Thematic Show me your insects

**noelcmn** · 06-24-2018, 01:53 PM - **5 Likes**

Dragonfly

Thagomizer · 06-24-2018, 10:20 PM - **6 Likes**

I like it when I find insects that are slow enough that I can actually have time to think about composition. Here are some cooperative earwigs I found on plants on my front porch.

This combines two images to get the whole critter in, as in the poor light, it was tough to see what I had.

**noelcmn** · 06-25-2018, 01:42 AM - **4 Likes**

Howzit!

**dadipentak** · 06-25-2018, 02:35 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by noelcmn

Howzit!

Itzgood!

**noelcmn** · 06-26-2018, 05:06 AM - **1 Like**

LOL!

Insects are few and far between these days. These at Kloofendal Nature Reserve I visited yesterday.

Thagomizer · 06-26-2018, 09:24 AM - **4 Likes**

A couple of DIY stacks, one by hand on Photoshop.

First, a variation on an earwig shot seen above, with some details of the mouth parts and front leg added from a second frame taken after the base image.

A firefly image created using bits from two different frames, with details of the legs and "shell" edge provided by a different shot than the base image. The firefly moved enough between shots that I had to do a bit of rotation and translation on the focused detail bits I used along the edged of the thorax and elytron.

And some single shot images.

Some moths;

And more earwigs!

Maybe not the most popular or charismatic of insects, but ya gotta work with what ya got. It doesn't hurt that they're slow and don't seem to be too bothered by my camera, my flash or me.

swanlefitte · 06-26-2018, 11:31 AM

I really like that first one.
Just the name earwig makes me not want to get close. Certain bugs make you really think about ones preconceptions.

Thagomizer · 06-26-2018, 12:03 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by swanlefitte

I really like that first one.
Just the name earwig makes me not want to get close. Certain bugs make you really think about ones preconceptions.

Thanks.

What's in a name? Some insects have it easy:

Ladybug. Bumblebee. Butterfly. Grasshopper. Firefly (or Lightning Bug)

Those are fun, happy names.

Others? Not so much.

Assassin Bug. Blowfly. Dung Beetle. Stink Bug. Spit Bug.

Earwig.

Ew.

It is certainly an unfortunate name, from the insect's point of view. If the marketing department came up with an alternate, friendlier moniker, it might be able to give itself an image makeover. With a little rebranding, a bit of positive PR, it might even win more market share, or at least a slightly reduced likelihood of being swatted, stomped or mashed..

**WPRESTO** · 06-27-2018, 04:15 AM - **3 Likes**

A sweetly-named lady bug on a big allium.

Speaking of names being a blessing or curse, what's your reaction to an eel-shaped sea creature called a "slime hag?"

Thagomizer · 06-27-2018, 07:16 AM

Yep, slime hag is right up (down?) there.

BrianR · 06-27-2018, 07:27 AM - **6 Likes**

4 minutes of fireflies. I'm lucky to have multiple species right outside my doorstep (the out of focus orange blob is my porchlight

).

smf · 06-27-2018, 07:29 AM - **2 Likes**

This series was captured with my K-S2 and older SMC Pentax Macro 1:4/100 at ISO800 and 1/200. (Cross-posted from Picture of The Week.)

I Can Jump That Far

Made It!

I Can Get Higher

Success at The Summit

**WPRESTO** · 06-27-2018, 11:42 AM - **3 Likes**

I posted a different image of this caterpillar taken using flash on the micro two-thirds thread. The flash really brightens the color. This natural-light image is a bit dull IMHO. and BTW: being a gypsy moth larva, this subject soon met a bad end.

swanlefitte · 06-27-2018, 01:58 PM - **2 Likes**

ITs been barren around me apart from the usual suspects. The vacant lot adjacent has been mowed to dust and my yard has had the weed whack twice with no rain and close to 100f/39C. This has forced more butterflys to travel to the african basil blooms though. Got this one today in wind from an impending downpour. If I hadn't got a picture I was going to post another caterpillar pest that met its demise from last year. I will save that.
Heres the buckeye

swanlefitte · 06-27-2018, 03:36 PM - **1 Like**

Yesterday a blackswallowtail caterpillar was climbing into the house so I went to pick it up and it attacked me with its long orange tongue. Don't know if it can bite so I used a sheet of paper which its saliva wet. Coundn't hold the camera and reproduce the behavior though.
This twig used to have many branches and be almost bushy before the same caterpillars ate it to a stalk. Now it is the scouting position for dragonflys. The blue one was upset to give it up.

06-26-2018, 09:24 AM - 4 Likes	#4416
Thagomizer Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: London Ontario Posts: 2,068	A couple of DIY stacks, one by hand on Photoshop. First, a variation on an earwig shot seen above, with some details of the mouth parts and front leg added from a second frame taken after the base image. A firefly image created using bits from two different frames, with details of the legs and "shell" edge provided by a different shot than the base image. The firefly moved enough between shots that I had to do a bit of rotation and translation on the focused detail bits I used along the edged of the thorax and elytron. And some single shot images. Some moths; And more earwigs! Maybe not the most popular or charismatic of insects, but ya gotta work with what ya got. It doesn't hurt that they're slow and don't seem to be too bothered by my camera, my flash or me. Last edited by Thagomizer; 06-26-2018 at 07:33 PM. Reason: fixed typos

06-27-2018, 07:27 AM - 6 Likes	#4421
BrianR Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,332	4 minutes of fireflies. I'm lucky to have multiple species right outside my doorstep (the out of focus orange blob is my porchlight).

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06-24-2018, 01:53 PM - 5 Likes	#4411
noelcmn Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: South Africa-Johannesburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 46,157	Dragonfly

06-24-2018, 10:20 PM - 6 Likes	#4412
Thagomizer Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: London Ontario Posts: 2,068	I like it when I find insects that are slow enough that I can actually have time to think about composition. Here are some cooperative earwigs I found on plants on my front porch. This combines two images to get the whole critter in, as in the poor light, it was tough to see what I had.

06-25-2018, 01:42 AM - 4 Likes	#4413
noelcmn Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: South Africa-Johannesburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 46,157	Howzit!

06-25-2018, 02:35 PM - 1 Like	#4414
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	Originally posted by noelcmn Howzit! Itzgood!

06-26-2018, 05:06 AM - 1 Like	#4415
noelcmn Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: South Africa-Johannesburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 46,157	LOL! Insects are few and far between these days. These at Kloofendal Nature Reserve I visited yesterday.

06-26-2018, 11:31 AM	#4417
swanlefitte Pentaxian Join Date: May 2015 Location: Minneapolis Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,068	I really like that first one. Just the name earwig makes me not want to get close. Certain bugs make you really think about ones preconceptions.

06-26-2018, 12:03 PM - 2 Likes	#4418
Thagomizer Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: London Ontario Posts: 2,068	Originally posted by swanlefitte I really like that first one. Just the name earwig makes me not want to get close. Certain bugs make you really think about ones preconceptions. Thanks. What's in a name? Some insects have it easy: Ladybug. Bumblebee. Butterfly. Grasshopper. Firefly (or Lightning Bug) Those are fun, happy names. Others? Not so much. Assassin Bug. Blowfly. Dung Beetle. Stink Bug. Spit Bug. Earwig. Ew. It is certainly an unfortunate name, from the insect's point of view. If the marketing department came up with an alternate, friendlier moniker, it might be able to give itself an image makeover. With a little rebranding, a bit of positive PR, it might even win more market share, or at least a slightly reduced likelihood of being swatted, stomped or mashed..

06-27-2018, 07:16 AM	#4420
Thagomizer Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: London Ontario Posts: 2,068	Yep, slime hag is right up (down?) there.

06-27-2018, 07:29 AM - 2 Likes	#4422
smf Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Midland, MI Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,083	This series was captured with my K-S2 and older SMC Pentax Macro 1:4/100 at ISO800 and 1/200. (Cross-posted from Picture of The Week.) I Can Jump That Far Made It! I Can Get Higher Success at The Summit

06-27-2018, 01:58 PM - 2 Likes	#4424
swanlefitte Pentaxian Join Date: May 2015 Location: Minneapolis Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,068	ITs been barren around me apart from the usual suspects. The vacant lot adjacent has been mowed to dust and my yard has had the weed whack twice with no rain and close to 100f/39C. This has forced more butterflys to travel to the african basil blooms though. Got this one today in wind from an impending downpour. If I hadn't got a picture I was going to post another caterpillar pest that met its demise from last year. I will save that. Heres the buckeye

06-27-2018, 03:36 PM - 1 Like	#4425
swanlefitte Pentaxian Join Date: May 2015 Location: Minneapolis Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,068	Yesterday a blackswallowtail caterpillar was climbing into the house so I went to pick it up and it attacked me with its long orange tongue. Don't know if it can bite so I used a sheet of paper which its saliva wet. Coundn't hold the camera and reproduce the behavior though. This twig used to have many branches and be almost bushy before the same caterpillars ate it to a stalk. Now it is the scouting position for dragonflys. The blue one was upset to give it up.

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