Post your BUG shots!

S.R.M. wrote in post #18726043
The brown shield bug that I photographed protecting her eggs 3 days ago is now protecting babies! The eggs hatched today and I managed to get this quick shot just before it got dark tonight

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2avx​uLv The babies have hatched! by Stephen Mudge, on Flickr

The first post was here:

Is that ever something. Parental love in the insect world. An amazing pic and story, Stephen!

Spencerphoto wrote in post #18726001
Jumper Ant, a member of the Bulldog Ant family. Large, aggressive and armed with a very painful sting. Has excellent eyesight and is capable of moving very quickly. They can also jump relatively large distances, which often comes as a surprise to visiting tourists ...

Nests are large and well-defended. Hard luck if you happen to stand on one. Workers hunt and forage individually.

Hosted photo: posted by Spencerphoto in
./showthread.php?p=187​26001&i=i205552160
forum: Macro

A fine pic of that ant. I don't know about this one, but most ants are hard to photograph because they are always on the move. Well done.

Archibald wrote in post #18725968
You are daring to render metallic green in B&W! Would you like to post the color version for comparison?

Thank you and sure here is the same photo in color. In my opinion the color is almost a distraction...

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif'

collectorinfl wrote in post #18726310
Thank you and sure here is the same photo in color. In my opinion the color is almost a distraction...

Thanks for the color version. I like both. They convey different feelings.

IMO it is good to experiment.

I hope you did not mind my little challenge.

not at all! I enjoy challenges. I also think seeing it both ways gives a more complete insight into the photo.

Archibald wrote in post #18726202
A fine pic of that ant. I don't know about this one, but most ants are hard to photograph because they are always on the move. Well done.

The challenge with Bull Ants is avoiding being stung. It's OK if you're dealing with a single, foraging ant far from the nest, but if you're going to photograph one of these - or just observe it - you'd better make sure the nest isn't nearby.

I photographed a motorcycle trial a few months ago, where the owner of the property had placed a large cage over one such nest and stuck a big warning sign on it. When his adult son saw me looking at it, he wandered over and said, "Get ready to run". Then he poked the entrance to the nest with a long stick. Within seconds, a stream of extremely angry ants emerged from the entrance and made straight for us. They clearly knew we were there.

Well, at least I know I can still sprint!

Spencerphoto wrote in post #18726509
The challenge with Bull Ants is avoiding being stung. It's OK if you're dealing with a single, foraging ant far from the nest, but if you're going to photograph one of these - or just observe it - you'd better make sure the nest isn't nearby.

I photographed a motorcycle trial a few months ago, where the owner of the property had placed a large cage over one such nest and stuck a big warning sign on it. When his adult son saw me looking at it, he wandered over and said, "Get ready to run". Then he poked the entrance to the nest with a long stick. Within seconds, a stream of extremely angry ants emerged from the entrance and made straight for us. They clearly knew we were there.

Well, at least I know I can still sprint!

Wow, interesting and impressive. Gotta have respect for ants like that, and of course know what you are dealing with.

It seems you have a lot of scary critters in Australia.

Archibald wrote in post #18726619
Wow, interesting and impressive. Gotta have respect for ants like that, and of course know what you are dealing with.

It seems you have a lot of scary critters in Australia.

When we first arrived here from the UK in '99, I had the good fortune to go bushwalking with a researcher from the Australian National University who was expert in all the dangers. Basically, his advice was, "In Australia, if it moves, it will try to kill you."



Turns out he was lying, because a little while later, I read about the sting of an Australian native that was described as, "being burnt with hot acid and electrocuted at the same time, and the pain can last for hours, weeks - even years."

Why was he lying? Because the abomination in question is a bloody plant. It doesn't move at all. It just sits there, looking pretty ordinary, waiting for hapless bushwalkers to brush past, whereupon they learn why its nickname is 'The Suicide Plant'.

Its real name is the Gympie Gympie and it is a member of the nettle family.

I know, right?

Australia - the only country where every living thing has evolved with a single objective: to kill every other living thing.

Spencerphoto wrote in post #18726631
When we first arrived here from the UK in '99, I had the good fortune to go bushwalking with a researcher from the Australian National University who was expert in all the dangers. Basically, his advice was, "In Australia, if it moves, it will try to kill you."



Turns out he was lying, because a little while later, I read about the sting of an Australian native that was described as, "being burnt with hot acid and electrocuted at the same time, and the pain can last for hours, weeks - even years."

Why was he lying? Because the abomination in question is a bloody plant. It doesn't move at all. It just sits there, looking pretty ordinary, waiting for hapless bushwalkers to brush past, whereupon you learn why its nickname is 'The Suicide Plant'.

Its real name is the Gympie Gympie and it is a member of the nettle family.

I know, right?

Australia - the only country where every living thing has evolved with a single objective: to kill every other living thing.

Interesting stuff. I've been wanting to visit Australia, but...

Found this tiny critter buzzing around our Abelia this morning.
*edit- just found out it's a hoverfly! It turns out that they are great to have in the garden, as their larvae eat aphids!

Michael Rumsey wrote in post #18727500
Found this tiny critter buzzing around our Abelia this morning.
*edit- just found out it's a hoverfly! It turns out that they are great to have in the garden, as their larvae eat aphids!

Hosted photo: posted by Michael Rumsey in
./showthread.php?p=187​27500&i=i92905366
forum: Macro

Beautiful shot!

Dubi wrote in post #18727506
Beautiful shot!

Thanks!

Dung fly, Calgary. It seems to be supplicating in the second pic.

Saw this guy at the farm today. Didn't have my camera so I had to use my cell phone. He was about 3" long.

cfdesigns wrote in post #18728330
Saw this guy at the farm today. Didn't have my camera so I had to use my cell phone. He was about 3" long.

Hosted photo: posted by cfdesigns in
./showthread.php?p=187​28330&i=i113307034
forum: Macro

Looks like a Writing Spider - a member of the Argiope family.