Posted by Mike Hall on September 15, 2009 at 9:19 AM
I posted this over in the macro gallery to get and ID on this thing. It has a scorpion tail on a flying bug's body, so I found out it's a scorpion fly.
I knew when it flew out from under my feet it was something I'd never seen before. When I knelt down to check it out, I was debating if I should run from it or try to chase it around until I got a usable image. I would get a few pics and it would fly a few feet away and I would move the tripod over and try again. The bug was watching me the entire time. This chase went on for five minutes. The wind and dark clouds didn't help, but I wanted this bug!
Hope I don't creep you out!It's amazing what's under our feet sometimes.
Posted by Mike Hall on September 15, 2009 at 9:23 AM
This scorpion fly is on two inches long. So the images are cropped several times over to achieve the ugliest image (subject wise) I've ever posted. Here is a wider full body to show the pincher tail. He would open his pincher when he landed and I never got a picture of it open. It would have been a real scary subject if I could have got the pincher in action.
Posted by Rob Graham on September 15, 2009 at 1:07 PM
that is one wicked looking bug
Posted by Gale Rainwater on September 15, 2009 at 1:34 PM
#1 is my favorite this will make a beautiful large print in someones living room, kidding...
He's a pretty wicked looking bug. I might of moved along once I saw the tail.
Posted by David Hatfield on September 15, 2009 at 3:25 PM
Mike, Mike, Mike--You gotta' get out more! Expand your horizons. Broaden your view. You'll never make it in portrait photography with subjects like this!
Seriously, neat picture especially considering the effort it took to get it!
Congrats on catching the unique and bringing it to us!
Dave Hatfield
PS > looks like having a sick D200 hasn't slowed you down too much.
Posted by Mike Hall on September 15, 2009 at 5:14 PM
Needless to say, this want be going up on the wall. I just wanted you guys/girls to see what is sometimes hidden as we walk thru the weeds. It's almost like running across a poisenous snake. The shock value is way up there. I haven't bothered to research this and see if it could sting a person. I'm sure that claw is there for a reason.
from the very brief research I did it looks like they cannot sting humans and it looks like that claw is actually male genitalia. I could be wrong like I said it was very brief research.
Posted by Tom Kennon on September 15, 2009 at 10:25 PM
Great closeup, MIke.
Posted by Scott Bean on September 16, 2009 at 12:10 AM
Nice shot!
When I saw the subject line I thought somehow you had gotten a hold of a picture of me!
Discussion
9 repliesI knew when it flew out from under my feet it was something I'd never seen before. When I knelt down to check it out, I was debating if I should run from it or try to chase it around until I got a usable image. I would get a few pics and it would fly a few feet away and I would move the tripod over and try again. The bug was watching me the entire time. This chase went on for five minutes. The wind and dark clouds didn't help, but I wanted this bug!
Hope I don't creep you out!It's amazing what's under our feet sometimes.
Sandy r
He's a pretty wicked looking bug. I might of moved along once I saw the tail.
Seriously, neat picture especially considering the effort it took to get it!
Congrats on catching the unique and bringing it to us!
Dave Hatfield
PS > looks like having a sick D200 hasn't slowed you down too much.
When I saw the subject line I thought somehow you had gotten a hold of a picture of me!