Macro Photography

Tiger beetles

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 04:50:00 +0000

The Mystery White Insect - ID: Ortalia / Amida (Ortaliini, Ortaliinae, Coccinellidae)

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 00:58:00 +0000

Bagworm Moth Caterpillar (Psychidae)

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 03:39:00 +0000

Beetle-backed fly (Celyphidae)

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 04:21:00 +0000

Colobathristidae

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 22:31:00 +0000

A lovely pair of Colobathristid.

ID credit: Doug Yanega

Heteroptera, Pentatomorpha, Lygaeoidea, Colobathristidae

Find other Hemipterans:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/anthonywg/sets/72157633836421742

If you have slow internet connection, click below link:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/anthonywg/sets/72157633836421742/detail/?page=10

Phoroncidia lygeana, Theridiidae

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 18:11:00 +0000

This spider has a one-of-a-kind abdomen, with spikes and a protrusion at the bottom part is the spinneret. It can be found in highland cooling habitat, on leaves most of the time.

ID credit: Nicky Bay

Ants, Formicidae

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 23:18:00 +0000

Ants are social insects. They are organised, highly principled, fearless, flexible, and shall I say hard working too? They also work very well in a team, never give up to achieve their goals, whatever it is.

Meranoplus sp ants tending to some scale insects on a tree trunk, Chamang Waterfall, Malaysia.

Below is another species of the genus Meranoplus.

Meranoplus castaneus Smith, 1857 (ID credit: Joachim Moog), Maxwell Hill, Malaysia.

Here's a slideshow of some other ants I've photographed (the album will grow as I add more photos to it):

Please click on the links below to view the album:

On google:
https://picasaweb.google.com/116819265826478886555/Ants?authuser=0&feat=directlink

On flickr (small thumbnails for slow connection):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/anthonywg/sets/72157632287707432/detail

On flickr (big thumbnails for faster connection):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/anthonywg/sets/72157632287707432

Blue-winged dragonfly, Rhyothemis sp (Libellulidae)

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 04:17:00 +0000

Rhyothemis plutonis (Libellulidae)

This is a very beautiful dragonfly. The dark colours on its wings appear metallic-like and changes from blue to violet at different viewing angles. It was spotted flying near a river stream at low speed with fluttering pattern (like that of a butterfly) in the morning, Malaysia.

The scientific name of this beauty is Rhyothemis plutonia.

ID credit: Kurt Orion (orionmystery.blogspot.com/)

Trogaspidia sp, (Mutillidae)

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 04:20:00 +0000

Velvet ants mating (Trogaspidia sp, Mutillidae)

Trogaspidia is a genus of Velvet Ants (Mutillidae). In spite of its common name, they are actually wasps. The name Velvet Ants originated from the wingless female's resemblance to a hairy ant. While the mating occurred on a leaf, the male is capable carrying the female and mate in the air while flying, in which they did as soon as I attempted to step back and leave them alone.

They are also known as Cow Killer, due to the extremely painful sting of the female. Though not aggressive, the female will sting if handled.

When mating, the male grab the female on the neck with its mandibles.

Wasp identification a courtesy of Dr Doug Yanega, Entomology Research Museum, University of California, Riverside.

Flat-backed millipede, Polydesmida

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 16:20:00 +0000

Flat-backed millipedes are millipedes in the order Polydesmida. The common name is based on the rather flat (not exactly flat) looking segments of its body. There are lateral extension on the segments, known as paranota (singular paranotum), that make them look rather flat.

Paranota on body segments of millipede

This is found walking on the grass near a drain by the forest, Perak, Malaysia. I picked it up, shot the face and put it back to where it was, unharmed.

Flat-backed millipede, Polydesmida

I was surprised to see the details of the face. Along the labrum, of its mouth, there seemed to have parts that look like teeth. These are known as crenulations.

Flat-backed millipede portrait

It coiled up when I tried to pick it up.

Coiled up flat-backed millipede

Underside of the flat-backed millipede

Yellow Ichneumon Wasp, Xanthopimpla sp

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 03:20:00 +0000

Bukit Tinggi Botanical Garden, Pahang, Malaysia.

Xanthopimpla sp, Pimplini, Pimplinae, Ichneumonidae.

Stink Bug Nymph, Pentatomidae

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 09:41:00 +0000

The stink bug (nymph) is bluish black on the head and abdomen, red thorax, and red legs with black tarsus. It was found on the upper side of the leaf, late evening, Perak, Malaysia. No adult were seen. No further identification. Feel free to identify this.

Blue-tailed Forest Hawk, Orthetrum cf. triangulare

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:23:00 +0000

Probably Orthetrum cf. triangulare. Perak, Malaysia.

There are two other similar looking dragonflies namely O. cancellatum and O. glaucum. O. cancellatum has greenish eyes and black pterostigma, while O. glaucum has blue-greyish eyes.

Orthetrum cf. triangulare

Red Dragonfly, Neurothemis sp (Libellulidae)

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 09:30:00 +0000

Probably Neurothemis flucntuans.

Neurothemis sp

Long-legged Fly of Genus Neurigona, Dolichopodidae

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 08:32:00 +0000

Neurigona sp (unverified)

Several of these flies were spotted on a mid-sized tree trunk at the foot hill of Bukit Larut (formerly known as Maxwell Hill), Perak, Malaysia. The tree bark seemed whitish and powdery. The body length of the fly is about 4 or 5 mm, maybe smaller. It had been observed to prey on smaller insects, where a smaller insect is sucked up on its mouth.

Neurigona sp, male (dorsal), unverified

The overall appearance also look like Sciapus sp; however, the wing shows that it is not.

Neurigona sp, male

In the above picture, note the bristled foretarsus and visible genitalia, are distinctive features of a male Neurigona sp.

Neurigona sp, female

The ovipositor is a feature of the female. Female Neurigona sp lay eggs in the tree bark.

Praying Mantis, Mantodea

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 02:43:00 +0000

A Green Praying Mantis

Praying mantises are fascinating insects. They are beautiful but you may not want to see them devour a live victims as you may find the scene gross, especially when the victim is a vertebra. That prey on any life forms they can catch and hold onto with their strong and spiky arms.

They are classified in the order, Mantodea. Termites and cockroaches, despite of a different order (Blattodea), are their closest relatives.

Longhorn Beetle, Imantocera plumosa, Oliver 1792

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Sat, 21 Sep 2013 14:02:00 +0000

Imantocera plumosa (Olivier, 1792)

The longhorn beetle in the picture above is Imantocera plumosa, (Gnomini, Lamiinae, Cerambycidae). It was found in a tea plantation in Cameron Highlands, Perak, Malaysia.

(ID credit: Harald Schillhammer)

Look more like Imantocera penicillata in my opinion (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imantocera)

Identification document reference:

http://wallace-online.org/content/frameset?pageseq=297&itemID=WSPEC046&viewtype=text

Imantocera plumosa (Olivier, 1792)

Imantocera plumosa

Imantocera plumosa, antenna

Imantocera plumosa

Helopeltis sp (Miridae), Mosquito Bug.

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 09:58:00 +0000

Bird-dung Crab Spider, Phrynarachne sp. (Thomisidae)

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 08:52:00 +0000

Phrynarachne spp. look somewhat like bird dung, thus they are commonly known as Bird-dung Crab Spiders, or Bird-dropping Crab Spiders.

Phrynarachne cf. ceylonica (female)

Phrynarachne ceylonica is distributed from Sri Lanka to China, Taiwan, Japan (http://globalspecies.org/ntaxa/92884). I presume Malaysia is included. The spider above look very much like the species P. ceylonica but the ID is not confirmed scientifically. It was found in a lowland rain-forest in Selangor, Malaysia.

The spider is a slow-moving thomisid, prefers shaded area, and does not bite. It would actively move around though when it is being photographed.

Harvestmen, Opiliones

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 04:16:00 +0000

Although harvestmen have eight legs, they are not spiders. They are in the Opiliones order, a close relative of spiders (Araneae order), both under the same class, Arachnida.

They do not have silk glands, therefore do not build web. Their legs are extremely long compared to their body.

An orange harvestman, Pahang, Malaysia.

Close-up of the orange harvestman

Orange harvestman, dorsal view

Orange harvestman, lateral view

Another species, Pahang, Malaysia.

Hammer-headed tephritid, Themara maculipennis

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 13:35:00 +0000

Themara maculipennis Westwood 1848 (ID credit: Dr Valery Korneyev)

This hammer-headed tephritid is not to be confused with the Stalk-eyed Fly of Diopsidae family where its antennas are located at the stalks near the compound eyes. Also, this should not be referred to as fruit fly, since not all Tephritid eat fruits, as pointed out by Dr Korneyev. This unique fly belongs to the Tephritidae family, Phytalmiinae subfamily, Acanthonevrini tribe.

Based on my observation, several of these, males and females, were found on the bark of a dead and damped log on the ground, in a lowland rain-forest, Selangor, Malaysia. The males would confront another male, chase the other away, and claim its territory.

In order to photograph them, you have to approach slowly and quietly. Sudden movement, noise or even flash light could scare them away. If it flies away, stay at where you are and wait for them to return. Sometimes, the fly shows an extreme quick reflex to the flash light. You may capture just be background without the fly on the photograph. If this is the case, use manual flash power or turn off i-TTL.

The following is an identification key for Tephritidae:

"The shape of the subcosta (bent sharply forward subapically and usually weaker or foldlike beyond the bend) has generally been considered the best diagnositic character for adult fruit flies, but its form varies and in some taxa, especially many species with elongate wings, it is not as sharply bent (e.g., Toxotrypana, many Phytalmiini), and in species of Tachiniscinae it is not as weak distal to the bend."

-http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/diptera/tephriti/TephRecg.htm

Tephritid Identification Key

Lateral View

Perspective View

Close up of the Head

Male Confrontation

Jumping Spider that Looks Like a Zebra Jumping Spider

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 10:21:00 +0000

About 1000 m above sea level in a hill forest, I came across this really tiny (about 2 mm) jumping spider that looked like a Zebra Jumping Spider. (Salticus scenicus), in Pahang, Malaysia.

White-banded tiny jumping spider

However, I had confirmed with a professor in this field that this salticid is NOT Salticus scenicus. I wish someone can tell me what kind this beautiful spider is.

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Golden Silk Orb-Weaver, Nephila sp.

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 04:03:00 +0000

There are more than 150 species out of this genus. I found one that has a unique visual of the ventral view.

Strange Nephila sp (Strange Golden Silk Orb-Weaver)

When viewed from the underside, there is a human-like face and a rib-cage. The spider was found at 1000 m above sea level in the shrubs of the rain forest, Pahang, Selangor, Malaysia.

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Helopeltis cf. theivora, Miridae

noreply@blogger.com (anthony) — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 20:28:00 +0000

A strange Mirid bug was found in the shrubs of the rain forest, Perak, Malaysia. The time of discovery was about 8 o'clock in the morning.

From afar, it appeared like a small crane fly. As I took a closer look, I realized the bug has an antenna-like structure on the scutellum.

But I noticed the almost-hidden proboscis and overlapped wings that I was quite sure it is a hemipteran. Further findings reveals bug of this genus are pests to crops such as tea plant and cocoa plant.

Helopeltis cf. theivora, Miridae.