For every one of us…
There are 1.5 billion bugs.
The reality of this started to become more apparent as I spent most of Saturday afternoon, sitting on the ground next to a bush in the front yard. On that single bush, I discovered at least 3 species of spider, 2 species of fly, a grasshopper, a praying mantis, a beetle, a caterpillar, a hornet and a bunch of other stuff I couldn’t even name. And this was one little spiny bush in the yard.. yet all of them flying, buzzing around, chomping away, leaping from leaf to leaf.. and all seemingly disinterested in one another. All focused on their own little tasks and the majority of, not terribly bothered that I was sitting there, a 100mm Macro lens pointed in their faces or my finger generally prodding them into a lighter area of the leaf they held onto, turning them around to face the camera.
I don’t know if it was the first (and only) sunlight of the day that forced them to be so lazy in the presence of a huge, threatening Human being or maybe the humidity has the same lethargic, energy-sapping effect on insects as it does us. Either way, they were a pleasure to work with. Basically, I moved about a metre over the course of an hour.
Katie said,
February 3, 2008 @ 6:21 pm
I love that jumping spider. It’s amazing what these little guys look like up close. Actually it’s a little gross to know that the flies that cling to me are actually covered in hair with those big red eyes…haha! Kinda disturbing but so intriguing!
Still my favourite photo is the daisy. I just love that photo. I would totally get that framed.
becca3003 said,
February 4, 2008 @ 4:49 am
Very cool pics hun!!
Love how the macro lens pics up all the detail with all the bugs and the leaves and stuff they’re on!! Very cool indeed!! 
Did you go poking them with sticks again to get them into the right positions for your shots? 
ScottyB said,
February 4, 2008 @ 11:12 pm
Katie,
I love them, the jumping spiders are my favourite subjects! They move lots, so they’re probably the hardest to shoot, too, but they don’t seem to get freaked out by the flash, so I’ve been using that to get quicker shutters and higher apertures!
Flies are lovely really!! There are only a few I’ve photographed that look really ugly/dirty
Bec,
Thanks! No poking with sticks this time… I used my finger