Olympus pen e-pl3 + Vivitar 55mm. F2.8 macro

A caterpillar close up in my own backyard

A False Mealworm Beetle (Alobates pensylvanica) perches on the side of a fallen dead tree.

Image © 2016 Clarence Holmes / Clarence Holmes Photography, All Rights Reserved. The image is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws, and is not to be downloaded or reproduced in any way without written permission.

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Singapore

Braconid wasp having a wash

Muscid fly on japanes anemone flower center remains

I believe this to be an Eight Spotted Forester, but if anyone knows differently, feel free to let me know.

Stick insect from Iwokrama, Guyana.

This cricket has lovely colours, yellow eyes and is cute.

An aged Syrphus sp. hoverfly. Focus stacked using zerene

"...Les chrysopes permettent de réduire l'utilisation d'insecticides contre les pucerons et autres petits arthropodes nuisibles, ce qui a ainsi un impact favorable sur la protection de l'environnement." Wikipedia

"... the larvae are active predators and feed on aphids and other small insects. It has been used in the biological control of insect pests on crops." Wikipedia

Dungfly on camelia flower bud. Seemed to match the colours rather nicely :)

Found this hairy fly near Terrigal, NSW, Australia. Very much alive and buzzing!

Dolichopid fly female. Focus stacked using zerene

A little double upload of this little insect. I remember looking down at a grass seed stalk in sunlight and seeing something red. Thinking a cool red "hair" growing out of grass seed would make a cool photo, down I went and only discovered the red "hair" was antennae coming off this incredibly small insect which I could only see through my macro lens. I have no clue on an ID.

The first is a close up of the guy, the latter set against a bokeh-bow (hehe).

Step by Step Tutorial on bit.ly/2dwH9wR

An Insect

A nest of baby spiders, suspended on a fine web, above stinging nettles.

Thought this was a wasp when I spotted it on the car but think it's a male flying red ant Myrmica sp.

| Sphingidae: Hippotion rosetta |

Range: Northwest India through southeast Asia - Andaman islands to eastern Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, Torres Straits and New Guinea.

- Hawaii

Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare. Has turquoise halteres. Focus stacked using zerene

This is an odd posting: Disappointing photos. Today, while waiting for my wife to fetch me from the ophthalmologist, I stopped to gawk at bees busily bouncing about flowers for nectar. Hundreds of them gathered and proved no threat to me as I closed in and captured 20 shots, using iPhone XS.

Grumble. Can the Apple cameras do no better than this and the next two, which are the best of a bad lot? I experimented with standard and Portrait modes—and all the pics look artificial at best, and not sharp enough at worst.

On this first of the trio, composition kind of works because of the similar position of the flying bee in the foreground and the one in the blurred background. That’s the only quality redeeming the photo for me.

Male Blue mason bee. Natural light.

Osmia caerulescens

Plant bug focus stacked using zerene

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Find out the story behind this lovely macro shot in Issue 40, and discover top tips for taking your own close up photos of insects. Order a print copy ow.ly/ythUr or download the digital edition ow.ly/ythX8