Showing posts with label Bugs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bugs. Show all posts

Hide 'n' peek! The damselfly who thought he was hidden... but was given away by his bug eyes

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Hide 'n' peek! The damselfly who thought he was hidden... but was given away by his bug eyes  1
Peek-a-bug: This little Damselfly was caught hiding behind a blade of grass in Fordwich Lakes, near Kent


This little damselfly thought it was cleverly hiding behind a blade of grass at a British lake, but didn’t realise its big bug eyes gave away its disguise.

The tiny insect concealed its two-inch body and transparent wings by clinging onto the grass with its black legs.

But instead of being incognito, photographer Tony Flashman captured the common blue damselfly’s piercing eyes with his camera at Fordwich Lakes, near Kent.

Mr Flashman crawled around the lake’s meadows at 5am to try and photograph the flies before they become too active at sunrise.

And the Kent-born photographer said: ‘This little fly thought it was being clever by hiding behind the grass in a game of hide and seek but he didn’t do a very good job.

‘I could see his eyes peeking out from either side and its legs wrapped around the grass.
‘It needs to move from the thin long grass to the reeds, where it will have a bit more cover.’


Hide 'n' peek! The damselfly who thought he was hidden... but was given away by his bug eyes  2
We can see you! The long blue damselfly was captured by photographer Tony Flashman, from Kent


He added: ‘This fly behaved himself and allowed me to get a good photograph but I had to get there early.

‘As soon as it warms up, they start to move around too much.’

From another angle the slender damselfly is seen holding itself up against the grass as morning dew drops trickle down onto its wings.

Damselflies are similar to dragonflies but the adults differ by holding their wings long and parallel to the body when resting.

They are also usually smaller and weaker fliers than dragonflies and their eyes are wide apart – as seen poking out from behind this blade of grass.

Damselflies eat flies, mosquitoes and other small insects.


source: dailymail

A bug's eye view

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Beautiful: The Devil's Flower Mantis is one of the largest flower mantis' and takes its name form its ability to mimic flowers to avoid dangers


With their bulging goggle-eyes and technicolour skin tones, these bizarre but beautiful creatures could be aliens sent from outer space.

But as foreign as they may seem, they are in fact some of the world's most unusual creepy crawlies, caught on camera in minute detail.

From a Giant Malaysian Shield Praying Mantis posing with elegance for the camera, to a Schizocephala mantis capturing a fly in mid-air, these incredible close up pictures of insects are a sight to behold.


Strike a pose: This Giant Malaysian Shield Praying Mantis looks almost as though it is about to break into a dance in Igor's studio in Munich, Germany


They were taken by biochemist and photographer Igor Siwanowicz who has spent the last seven years carefully acquiring and breeding these strange insects.

He has worked to painstakingly document these beautiful creatures, who, mimicking flowers to growing fearsome horns, have all developed their own ways of surviving the wild.



Tough guy: This Malaysian Jungle Nymph, left, has rows of razor-sharp spikes on it's head to ward off predators while the Plain Mantis, right, can mimic a butterfly


Cunning: A Schizocephala Mantis captures a fly mid air. Igor studies the habits and physiology of these compelling creatures, which gives him the edge when it comes to producing thought-provoking imagery


Taken in a home studio in Munich, Germany, these are the latest images from his ever growing collection.

Igor studies the habits and physiology of these compelling creatures, which gives him the edge when it comes to producing thought-provoking imagery.

Igor cites his main influence as the works of the designer of the monster from the Alien films, HR Giger who was obsessed with the paradox of turning the human form into an alien one.


Don't mess: When threatened, the Spiny Flower Mantis shows the yellow from their un-opened wings. They are a small species growing to aprox. 40 mm in length


Leaf me alone: The South American dead leaf mantis mimics dead leaves to both hide from predators and prey


The Conehead Mantis, left, lives and hides in long grass and can grow up to 10cm. Right, a Leaf Grasshopper on a bud



Bizarre: A close-up of a the head of Dragonhead Eumegalodon


The Preying Mantis: When directly threatened, many Preying mantises, left and right, stand tall and spread their forelegs, with their wings fanning out wide


Girl power: This female Malaysian Orchid Praying Mantis is, at 60mm, long, twice the size of it's diminutive male counterpart


Silent but deadly: A Leaf Bug, left, hides on a leaf while a Spiny Flower Mantis eats another bug, right


Phone home: A Heterohaeta, left, is the world's largest mantis pictured, while a giant devil's flower mantis, right, could easily be an alien sent from space


Committed: Igor Siwanowicz, left, studies the habits and physiology of these compelling creatures, which gives him the edge when it comes to producing thought-provoking imagery, right


source: dailymail

Look at this, Ernie: Sesame Street character Bert's face found on stink bug

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

The stink bug in a Singapore forest that bears a striking resemblance to Sesame Street character Bert


His sketches with best friend Ernie, his love of the letter W and his fondness for pigeons have bought happiness to millions of children around the globe.

And now it appears that Sesame Street character Bert's popularity has even reached the natural world - with this tribute from a stink beetle in a Singapore forest.

Creeping through the branches, this creature looks strikingly like the character whose relationship with Ernie formed the centre-piece of the show.

The remarkable image was captured by Winston Jansen, an amateur photographer who lives in the country.

After passing hundreds of other insects in the forest, this bug caught Mr Jansen's eye due to its 'stunning colour and intricate camouflage'.

Spotting the insect he quickly picked up his camera to get up close - and discovered the face of the TV character branded across its back.

Winston, 32, said: 'I was simply in awe at the beauty of the camouflage - I know many insects use it to avoid being preyed upon but I'd never seen anything like it before.

'I was just captivated by the bright colours. Then on closer inspection it just hit me there is actually a face on its back.

'I had to be very careful not to startle it as I approached it because I'd had a few insects scurry away earlier that day - but there was no way this one was getting away.'

Winston, a banker from Singapore, first picked up a camera in 2009 and specialises in macro photography - a unique skill revealing details hidden in normal photography.


Amateur photographer Winston Jansen was left stunned after capturing the image while on an expedition in the forests of western Singapore


He was visiting the forests specifically to shoot insects on a macro photography trip.

He added: 'It was about midday, I chanced upon this stink bug and fortunately it was actually quite co-operative so I managed to take a number of shots at different angles.

'After I shot this bug I did some research when I got home and found out there are so many more variations of this species.

'I'm still hoping I will be able to capture more variations of it.'


Sesame Street's Bert has entertained millions of children during his time on the show and has a fondness for number six and the tuba


source: dailymail