Last weekend I went with a friend to the annual Amateur Entomological Societies Trade fair and Expo at Kempton. Ended up bringing back these fellas, decided to make use of the macro lens and the new manfrotto tripod so lighting was pretty minimal and long exposures for these

Anthia thoracica by Chris_Moody, on Flickr

Anthia thoracica (Female) by Chris_Moody, on Flickr

Anthia thoracica (Female) by Chris_Moody, on Flickr

Anthia thoracica (Male) by Chris_Moody, on Flickr

The macro lens is kinda overkill tbh...these guys are 2 inches long...

That last shot is way cool, you could photoshop that to look like an old style attack of the giant killer bugs poster

These guys are that big that if I took a shot at the limits of the lenses close-up capabilities I think all youd get are the mandibles

Awesome shots!

IMG_0054 by Rusty_CallyT2007, on Flickr

Not sure on the macroness on my shot but what the hell is it?

Hard to tell from the angle, but either a micro-moth or a member of the cranefly family? Most likely a micromoth, what size etc?

maybe a 1" wingspan, thought it was mothlike but the wings are very odd, its been flying around me freaking me out all evening

Well if you can man up enough to get it in a glass/plastic container to look at it up close, check to see if it has 2 sets of wings, or 1 pair of wings and 2 little stubby protusions behind and/or below the wings. These are called "halters" and are an undeveloped set of second wings... an evolutionary relic in true flies (diptera). 2 sets of wings = lepidoptera (moths n butterflies), 1 set of wings and the halters = its a fly (or cranefly or mozzie)

cant see anything like a 2nd set of wings on it tbh, i dont have a microscope though

IMG_0061 by Rusty_CallyT2007, on Flickr

The horror! I need a proper macro lens

Like the 4th pic there Zypder

Tbh Im not sure...youre best bet I think is putting it in one of the ID groups on Flickr!

TBH I love using my macro lens for close up but not actually macro work. Its so versitile because youre not working anywhere near its limit, unlike using say a 75-300 on minimum close focus and 300mm to get the same shot, with the macro you dont keep hitting the minimum focus limit all the time.

Good shots of some cool beasties

Ditto, love using the 100mm 2.8 IS Macro for portraits and detail shots.

A squirrel was pigging out on a birdfeeder in the garden. Ended up taking some shots with the 100mm as well as my sigma "Tries to do too much" 75-300mm lens.


Grey Squirrel on birdfeeder by Chris_Moody, on Flickr

I think Ill get rid of the Sigma tbh. Ive kept it as I wanted something with more range than the 100mm, but after comparing the shots the softness of the Sigma is really really REALLY obvious.

saw a red squirrel in my garden a few days ago.. You should have killed the grey one. They are just rats with a bushy tail.
Dont you get paid per tail you turn in?

Quote from: EggtasticoDont you get paid per tail you turn in?

Which decade are you living in? that stopped so long ago.

Greys have taken most of England no point in culling them there arent enough reds left to benefit.