Stink bug with parasite eggs attached

[Samdiver74]

Found this guy tonight with some eggs attached.
OK my bad just found out that it is a leaf footed bug. Probably part of the assassin bug family.
Shot with Delta Flip, 580EX, 100-400 and Kenko 20mm & 36mm and home made diffuser.

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4830/08marstinkbug016resizedkk5.jpg

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/4686/08marstinkbugresizede00uk1.jpg

[LordV]

Good capture- never seen that before :)-
Brian V.

[racketman]

looks uncomfortable, interesting find. It might be a Leaf-footed Bug. How do you embed copyright in EXIF?

[Samdiver74]

Thanks Brian, yeah it is the first time I have seen it also as soon as I saw it I had to get the camera out.

Toby yeah I made the correction to Leaf footed bug but I can't change it in the subject header.
I sent you a PM about the copyright info.
I Hope it makes sense.

[macro junkie]

great shot but i hate the lighting..

[Samdiver74]

Which shot MJ?
There really isn't a whole lot I can do about lighting.
I tried to balance the 580EX with the ambient as best as I could.
I wish I could afford the MP-E and MT-24EX but $1600 is out of my budget right now.

[racketman]

Thanks Brian, yeah it is the first time I have seen it also as soon as I saw it I had to get the camera out.

Toby yeah I made the correction to Leaf footed bug but I can't change it in the subject header.
I sent you a PM about the copyright info.
I Hope it makes sense.

had a quick go following your instruction - seems to work, now I can read copyright using Panda exif reader:

http://www.pbase.com/image/94527213.jpg

[Samdiver74]

Toby
yeah I can see your copyright info ok.
Like I was saying there is a way to have a copyright preset set-up in Bridge so every image you bring in from the camera will have your copyright added to the Exif.
If you have any problems let me know I'll look in one of my many Photoshop books and do a detailed write up for you.

[macro junkie]

yer u do that in the file info..i have a title saved for each mantis..when i edit my pics i go to file info and load up the selected title.

Samdiver74 - both shots are good but your lighting isnt very good.thats just imo..other havnt mentioned it so i wouldn't worry about it..its just me im picky:o


toby - i like doing the info for each pic in cs2..cause when i upload to flick all the tags and file info loads up..your see when u upload to flick..

[bandit 1]

Hiya Allan,

Nice shots, from what I've been able to find out which is not much, it looks like those eggs could be from a parasitic fly in the family Tachinidae, most likely a Trichopoda species.
These parasites place their eggs directly on the adults. The eggs, when present, can be easily seen as raised white spots about 1-2 mm in diameter around the head and "shoulder" area.

Hope that's of some help :)

Cheers for now
Mark

[Mike4BekA]

Sam I like the shots.....number 1 is my favorite of the two.....nice colors and something I also have never seen before!

[Samdiver74]

Mark
Thank you for the info. I don't know where the leaf footed bug is now, I left it in the front yard (Garden) on the Aloe Vera plant and checked on it the next day and it was gone.
Oh well maybe another time.


Mike
Thanks, I have a couple more pics posted on my smugmug page. Similar to #1 as far as colors and composition.


MJ
what is it you don't like about the lighting I know you're spoiled for light owning that MT 24 EX.
I used a 580EX and my home made softbox as well as the stofen and backed off the flashes power to balance with ambient light.
I agree on the 2nd pic that the light sucks, This was one of the first few shots and primarily a documentary type capture whilst setting up the camera, flash and lens combo and dialling in my technique as I haven't done much macro since Christmas, it was also shot on my trash can (Rubbish bin to my fellow Great Britains).
Which is why I moved the critter to the Aloe Vera plant later to get a better background environment.
Critique and trial and error is how we learn.