Favourite Bug Shots

[Doug L]

After a few warm days, the little bit of snow we got this winter is almost gone. Almost time to get my macro lenses out and look for some spring bugs. Here are a few macro images I've taken in the past. The first two are with a 90mm lens and short extension tube.

Crab Spider - a female Goldenrod Spider (Misumena Vatia) on Blueweed (Vipers Bugloss)



Jumping Spider - probably a Bronze Lake Hopper (Eris Militaris)



The next shots were taken with a 3:1 Macro lens - images have also been cropped. The resolution is probably down to a few microns - the length of the baby spider's body and the diameter of the nymph Ambush Bug's head is only 1mm.

Baby Crab Spider (maybe Misumena Vatia but not sure) at the top of a tiny plant stem.



A nymph Jagged Ambush Bug. Even as youngsters, these critters have a wicked looking grappling claw (attached to a huge Popeye-like forearm muscle) that they use to latch onto their prey.