Facial Hair - _TNY_5931
My son has taken up an interest in assisting me in my photographic endeavours. We found this Gasteruption parasitoid wasp inside the glass in his grandmother's greenhouse and took it outside. It was obviously a bit tired from being stuck there so when Daniel offered it a wet finger it drank eagerly - and I took some shots.
I had the MP-E65mm on the camera at the moment so one of those shots with the bug in front of his out-of-focus face wouldn't work, but he coaxed me into making a run for it and fetch the more normal macro lens while he kept the wasp entertained.
This shot is taken using the MP-E65, but he actually managed to keep the wasp on his finger while I switched gear and got the in-front-of-him shot he wanted.
This is either a G. jaculator or G. caucasicum, but they only differ in one species having a couple of indentations in the neck and my shots don't offer conclusive evidence which of them it is. Either way, I must say that the white hair on its face looks incredibly cool (and soft).
This species parasitizes on solitary bees nesting in cavities in wood where it sticks that ridiculously long ovipositor down the cavity.
Part 1, showing the wasp from the side here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/50256033487/
Facial Hair - _TNY_5931
My son has taken up an interest in assisting me in my photographic endeavours. We found this Gasteruption parasitoid wasp inside the glass in his grandmother's greenhouse and took it outside. It was obviously a bit tired from being stuck there so when Daniel offered it a wet finger it drank eagerly - and I took some shots.
I had the MP-E65mm on the camera at the moment so one of those shots with the bug in front of his out-of-focus face wouldn't work, but he coaxed me into making a run for it and fetch the more normal macro lens while he kept the wasp entertained.
This shot is taken using the MP-E65, but he actually managed to keep the wasp on his finger while I switched gear and got the in-front-of-him shot he wanted.
This is either a G. jaculator or G. caucasicum, but they only differ in one species having a couple of indentations in the neck and my shots don't offer conclusive evidence which of them it is. Either way, I must say that the white hair on its face looks incredibly cool (and soft).
This species parasitizes on solitary bees nesting in cavities in wood where it sticks that ridiculously long ovipositor down the cavity.
Part 1, showing the wasp from the side here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/50256033487/