I still have some photos in the queue, but the tank is getting dangerously low again. Remember, I run readers’ photos at least six times a week. So, if you’ve got good photos, send them along.
Reader Mark Sturtevant sent four insect photos; his captions are indented:
Here is a longhorn beetle, I think an oak borer (Elaphidion mucranotum).
Below I’m holding the beetle and it is not happy about it. I always like how the compound eyes sort of wrap around the base of the antenna in this family. Notice the wicked spines on its antennae. It went positively rigid while being held, and I am sure the spines on all of its limbs and elytra would make this thing unpleasant to swallow.
A carrion beetle (Oiceoptoma noveboracense). I am sure everyone knows the important duty that these insects play in the scheme of things.
Big spiders always make my day. This is a nursery web spider (Pisaurina mira). This fine lady was guarding her nursery of spiderlings (which you can barely see in the background). I have become curious about these spiders in that they seem to come in different colors. This is a dark form, and here are various pictures of others that include a lighter, boldly striped form. I have pix of one of these too, which I am saving for later. The thing I most remember about taking this picture was that it was beside a lake, and I had several distractions. First, the parents watching their kids on the beach nearby were openly conversing about who was this strange person with the camera. Second, I was sitting very near a bumblebee nest, and the residents kept coming out to ‘ask’ me to leave. Finally, there was a big female garter snake that kept creeping out from her hiding spot to investigate my shoes. Every time I turned to try to take a picture of her, she would whisk away under cover. Then, while I was snapping away at the spider, I would hear her slowly slithering back out again.
Reblogged this on Mon site officiel / My official website.
I love the commentary about capturing the spider picture. I felt like I was there as you were trying to do it!
Oops
I posted without filling in again.
I had said that your commentary, Mark, about capturing the spider photo was so good that I felt like I was right there with you!
Thank you. This is my 1st attempt at commenting lately as I was not wishing to be Anonymous.
The weather of course has changed to Fall, and I am restless restless restless. Few bugs. Few spiders.
Yeah I always miss the bugs after summer. I really should endeavour to take more macro photos of such creatures.
Beautiful depth of field and focus on the second longhorn beetle photo – you really get a nice look at the detail around the eyes and those spikes on the antennae!
Wonderful photos, Mark!
I guess the parents at the lake have never seen a biologist in abush position before.
Great photos.
Hopefully you told the parents that you were taking pictures for WEIT, and invited them to read the website!
Your macro shots are getting better and better Mark. That spider is too cool. Too bad we didn’t see the garter snake. In my experience, they are very camera shy 🙂
Looks like that beetle is ready to bite you with those formidable mandibles.
Thank you. The beetle was just over an inch long, so it was not a big threat.