Crab Spider:


Harvestman carrying Ladybug prey:

Harvestman are related to spiders, but have no venom. They belong to the Arachnid class, but the closest relatives are mites or scorpion family (disputed).

Harvestman extracting "nutrients":


Cicada Killer:

Cicada killer wasps (the genus Sphecius speciosus) are large, solitary, ground dwelling, predatory wasps. They are so named because they hunt cicadas and provision their nests with them, after stinging and paralyzing them. Normally the females hunt Cicadas and are the larger than the males. This insect was quite large! This one was almost 2 inches in length.

I hope you enjoy them!

Regards,
Marc

[Marc Langille]

wow great captures.....

Thank you Studio20!

Marc, as always superb and outstanding macro work, the third one is just unreal. Thanks for posting them.

Yes, the third is a definitive favorite of mine. Chris (codiac2600) used that as one of the images detailing the nature photography class I presented in Rockford, IL a while back.

Excellent series

Thanks Mike!

[Marc Langille]

wonderful macros as usual, Marc. My favorite is #2, great composition on that.

Thanks Dan - the assassin carrying it's prey to begin dining time...

Marc, way to make my toes curl right before going to bed! Fantastic shots though - the detail is phenomenal! Might I ask, what lens are you using?

Hi MrEspie, that means I've done well in evoking a response! That is the FA* 200/4 macro. Details here: https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/showproduct.php?product=184&cat=30

Glad you enjoyed the series!

Regards,
Marc

[octavmandru]

Marc, these shots are breathtaking. I tried using a Bellows unit myself and I know how difficult is to keep the pests in focus.
The Harvestman at "work", and the Cicada killer wasp shots are my favorites, though they are so good it gives me the shivers.
It makes you realize there's so much life arround you, and even on you. (well at least on some individuals)

[Marc Langille]

Thanks Octav for the kind words. That's probably the best shot of a Harvestman I've ever done, simply because of the front on shot with prey in it's clutches.

BTW, I just wrapped up some macros of an unexpected visitor in front of my house. I took several shots then placed mom in a less stressful spot with all of her babies on a wood tree stump and rocks. She felt so at home and stress free that she started to clean herself!! One baby crawled around for a short stint on her body. Needless to say I got some pretty nice shots, definitely the best I've done this year and more importantly, never that many subjects in a shot before... ever...

Cheers,
Marc

[OrenMc]

Fantastics shot Marc,
one of these day ( I hope sooner than later ) the A* 200 will be mine. I think the price of the FA and availibliity makes it out of my reach.

[fadzil karim]

nice. sharp and detail

[Jewelltrail]

Unbelievable Marc! More gore than any horror flick I've seen--especially here: Harvestman extracting "nutrients":

[Marc Langille]

Fantastics shot Marc,
one of these day ( I hope sooner than later ) the A* 200 will be mine. I think the price of the FA and availibliity makes it out of my reach.

It took me 2.5 months to find one back in 2006, but I was looking for it "in all the wrong places"...

Best of luck on getting the A* 200/4 macro - I believe they are at the same level, but the A* is a tad smaller, so it packs well for travel. I've got my FA* nicely tucked into my Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW into a protective compartment on it's own - very safe.

nice. sharp and detail

Thank you Fadzil!

[skinja]

Great shots Marc..... You are bringing that lens? Right.

Note to self: Hire Jimbo to.......

[Marc Langille]

Great shots Marc..... You are bringing that lens? Right.

Note to self: Hire Jimbo to.......

Hmmm... two against one and counting...

Thanks for the comments... you need to check the other macro posts I did to decide for yourself if it's worth it...

Cheers,
Marc

[monochrome]

Neat shots Marc. From the Fun Facts Department:

Cicada killers do not have a large enough wing area to lift their own weight plus that of their prey to fly back to the nest. If in the act of capturing and immobilizing a Cicada she falls to the ground (quite common), the wasp will drag herself and her prey to a nearby tree and climb just high enough so that she can make a descending flight to her burrow.

How she knows how high to climb (the farther from her nest the higher she must climb) is one of nature's grand mysteries.

[gawan]

Good catches! That last one is just superb!

[jem]

Fantastics shot Marc,
one of these day ( I hope sooner than later ) the A* 200 will be mine. I think the price of the FA and availibliity makes it out of my reach.

It took me 2.5 months to find one back in 2006, but I was looking for it "in all the wrong places"...

Best of luck on getting the A* 200/4 macro - I believe they are at the same level, but the A* is a tad smaller, so it packs well for travel. I've got my FA* nicely tucked into my Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW into a protective compartment on it's own - very safe.

Great shots Marc..... You are bringing that lens? Right.

Note to self: Hire Jimbo to.......

Thanks for the comments... you need to check the other macro posts I did to decide for yourself if it's worth it...

It has been your macro work that has sent me on a quest for a 200mm macro. And this morning I found and bought my A*200mm f4 macro! Now all I need is that workshop in the Spring with you so I can properly learn how to use it... ... if my wife doesn't kill me later today...

[Marc Langille]

Good catches! That last one is just superb!

Thank you Georg!

It has been your macro work that has sent me on a quest for a 200mm macro. And this morning I found and bought my A*200mm f4 macro! Now all I need is that workshop in the Spring with you so I can properly learn how to use it... ... if my wife doesn't kill me later today...

See, it's insidious... must have 200mm... Seriously, thanks for the kind words and CONGRATS - that is awesome! Now you need to see how tiny it can resolve - please take a look at my Hover Fly macro post.

BTW, I have no problem resolving the RGB within the white pixel on my computer screen with the FA* 200/4 Macro from 11-12 inches away, hand held. That's pretty good in terms of optical clarity, but it's the reach that makes the difference. I am not saying the 200's are better, but the reach can often be the make or break on getting the photo if you come too close to the subject and they flee.

Let me know if you need a protection clause or something similar drawn up from the significant other... Do we need to call your house later on, after you break the news??

[Ash]

Incredible detail and colours Marc.
You have a confident approach to your macro photography.
Well done with this whole series.
Thanks for sharing.