XL Ovipositor - _TNY_5939
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 is a shot taken after the lens change and I think it turned out really well. The way the wasp poses makes me kind of think of a pointer (the dog). Also, that ovipositor really is crazy long! This species actually parasitizes on solitary bees nesting in cavities in wood (or "bee hotels") where it sticks that ovipositor down the cavity.
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.
Part 1, showing the wasp from the side here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/50256033487/
Part 2, showing its (cute) face here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/50256033487/
XL Ovipositor - _TNY_5939
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 is a shot taken after the lens change and I think it turned out really well. The way the wasp poses makes me kind of think of a pointer (the dog). Also, that ovipositor really is crazy long! This species actually parasitizes on solitary bees nesting in cavities in wood (or "bee hotels") where it sticks that ovipositor down the cavity.
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.
Part 1, showing the wasp from the side here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/50256033487/
Part 2, showing its (cute) face here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/50256033487/