The first quality lens I could afford was a 100mm F2.8 macro photography lens. A good (and somewhat affordable) choice if you are curious for the hidden world of insects and their interesting looks and behaviour. Which I had been for as long as I can remember. The way a pill-bug rolls up into a flawlessly round ball, really appealed to me as I child. And while other kids would panic at the sight of a hairy spider, I would put it on my hand, to investigate this interesting creature.
The First Cut is the Deepest
So, yeah, the interest for creepy crawlers was present from the very first beginning. But as soon as I set eyes on the insect world through a macro lens, a whole new, utterly fascinating world opened up for me. All these huge compound eyes, observing you just as curiously as you do them! The little miracles of creatures being reborn: caterpillars transforming right before your eyes into beautiful butterflies, while alien-like larvae pop out of their skin, to turn into the most wonderful elf like dragonflies… Dewy cobwebs decorate trees and plants with uncountable shining dew drops, transforming my oh-so-boring everyday environment into the most beautiful early Christmas Scene….
Squirting Spiders
I could go on and on about tasty dragonflies, squirting spiders,creepy caterpillars,pink grasshoppers,hovering flies,bees on a mission, very vain banded demoiselles, mean wasps and hungry hornets and to hiding damselflies… But as a photo says more than a thousand words, I invite you to take a look at my macro gallery and stare shamelessly at these wonderful models. I can guarantee you: once you looked through a macro lens, the world will never be the same again. Gotta love ’em little buggers!
Winged Wonders
Blue Robber fly
U Talkin’ To Me? Rare Predatory Bush Cricket (Saga Hellenica)
Hummingbird moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)
Natural Jewlery European garden spider, diadem spider, cross spider, or cross orbweaver (Araneus diadematus)
Wet Feet Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) laying eggs (oviposition) in the stream
Frozen
Star Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens)
Like a rainbow – cobweb at sunrise
Wasp on a Mission Beewolf (Philanthus Sp.)
Out of the Green I
Like a Rainbow Dew-covered spiderweb at sunrise
I’m Hiding Again Damselfly hiding behind a blade of grass
Fairy II – Small Copper
Out of the Green II
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Sawfly (Symphyta) larva
Eating or being eaten….that’s the question. Damselfly on the carnivorous sundew plant.
Broad-bordered bee hawk-moth (Hemaris fuciformis)
Green Hawker (female) ovipostion Green Hawker (Aeshna viridis)
Awakening Black Darter (Sympetrum danae)
The Great Escape Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans) on Drosera rotundifolia Common or round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)
Poppy Love II Mating Variable Damselflies (Coenagrion pulchellum)
Narcissus Banded Demoiselle reflected in the water surface
Fairy – Small Copper
Escapism Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans) on Drosera rotundifolia Common or round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)
Out of the Yellow Bee (Andrena sp.)
Hybrid pink grasshopper – due to erythrism
Golden Silhouette Banded Demoiselle (calopteryx splendens) at sunset
Two can Keep a Secret
Kiss of death European beewolf/ bee-eating philanthus (Philanthus triangulum) killing a beeBijenwolf verlamt en doodt een bij
Narcissus Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) reflected in the water surface
Narcissus Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) reflected in the water surface
White Snake’s Head and a flying bumblebee Snake’s Head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris)
Pink grasshopper
Mellow Yellow European Peacock (Inachis io) on Rapeseed (Brassica napus)
Narcissus II Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) reflected in the water surface
A Summer Romance
Strike a Pose Mating Variable Damselflies (Coenagrion pulchellum)
Dangling Black Darter (Sympetrum danae)
It’s Not Easy Being Pink Rare Hybrid Pink Grasshopper