Lilypad Muncher - _TNY_8668
I have a special spot at lake Öjesjön west of Härnösand, Sweden, where I always seem to find water-lily reed beetles (Donacia crassipes).
I just change into my swimming trunks and step out into the water and sneak up on them while they're doingtheir thing on the lilypads.
This day was a bit windy which means the water wasn't particularily still. For normal photography, this isn't much of an issue, but trying to nail focus on the eyes of a moving beetle on a lilypad bouncing on the waves when the depth of field is as shallow as this is near impossible.
In order to get some shots, I cheated a bit and lifted the leaf a little bit out of the water - but it was still quite shaky so it took a number of shots before I got a keeper.
This particular one is a bit difficult to sex, but I believe it is a male because he has extra thick thighs and shimmer a bit more than the female does (here's a female for comparison: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/51300419881/)
Yours truly in the process of shooting these beetles out in the water (taken last year, but I look pretty much the same) here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/51301177114/
Lilypad Muncher - _TNY_8668
I have a special spot at lake Öjesjön west of Härnösand, Sweden, where I always seem to find water-lily reed beetles (Donacia crassipes).
I just change into my swimming trunks and step out into the water and sneak up on them while they're doingtheir thing on the lilypads.
This day was a bit windy which means the water wasn't particularily still. For normal photography, this isn't much of an issue, but trying to nail focus on the eyes of a moving beetle on a lilypad bouncing on the waves when the depth of field is as shallow as this is near impossible.
In order to get some shots, I cheated a bit and lifted the leaf a little bit out of the water - but it was still quite shaky so it took a number of shots before I got a keeper.
This particular one is a bit difficult to sex, but I believe it is a male because he has extra thick thighs and shimmer a bit more than the female does (here's a female for comparison: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/51300419881/)
Yours truly in the process of shooting these beetles out in the water (taken last year, but I look pretty much the same) here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/51301177114/