jumping spider on an orange

been lagging, here's some bugs

 This one's not a bug obviously...

 Paper wasps building a home under my deck

 A honey bee in Canberra, OZ

 Can't remember where I was when I shot this, I think somewhere in the midwest.

 A bee chilling on a towel hanging out to dry.

 some australian butterfly

 Box Elders are Back!

no idea what this guy is.  I found him a few miles outside of Canberra, Australia.

It doesn't look good for this guy.

australian funnel web spider

I was told by a local that this was an australian funnel web spider.

The guy told me that they are SUPER poisonous.

jumping spider

Check out the eye

In most photos of these guys, the antennae obscure the true shape of the eye. For the longest time i thought they were oval, but they are shaped more like a cashew. You can see it clearly on this guy.

The elusive Black Widow

one bugs life is another bugs lunch

Spotted western orb weaver

tent moth

off camera flash

I've been going through the lighting 101 and 102 sections of the Strobist website and have tried to apply the concepts to macro bug shots. Here's a recent favorite. Taken with a K10d, sigma 105mm macro at 1/180 f11 Flash above camera left at 1/32 power.

hopper with off camera flash

Mud Dauber attacks!

These aren't the greatest photos, but what's going on is pretty amazing. A Blue Mud Dauber, which I rarely see in non rural areas, grabs a spider right out of his web, stings it and proceeds to munch on it. Click on an image for a larger view.

????

I have no idea what this guy is? I couldn't tell if he had 6 legs or 8. Found him in some botanical gardens in Hawaii.

dragon fly from oahu