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Ambush Bug
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Ambush Bug

by William Brozy

Gallery: Macro & Close-upPosted August 27, 20062,381 views17 comments
This is an Ambush Bug, tiny little predators (8-10 mm) that hang out around flowers. This one is happens to be on a newly emerging Thistle flower. They wait for flying insects like bees, wasps and flies and snatch them with their fore femora and then immobilize their prey by injecting them with funky saliva through their short beaks (presently tucked in under its head). This one is a very successful hunter. I found it by all the discarded carcasses at the base of the plant.

105/2.8 with 36mm extension, 1.4x TC, focusing rail, timer, MLU, f/22 @ ¼ sec. at minimum focusing distance. Full height a slight crop from both sides.

Comments

17 comments
Comment posted by Bill Garber on August 27, 2006 at 6:07 PM
One of your best!
:toast: :toast: :toast:
Registered on November 17, 2003, 704 Posts, 3535 Comments
Comment posted by Brad Hamel on August 27, 2006 at 9:22 PM
Beautiflul shot.
Registered on May 7, 2006, 53 Posts, 59 Comments
Comment posted by Duane Rosenkranz on August 27, 2006 at 9:26 PM
Awesome shot. I don't think it could be any better. Amazingly I was just reading about these an hour ago.
:toast:
Registered on October 13, 2004, 280 Posts, 2661 Comments
Comment posted by Maureen McKovich on August 27, 2006 at 9:36 PM
I know I have said this many times, Will - but, this is one of your very best. That is, excellent!
Registered on November 9, 2003, 221 Posts, 1628 Comments
Comment posted by Ganesh H Shankar on August 28, 2006 at 12:04 AM
Beautiful image, fine details and thanks Will for the information. :toast:
Registered on March 1, 2004, 324 Posts, 1867 Comments
Comment posted by Nathan Buck on August 28, 2006 at 11:32 AM
Wow Will, too cool! I love the perch, and that is one wicked looking bug. Thanks for the bug-ology lesson!

Nathan
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1101 Posts, 13589 Comments
Comment posted by Marius Nistor on August 28, 2006 at 11:51 AM
Beautiful shot Will! Great in every sense! :toast: :toast:
Servus!
Registered on February 4, 2006, 38 Posts, 551 Comments
Comment posted by Jabe Graham on August 28, 2006 at 6:36 PM
Very beautiful, great DOF. Jabe
Registered on May 7, 2006, 16 Posts, 21 Comments
Comment posted by David Chauvin on August 28, 2006 at 7:15 PM
These guys are too cool! :cool: It's images like this that make me think I need more magnification.

Wickedly fine!
Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments
Comment posted by David Gottlieb on August 28, 2006 at 8:36 PM
Best shot of an ambush bug I've seen.Congrats
Registered on November 1, 2003, 436 Posts, 1790 Comments
Comment posted by Randy Harrison on August 29, 2006 at 6:35 AM
Evil looking aren't they. Nice capture Will. The darker bg makes it really stand out.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 468 Posts, 3099 Comments
Comment posted by W. Tracy Parnell on August 31, 2006 at 11:31 AM
:toast: :toast:
Registered on March 4, 2004, 27 Posts, 1638 Comments
Comment posted by William Brozy on August 31, 2006 at 4:14 PM
Thanks for looking :wavey:
Registered on November 9, 2003, 559 Posts, 2929 Comments
Comment posted by Ken Moore on September 1, 2006 at 11:28 AM
I've tried to photograph one of these without nothing like your success. The DOF is fantastic -- all those knobby protuberances are in perfect focus. Finally, I agree, these guys are some of the most successful insect predators around, despite their tiny size. :toast:
Registered on May 4, 2006, 15 Posts, 97 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Fach on September 4, 2006 at 11:26 PM
Will: I missed this early in the week so I'm really glad it got the EP to bring it back up front and center. Just a terrific image. Bravo! >=))>
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments
Comment posted by Barry R. Byrd on September 5, 2006 at 11:55 PM
that's just sassy :jump: :jump:
Registered on December 20, 2005, 136 Posts, 970 Comments
Comment posted by Michael Wade on September 19, 2006 at 3:12 PM
I had never seen one ... until now. Thanks for showing it to me with photographic perfection. Well done.
Registered on August 30, 2006, 1 Posts, 10 Comments