Macro - Discussion & Photos

[Ash]

If only they all were lollies! The kids would make them extinct.

 

[Steve]

grub eating my Spinach!

I'm guessing by the brilliant green of the grub that your spinach is/was in good health. He's got a bit of translucence about him too. Very cool shot @stevo

 

[stevo]

It was great weather for garden photos on the weekend. The Native Bees were out....

 

[Mark]

Brilliant shots as usual Stevo!

I love that mantis looking straight at the camera - that's a photo comp winner right there imo.

 

[Steve]

Yes great shots Stevo. I actually like the bee in mid flight. Simply awesome.
Yeah ok, the mantis is pretty good too....

 

[stevo]

umm.. I may have squeezed too hard...

 

[OskarDoLittle]

Guys these pics are awesome...inspired me to get a macro lens.

 

[Mark]

inspired me to get a macro lens.

I've been looking to buy one for ages. With shots like that above it certainly is inspiring to get into macro photography!

 

[stevo]

Blue Banded Bee roosting on a thin twig. I found about 10 last night, finally!

 

[Mark]

Oh wow That's very special... well done mate what a rippa shot!

So did you go out hunting for roosting bees? That's very committed. How did you light this up?

 

[stevo]

I was closing the gate on the chicken coop and noticed the bees hovering around and knew they were looking for a place to roost so I sat and watched them for 5 minutes to see which twig they were going to roost on, then grabbed the camera.

I sat a torch near them lighting them up faintly so I could get focus on the camera. I just used the pop-up flash on the camera and a white paper plate as a reflector held in my left hand to spread the light a bit more. You can see the eye has a bit of a exposure blow out. My separate flash and triggers have flat batteries at the moment so I couldn't use them, but hopefully I can have another go at getting better lighting soon. The bees return to the same spot each night.

 

[Mark]

I sat a torch near them lighting them up faintly so I could get focus on the camera. I just used the pop-up flash on the camera and a white paper plate as a reflector held in my left hand to spread the light a bit more.

Pro...

The bees return to the same spot each night.

Oh do they... cool

 

[stevo]

This is a Mimic-Wasp Fly (Ceriana Ornate). I'm not sure what they do exactly but I think they can lay eggs in a Native Bee hive and destroy the hive, so if you see one you should get rid of it. You may find them hanging around the hive.

 

[Steve]

That's an awesome shot Stevo. Very interesting seeing them up close like that.

 

[Mark]

I'm not sure what they do exactly but I think they can lay eggs in a Native Bee hive and destroy the hive, so if you see one you should get rid of it.

Yes apparently so and a good reason to ensure there's no gaps in the hive box where the wasp/fly can lay her eggs for the larva to get in (I'm no expert, that's just what I heard from my bee keeping uncle).

 

[Mudmaker]

I love the photos Stevo, insects are so fascinating although can’t say I feel that way about the mozzie.

 

[stevo]

yeah Mudmaker, it's amazing to see what things you have in the garden, I've started to realize that a lot of the weird bugs and insects I have are actually bees and not just flies!

Here's a Leafcutter Bee, it cuts a leaf section out in around 4 seconds and flies away with it to make a nest with...

They like Rose leaves, so if you see this pattern in your leaves then that's ok, it's just a bee...

 

[stevo]

I can't remember if I posted this anywhere, so i'll add it here., it was only recent... Male Blue Banded Bees roosting at night...

 

[Mark]

Is it normal for them to roost together like that or is this a really rare image?

 

[OskarDoLittle]

Wow, that's an amazing pic, and the most amazing phenomenon. Is that the norm for them or something weird you just happened to capture?
I have one blue-banded that spends hours in the Thai Basil. I'm assuming it's the same little guy each day because they seem to be so habitual. (I'm basing that on a few comments you've made...I know nothing about bees)
So if they're social rather then solitary, I should have other blue banded bees around yeah? Is there anything in particular that seems to attract them?