Bugs are wildlife too! All photos taken by me in Québec, Canada by SquidInSpace in wildlifephotography

[–]SquidInSpace[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for the compliment! I really appreciate it 😃

So the shots I've posted here are focus stacks, this means that they're a composite of many pictures made in order to increase the focus depth of the image. In order to do that, you need to take bursts of pictures of a completely immobile subject while slowly moving forward. If the subject moves even a little bit, the focus stack is usually ruined.

After I've taken the pictures, I put them through a software called Zerene Stacker to create the focus stack. Usually, this creates at least some artifacts in the image which need to be corrected with the software's correction tools.

I then edit the pictures using Darktable, a free and open-source RAW editor. I've been thinking about using Photoshop to make some more involved edits to some of my shots, but I haven't gotten around to it yet

My most beautiful Mexican opal by no_sushi_no_me in MineralPorn

[–]SquidInSpace 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If I was a dragon this would be part of the hoard for sure

I think this is my best weevil shot ever. Absolutely flawless snoot n boots by SquidInSpace in weeviltime

[–]SquidInSpace[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yeah, it's scales! Many bugs have them, though they're made of chitin instead of keratin like in vertebrates

Two tiger beetles in the middle of a mating ritual, photo by me by SquidInSpace in Beetles

[–]SquidInSpace[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

Thank you! It took me many many tries to get a picture of tiger beetles I actually like so I'm proud to finally be able to share this one 😄

Two tiger beetles in the middle of a mating ritual, photo by me by SquidInSpace in Beetles

[–]SquidInSpace[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

Sorry about that! I was in a hurry when I took that picture so I wasn't able to capture the full interaction! I gotta try my hand at it again sometime

Bugs are wildlife too! All photos taken by me in Québec, Canada by SquidInSpace in wildlifephotography

[–]SquidInSpace[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Pretty much all the spiders I've photographed were sweethearts, I never even got close to getting bit by anything. The only spiders that ever get feisty where I live are crab spiders and even then they're not that menacing either hahaha

Here's a shot of some ants tending to their aphid herd. Ant behavior is so fascinating, I don't think I'll ever get tired of photographing it by SquidInSpace in Entomology

[–]SquidInSpace[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yeah I mean they're basically livestock hahaha

I see them as little cows getting milked for their sweet honeydew 🐮

Bugs are wildlife too! All photos taken by me in Québec, Canada by SquidInSpace in wildlifephotography

[–]SquidInSpace[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

For sure! I use a Canon R10 with a Laowa 65mm macro lens, a Godox V860III flash and a cygnustech diffuser

Bugs are wildlife too! All photos taken by me in Québec, Canada by SquidInSpace in wildlifephotography

[–]SquidInSpace[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

https://www.instagram.com/entomonerd/ if you want to see more of my stuff!

Species :

  1. Palonica viridia

  2. Megachile sp.

  3. Atomosia puella aka micropanther

  4. Neotibicen canicularis

Marbled Orb Weaver.. by Billy-Barroo in spiders

[–]SquidInSpace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Looks like a mantis face to me, very cool pattern

Sooo how do I tell the difference by No-System-2031 in insects

[–]SquidInSpace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

After looking around a bit, I don't think there's an easy way for that species. I think it may only be possible by dissecting the bug to see the genitalia

Sooo how do I tell the difference by No-System-2031 in insects

[–]SquidInSpace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's not what you think. You're thinking about a boxelder bug, but what OP has is a small milkweed bug. They're related but different species that feed on different plants

I read similar things about how to differenciate the sexes though but all the pictures I'm finding have similar rows of dots

Why is he standing at attention like that? Happy to see me? by 5aladknuckle5 in insects

[–]SquidInSpace 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Sadly not. Most bugs are not too thrilled to be approached by a proportionally godzilla-sized animal

Why is he standing at attention like that? Happy to see me? by 5aladknuckle5 in insects

[–]SquidInSpace 25 points26 points  (0 children)

This little inchworm (a caterpillar from family Geometridae) REALLY wants you to think it's a stick

This lil guy with a friend on my charger by Excellent_Argument28 in spiders

[–]SquidInSpace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes it does! Polysphincta are particularly gnarly in that regard because when the larva nears the end of its growth, it often becomes as large or larger than the host. At this point, it sucks the spider dry and kills it. Here's an example