MayBug

[Mowgli]

I came home on Sunday lunchtime to find this little fella stuck upside down on the conservatory roof, so I kindly recued him. In turn he kindly posed for this photo. I figure one good turn deserves another !!

[Pol]

Re: MayBug

Oooo that is one cracking good picci of a MayBug!

Ive only ever seen one once (on a sheet drying on the line outside). I managed to grab a few quick shots before it flew away but mine weren't even in the same league as yours!

Well done!

Pol

[Ian]

Re: MayBug

Fantastic detail I have never been much good at macro so I'm very envious

Can you tell us a bit more about the setup? How big is a May bug?

Ian

[Pol]

Re: MayBug

They're approximately an inch to one and a half inches. Certainly big enough to spot easily if there's one in your line of vision. Monsters that look even more spectacular in flight!

Here's the one and only May-Bug I ever saw. I can't remember which camera I used but it would be a Pentax dSLR, not with a macro lens either. I think I was using a standard lens and my photo is a crop.

Not a patch on Mowgli's picci but I was nevertheless pleased with it as I'd never seen one before. I hadn't a clue what it was and David had come out to rescue me when I'd screamed as I was bringing in the washing. He held the sheet bearing the bug so I could take a quick picci.



I just checked and my own picci was shot on a Pentax K10D, 50mm, f/8, 1/320, ISO 100. It was a bright, sunny morning at the time. I think I had gone indoors and changed lenses for the later shots, praying it wouldn't fly away before I could get a half-decent shot - so this was probably off a 50mm macro.

Pol

[Ian]

Re: MayBug

Yes the exif data shows it was a K10D and macro lens

Mowgli's shot was taken using a Canon Ixus compact - so even more impressive!

Ian

[Pol]

Re: MayBug

Yes the exif data shows it was a K10D and macro lens

Mowgli's shot was taken using a Canon Ixus compact - so even more impressive!

Ian

Yeah, I'd love to get a shot like Mowgli's. It's a belter!

I've looked for the bugs every year since seeing that one but never had any luck.

Pol

[Ian]

Re: MayBug

I think what makes Mowgli's shot is the soft lighting and the particles of gravel (which I originally thought might have been grains of sand). It doesn't look like he used flash, which I think has helped enormously - natural light does the job!

Ian

[Pol]

Re: MayBug

I think what makes Mowgli's shot is the soft lighting and the particles of gravel (which I originally thought might have been grains of sand). It doesn't look like he used flash, which I think has helped enormously - natural light does the job!

Ian

... not forgetting those perfect water droplets on the Bug.

I'm so envious of his shot! The setting is just perfect!

Pol

[Mowgli]

Re: MayBug

Thanks Ian and Pol for your comments, much appreciated. The set up Ian was quite simple, when I found the bug it was upside down and very wet, so couldnt right itself. When I picked it up (with a newspaper) I put it on the gravel. It was obviously disorientated as it just crawled very slowly in circles for a few minutes. I just got the camera as close as I could focus on macro setting (about half and inch away) and clicked away. I must admit I have been amazed at the results from this camera especially in macro and low light settings.
Mowgli

[Pol]

Re: MayBug

Thanks Ian and Pol for your comments, much appreciated. The set up Ian was quite simple, when I found the bug it was upside down and very wet, so couldnt right itself. When I picked it up (with a newspaper) I put it on the gravel. It was obviously disorientated as it just crawled very slowly in circles for a few minutes. I just got the camera as close as I could focus on macro setting (about half and inch away) and clicked away. I must admit I have been amazed at the results from this camera especially in macro and low light settings.
Mowgli

Poor creature, getting stuck on its back and thoroughly wet. It's good you came along to rescue it when you did.

I was spellbound by the one I saw and watched in awe as it took off. It was like nothing I've ever seen before.

Did you get to see it fly away?

Pol

[Pops]

Re: MayBug

Yours comes a close second Pol.
The first will take some beating for detail

[Mowgli]

Re: MayBug

Poor creature, getting stuck on its back and thoroughly wet. It's good you came along to rescue it when you did.

I was spellbound by the one I saw and watched in awe as it took off. It was like nothing I've ever seen before.

Did you get to see it fly away?

Pol

No I didnt see it fly off as it started raining again and lunch was on the table. By the time I looked again it was gone. Hopefully in a straight and level direction !!
Mowgli

[Pol]

Re: MayBug

No I didnt see it fly off as it started raining again and lunch was on the table. By the time I looked again it was gone. Hopefully in a straight and level direction !!
Mowgli

It's a shame you missed it take off.

The one I saw just kinda lifted off slowly, vertical take-off mode, and lumbered along 'bobbing' in the air like a helicopter hovering. Those amazing antennae were waving nd scanning in front and it was making a sort of humming sound as it moved slowly away.

Like summick out of a horror movie!

Pol

[Ian]

Re: MayBug

They look like something out of the Starship Trooper movies (Bugs!).

Ian

[Pol]

Re: MayBug

They look like something out of the Starship Trooper movies (Bugs!).

Ian

Yeah, you wanna beam up fast when you see one of those coming for you!

Seriously though - I've been spending some time looking for a video of one in flight and I came across a very nice one showing detail, size and flight of a May Bug. They'e actually beetles, live underground as larvae for 4 years then only live 6 weeks after they emerge.

Here's the best video I've found so far.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxaWYNV7kKU"]Amazing encounter with an Enormous Flying Cockchafer Beetle - YouTube[/ame]

Pol