Tiger Beetle

posted by Andy

One of many tiger beetles found along a sandy river bank. From a distance they look like flies buzzing around.

Toad Bug

posted by Andy

Toad bug found along the river shore. These are little hopping insects about the size of your pinkie nail.

Photos: Burying Beetle

posted by Andy

During my last weekend walk and I noticed some beetles nosing around a roadkill garter snake. Usually these are nocturnal bugs which haul smaller carcases off to bury them for their babies. I think this one was a female - there was another one with orange markings that had apparently also been mortally wounded by a car.

This one has mites that I'd read about when looking up the identity of the first burying beetle I'd found last year. The mites jump off and eat fly eggs on the carcase, ensuring the survival of the beetle's offspring.

Photos: Quit Bugging Me!

posted by Andy

Some recent insect photos: Grasshopper, dady long leggs (harvestman), Ichneumon, and a shy firefly.

Green Dragon

posted by Andy

I found this guy in some tall grass. My guess is that he had just emerged since it seemed softer than the other dragons and it's wings were a little wrinkled. First shot was taken with stacked macro filters. The second shot is a cropped portion taken with a reversed camera lens.

Canon 300D/Rebel. Aperture at f/22 (smallest hole) for greater range in focus, diffused flash (speedlite 420ex) to compensate for the low light from the aperture, 1/200 shutter speed so I can shoot hand held without motion blur, 200 ISO (film speed) a decent speed without too much noise to offset the shutter speed.

Oregon Coast Aquarium

posted by Andy

Petting Pool: Here are a few images taken at the indoor petting tide pool. The color and tone of the green anemone was heavily edited. The abalone tone was done using the virtual photographer plug-in for Photoshop. And the 3rd shot is an urchin close up.





Tufted Puffin: One of many types of birds in the avary. This guy's massive eyebrows are breeding plumage to impress the chickie-poos. This guy was holding still so the image turned out pretty sharp, and using a monopod doesn't hurt.


Catterpillar: guess the aquarium ain't just of fish and fowl.


Oregon Trail ends here. A funny sign along Hwy 34, near the Toleto turn off.