Bug Shots: A closer look at insect photography

More Native Beauties

Published on 2012-01-26 03:10:06

I just can’t go past taking a shot of these native bees.  They are just everywhere at the moment and many can be found at rest which makes for some fantastic photo opportunities.

Native Beauties

Published on 2012-01-20 23:23:47

Australian Native Bees are everywhere at the moment,  far outnumbering the honey bees in my garden.  If you can catch them at rest, this is your only chance to get a shot of these very fast little bees.  Often in the low light you will find them roosting in a position that seems unique to [...]

Leaf Cutter Bee

Published on 2011-11-08 05:20:52

Hi all.  It has been many months since my last post and I’m hoping that I will be able to start posting more regularly again.  Recently I was lucky enough to spot this small native bee which I’m guessing is a Leaf Cutter Bee (Family Megachilidae).   Getting any photo, let alone a good photo [...]

A Gentle Giant

Published on 2011-04-18 01:53:09

I believe this magnificent spider is of the family Sparassidae, more commonly known as Huntsman Spiders.  I spotted this spider on some pavers after heavy rain, most likely from being flooded out of its garden habitat.  These spiders are not web builders and prefer to hunt on the ground for insects such as cockroaches which makes them [...]

A bizarre design

Published on 2011-04-01 23:28:25

When I saw this small caterpillar (approx 1 cm in length) I was amazed at the bizarre architecture.  I only managed a few photos as it was quite difficult to catch the whole caterpillar in focus considering the limited depth of field.  I am glad that I captured the bizarre projections on the back which [...]

Small Garden Jumping Spider

Published on 2011-03-29 23:46:54

This small jumping spider (Opisthoncus polyphemus) is one of the most common jumping spider species that I see around the garden.  They are common amongst the palms and lillipillies, and can be quite well camouflaged.  I often seen them stalking small flies amongst the leaves, often approaching from underneath surrounding foliage before making a very [...]

Hover Fly at rest

Published on 2010-12-20 05:17:35

The Common Hover Fly (Ischiodon scutellaris) would have to be one of my favorite insects to photograph as their behavior allows for some interesting shots.  Firstly, their ability to hover in one position almost flawlessly gives the photographer the chance to shoot them in flight which is almost impossible with other insects, particularly flies.  Even [...]

Caper White Butterfly

Published on 2010-12-18 21:56:28

I was lucky enough to catch one photo of this Caper White Butterfly (Belenois java) as it landed on the flower for about 5 seconds.  I must admit that Butterflies are probably one of the hardest insects to shoot as they rarely sit still for very long which makes getting a good composition difficult.  They [...]

Guarding the eggs.

Published on 2010-11-26 21:55:38

Known as the Small Brown Paper Wasp (Ropalidia revolutionalis), these social wasps are not overly aggressive like other social wasp species. Although they will attack if severely provoked, these wasps usually stand their ground on the nest and are not easily scared off.  When approached they will often make a display by buzzing their wings [...]

A Dipteran Duo

Published on 2010-11-07 23:50:28

Here are two common species of Fly that I regularly see around the garden.  The first is the larger Grey-Striped Fly (Sarcophaga aurifrons), also known as a flesh fly.  I am unaware of the species of the second fly which was approximately 5-6 mm in length and seems to be a favorite target of the numerous [...]