Macro Photo thread
Discussion
Setup a mini studio to shoot this obliging grasshopper, its fun at such a small scale.
Grasshopper by Nature Ist, on Flickr
Grasshopper by Nature Ist, on Flickr
A few from my garden today
Adult male speckled bush cricket:
IMG_3110 by jimmyb156, on Flickr
IMG_3125 by jimmyb156, on Flickr
IMG_3116 by jimmyb156, on Flickr
Crab Spider
IMG_3175 by jimmyb156, on Flickr
IMG_3182 by jimmyb156, on Flickr
IMG_3184 by jimmyb156, on Flickr
Anyone know whats going on with the leaf and this spider? It was fully folded over and sealed shut with silk, most visible in this last pic
IMG_3189 by jimmyb156, on Flickr
C&C welcome as always!
Adult male speckled bush cricket:
IMG_3110 by jimmyb156, on FlickrIMG_3125 by jimmyb156, on FlickrIMG_3116 by jimmyb156, on FlickrCrab Spider
IMG_3175 by jimmyb156, on FlickrIMG_3182 by jimmyb156, on FlickrIMG_3184 by jimmyb156, on FlickrAnyone know whats going on with the leaf and this spider? It was fully folded over and sealed shut with silk, most visible in this last pic
IMG_3189 by jimmyb156, on FlickrC&C welcome as always!
Got these two today with the Sigma 150mm macro lens
bog bush cricket, Metrioptera brachyptera by John, on Flickr
Wasp Spider (Argiope bruennichi) by John, on Flickr
bog bush cricket, Metrioptera brachyptera by John, on FlickrWasp Spider (Argiope bruennichi) by John, on FlickrMy first macro shots of the year! Sold all my Canon macro gear last year and have been struggling to get the new kit working. These were shot with XT-1 and 18-135mm with Raynox 250. Lighting with Nissin I40 flash and homemade diffuser
Bee Macro by Mike Smith, on Flickr
Shield Bug Macro by Mike Smith, on Flickr
Bee Macro by Mike Smith, on Flickr
Shield Bug Macro by Mike Smith, on Flickr
Unlike Mike (DibblyDobbler), the vast majority of my photography remains macro and I "struggle on" with a Canon DSLR, MP-E 65mm macro and Twinlite flash. It's all rather cumbersome and heavy (no doubt contributing to my tennis elbow) but gives consistently-reliable results. If it wasn't for the fact that most of my shooting is in the garden though, I might well opt for some lighter and more convenient.
Here a recent one; a Ferruginous Bee-grabber fly (great name). The oddly-curved abdomen is designed to prise apart a bee's abdominal segments and lay an egg in there. They catch the bees in flight and grapple with them until the deed id done. The fly larva then slowly eats the bee from the inside, eventually killing it. I think the "ferruginous" bit related to its colour.
Conopid Fly by Ed Phillips, on Flickr
Here a recent one; a Ferruginous Bee-grabber fly (great name). The oddly-curved abdomen is designed to prise apart a bee's abdominal segments and lay an egg in there. They catch the bees in flight and grapple with them until the deed id done. The fly larva then slowly eats the bee from the inside, eventually killing it. I think the "ferruginous" bit related to its colour.
Conopid Fly by Ed Phillips, on FlickrThat's horrendous Ed.
If one was a bee I think the prospect of living with insecticides would be trivial compared with being eaten alive by the offspring of a fellow insect.
Indeed the insecticides may offer a degree of protection in such a situation!
And if your co-species don't get you something else will.
Last year I saw a very newly fledged sparrow sitting on my fence with some of its siblings. It spotted a large bumblebee, flying into the garden over the top of a plum tree. 10 feet or more higher and flying right to left across the sparrow's field of view and probably 5ft in front of where the sparrow was perched. Remarkably this very young sparrow, unsure of exactly how to fly, took off from the fence top and clumsily rose directly in one straight line to intercept the bee, grabbing it in its beak and then settled into the plum tree where I lost track of events.
I had never before or since seen a sparrow grab a bee or even be vaguely interested in doing so. It may be that the youngster came to regret it's action - but reflecting upon what happened, how remarkable that the young sparrow had the ability and will to make the interception anyway.
A great shot of an unpleasant critter.
One way or another, who would want to be a bee?
If one was a bee I think the prospect of living with insecticides would be trivial compared with being eaten alive by the offspring of a fellow insect.
Indeed the insecticides may offer a degree of protection in such a situation!
And if your co-species don't get you something else will.
Last year I saw a very newly fledged sparrow sitting on my fence with some of its siblings. It spotted a large bumblebee, flying into the garden over the top of a plum tree. 10 feet or more higher and flying right to left across the sparrow's field of view and probably 5ft in front of where the sparrow was perched. Remarkably this very young sparrow, unsure of exactly how to fly, took off from the fence top and clumsily rose directly in one straight line to intercept the bee, grabbing it in its beak and then settled into the plum tree where I lost track of events.
I had never before or since seen a sparrow grab a bee or even be vaguely interested in doing so. It may be that the youngster came to regret it's action - but reflecting upon what happened, how remarkable that the young sparrow had the ability and will to make the interception anyway.
A great shot of an unpleasant critter.
One way or another, who would want to be a bee?
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