Clovis' 2025 images

[clovishound]

I noticed tonight that some sweat bees were using some of my wildflower buds to apparently bed down for the night.

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[Ernie]

Love the macro.
Thanks for the pictures.

[clovishound]

Went out tonight with a flashlight and discovered they are using the same spot.

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[CT_Shooter]

Cool discovery. Great photos.

[clovishound]

The last two were taken in the dark. I had a small flashlight that allowed me to focus, and, as usual for my macro shots, I had a camera mounted flash and diffuser. It was a little awkward balancing the flashlight and camera rig, but I managed. They seem to start settling down late in the afternoon. I haven't gone out terribly early in the morning, so I don't know when they decide it's time to go to work. I saw a few bumble bees do this same thing last year. My understanding is that sweat bees have underground burrows.

After a little internet searching, I discovered that this habit is common among many different bee types.

[clovishound]

Well, I went out a little before 9:00 this morning and there were about 3 together on a flower just about ready to take off. There was another one that decided to sleep in. He got a little visit from a neighbor. Don't know if the damselfly was sizing him up for breakfast, or just found a handy perch. I've seen more than one predator snack on a sweat bee in my backyard. Interesting fact about sweat bees I just found out. They need a certain amount of sodium for good health. They don't get much from nectar and pollen, so they have learned to drink sweat from humans. I've never had one do this to me, but if it happens, I'll let them have a sip. They are supposed to rarely sting, and then only when threatened.

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[clovishound]

And more sleepy bees, with a wasp or two.

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[Ernie]

Interesting information.
Thanks
Ernie

[clovishound]

Doing a little experimenting in the backyard today with exposures and available light.

Got lucky with this shot and one of the crescentspots was in flight.

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Took a few of this shield bug. We always called them stink bugs as a kid. Step on one and you'll understand why! The first was done with flash, and a slightly lower shutter speed to increase the exposure of the background.

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This is the same bug, except taken with only available light. It's not quite sharp, but good enough for social media. I should have tried another a stop faster.

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[clovishound]

Are these ants brave, or stupid?

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[Ernie]

Yes

[clovishound]

Made it out to Magnolia this morning. Twisted my ankle on the way out and turned myself into a pretzel trying to keep the new camera with the long lens from hitting the ground. The ankle and arm will heal. Camera seemed to survive OK. Got a few decent shots despite having to hobble from site to site.

All the other photographers were excited about getting shots of this bittern.

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Got several decent shots up fairly close of this female red wing blackbird.

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[clovishound]

Been getting some more insect action in my backyard.

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And just one of the flowers for something a little different.

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[clovishound]

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[CT_Shooter]

Thanks again for sharing your beautiful photos with us. The photo of the ducks should be opened in a new window to see the true dimensions of the image. They always seem to be smiling, which, of course, is contagious.

[clovishound]

Yeah, I forgot about the funky way this forum displays wide aspect ratios. I know better.

I have found myself choosing some custom aspect ratios for certain images that I feel need it. One of the of types of images that seem to beg for this is ducks/geese with their young trailing along behind.

Here's my work around for this issue, but it's more work that I normally feel like doing, unless it's an image I am particularly proud of.

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[clovishound]

Had a Micrathena show up today. She got a fly in her web. I got one shot of her upside down under her web with the fly in her embrace. Went back out a little later and she had him trussed up like Frodo in Cirith Ungol. I managed to get her good side with that one. Hope she sticks around.

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[CT_Shooter]

Had a Micrathena show up today. She got a fly in her web. I got one shot of her upside down under her web with the fly in her embrace. Went back out a little later and she had him trussed up like Frodo in Cirith Ungol. I managed to get her good side with that one. Hope she sticks around.

Great photos. I hope she sticks around, too.

[clovishound]

Well, tonight she was in a position to get her from the top. Not terribly artistic, but interesting.

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And a grasshopper I got yesterday. I made this one with a focus stack in order to get the entire bug in focus.

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[clovishound]

Tried my hand at dragonflies in flight yesterday. I was pleased with the initial results. The big hurdle for me to overcome is sharpness. None of the shots I got yesterday are what I consider sharp. They are barely passable for social media posting. I think the issue is focus. They are much too fast for the camera to be able to track them. I think the answer is to prefocus slightly behind where they are perching, and hope they fly into the zone of focus.

I like the head swiveled to keep an eye on me while flying off his perch. Although, with compound eyes, who knows where he's actually looking.

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I was lucky to get the wasp in frame. He buzzed by the dragonfly, scaring him off his perch.

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And here's one of the static shots.

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