breeding habitat - dung

[IzzieK]

Just like all things, patience is needed and quick observation. Thanks...

Here is my contribution to this post -- a recluse spider. My stepson came in and asked me if I know what I am shooting at and I said I don't. He showed me some pictures from his iphone and said it is a poisonous spider called Recluse Spider. I did not get this very well as this is the first time I had used a real macro lens that arrived this morning, so you will all have to forgive me for the little blurry shot...I will improve on this, promise but not the same spider, hopefully...as this one is still frozen...straight from the freezer...

Izzie, in this case it was a sit on the deck low down and watch - the hovers tend to follow a repeat pattern of flight and hover so I focused on one as it was hovering in one spot and then moved off, then I waited till it came back into the frame and shot 3 frames on multi frame mode - this was the last frame.

The others were in focus but the wings were best on this one and it was more parallel to the camera so better for overall sharpness and image.

Basically it takes some time and patience but is also very interesting to watch then to understand their habits to allow me to set up hand held and get the shot