Backyard Bugs

One thing I am not is a landscape photographer. To me it is much more interesting to explore the world up-close, and I would much rather get down on my stomach and get a macro shot of a bug or little critter or flower (with a bug on it) and often when I’m mowing the lawn I’ll see a praying mantis or newt and have to stop and run inside to grab the camera. I guess that’s why I was drawn to food photography with the variety of colors and textures and getting in close. Last fall I was mowing for the last time of the season and was thinking I hadn’t seen one mantis all summer, and then I spotted two. My son Colin was eager to get a peek, and the little alien-like mantis’s head would swivel to look at each of us on either side, as if to size us up. We recently planted a butterfly bush and it has lived up to it’s namesake, and was able to capture a tiger swallowtail (looked as if it had some damage, but still beautiful). Then I spotted a luna moth resting on the side of a pine tree and didn’t seem to upset to have my lens in it’s face. Note the small ant on it’s fuzzy abdomen. And just recently found in the archives a Species Antheraea polyphemus – Polyphemus Moth. For info on identifying your backyard bugs, check out http://bugguide.net (Click on the images for a closer look.)

Species Antheraea polyphemus - Polyphemus Moth

Advertisement