WC 610 Space Invaders
by Rudy Ruberti
Each summer our fig tree attracts these Japanese Beetles, an invasive species. Crows rip the fruit open, allowing the beetles to get at the soft flesh. The beetles don't seem to mind sharing and there's about eight of them on this one fig. Trust me, it only takes one handful of beetles to make you look carefully before grabbing a fig. This is a blend of three shots of focus stacking, something I don't do very often. Plus, these beetles were far more interested in their lunch then staying still for a photo opportunity.
Thanks,
Rudy
D700, 105mm
Comments
8 commentsID: This looks so much like the green June beetle Cotinis nitida that lives in the east, I decided to look it up. Your beetles are "green figeaters," otherwise know as "green fruit beetles." It is Cotinis mutabils, and looks very similar to its eastern cousin that I know. I read that some people call them "Chinese beetles" even though they are native to the American southwest. (I wonder if that name was given to them to distinguish them from "Japanese beetles" -- Popillia japonica -- which actually is the invasive species that came from Japan.) The Japanese beetle is bronze-colored, and much, much smaller than either of the big green ones.
I like the emerald green & gold border, cool critter!
Well done
Thanks for the comments.