The Bug Geek

Insects. Doing Science. Other awesome, geeky stuff.

Tag Archives: Brentidae

First attempt with new macro lens

Let it be stated for the record that I have a point-and-shoot camera, a Canon PowerShotSX10.  This is a fully serviceable little machine, with lots of bells and whistles and settings etc.  But I can’t interchange lenses, nor can I focus manually.  These present challenges when I want to photograph the very tiny or the very far away. 

My beloved DID manage to find me an add-on macro lens, however, that was compatible with my Canon: a raynox super macro conversion lens (DCR-250).  It comes with an adaptor that allows me to clip the macro over my existing lens with a simple spring mechanism.  

I was fiddling with the lens today for the first time.  I was using only the ambient light (a grey winter day, indoors) – I really need to get a flash – and was aided by an Optex T120 Minipro Tripod; it’s about 8 inches high. 

My subjects: some of my latest additions to my collection; a bunch of critters I found, forgotten, in the back of the freezer.  Some were 3 years old.  They sat in a relaxing jar for several days and I’m quite pleased at how flexible I was able to get them.  They’re not as perfectly posed as I usually like, but considering how long they’d been on ice, I’ll take what I can get.  So here you go; please do tell me if I’ve identified anything incorrectly!

Saperda imitans (Cerambycidae) (Thanks to Ted MacRae for the ID correction, and letting me know I’ve got a goodie here! I had falsely identified it as Saperda tridentata.)

Megacylene robinae (Cerambycidae)

Dorcus parallelus (Lucanidae)

Arrhenodes minutus (Brentidae)

Calligrapha californica (Chrysomelidae)

Cicindela tranquebaria (Cicindelidae)