Thomas Kent
Phoretic Mites on Nicrophorus orbicollis (Burying Beetle)
I found this guy within inches of the jumping spider with the hover fly.... just 2 days later. With some help from Alex Wild and a couple of other entomologists/photographers, we managed to get the Silphidae to pose for this shot. The mites are apparently harmless to the beetle, and are just along for the ride. Much more concerning is the presence of the beetle itself, which tends to enjoy eating rotting animals!
I'm not 100% sure, but I believe I was using a 50mm reversed on halfway extended bellows. My flash bracket had broken, so my flash was mounted directly in the camera's shoe with a mini softbox on it.
Phoretic Mites on Nicrophorus orbicollis (Burying Beetle)
I found this guy within inches of the jumping spider with the hover fly.... just 2 days later. With some help from Alex Wild and a couple of other entomologists/photographers, we managed to get the Silphidae to pose for this shot. The mites are apparently harmless to the beetle, and are just along for the ride. Much more concerning is the presence of the beetle itself, which tends to enjoy eating rotting animals!
I'm not 100% sure, but I believe I was using a 50mm reversed on halfway extended bellows. My flash bracket had broken, so my flash was mounted directly in the camera's shoe with a mini softbox on it.