Macro / Insect Photo Gallery

My oh my, is macro fun.  Until July 2015, 98% of the photos I've taken have been of birds, with a few other wildlife or landscape shots thrown in. That all changed once I bought a truly incredible macro lens, the Canon 100mm 2.8L IS.  Shooting macro, particularly insects, opens up a whole new world.  When I started taking photos of birds, I knew very little about bird species, and each new "discovery" was a true delight.  I'm having the same wonderful experience now with macro photography.

Click on the thumbnail or name for a higher-resolution view.  There's no detail on each regarding location, date, etc.  The vast, vast majority of these were taken within 10 miles of our house in Brandon, South Dakota.  Also note that why I'm really putting an effort into getting the correct ID, some are only identified to genus or other level besides actual species.  I also make NO attempt here to put things in any kind of taxonomic order!!  Finally, all photos are copyrighted; contact me if you'd like to use them for any purpose.  

Bees
White-winged Perdita - Perdita albipennis Mining Bee - Andrena Long-horned Bee -Melissodes Long-horned Bee - Melissodes
White-winged Perdita - Perdita albipennis Mining Bee (Andrena) Long-horned Bee (Melissodes) Long-horned Bee (Melissodes)
Long-horned Bee - Melissodes Leafcutter Bee - Megachile Sweat Bee - Halictus ligatus Sweat Bee -  Lasioglossum (Dialictus)
Long-horned Bee (Melissodes) Leafcutter Bee (Megachile)  Sweat Bee - Halictus ligatus Sweat Bee -  Lasioglossum (Dialictus)
Bicolored Striped Sweat Bee - Agepostemon virescens  Leafcutter Bee - Megachile  Western Honey Bee - Apis mellifera Western Honey Bee - Apis mellifera
Bicolored Striped Sweat Bee (Agepostemon virescens) Leafcutter Bee (Megachile)  Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
Honeybee - Apis genus  Brown-belted Bumblebee - Bombus griseocollis    
Honeybee (Apis)  Brown-belted Bumblebee (Bombus griseocollis)    
 
Wasps
Cerceris fumipennis - Wasp Thread-waisted Wasp - Sphecidae Grass-carrying Wasp - Isodontia Ichneumon Wasp - Netelia genus
Cerceris fumipennis Thread-waisted Wasp - Sphecidae Grass-carrying Wasp - Isodontia Ichneumon Wasp - Netelia genus
Great Golden Digger Wasp - Sphex ichneumoneus Tarantula Hawk Wasp - Pepsis thisbe    
Great Golden Digger Wasp - Sphex ichneumoneus Tarantula Hawk Wasp - Pepsi thisbe    
 
Moths (and their caterpillars)
Bird Dropping Moth - Ponometia Green Cloverworm Moth - Hypena scabra Pink-barred Pseudeustrotia - Pseudeustrotia carneola Spurge Hawkmoth - Hyles euphorbiae
Bug Dropping Moth - Ponometia Green Cloverworm Moth - Hypena scabra Pink-barred Pseudeustrotia - Pseudeustrotia carneola Spurge Hawkmoth - Hyles euphorbiae
Common Gray Moth - Anavitrinella pampinaria Lynx Flower Moth - Schinia lynx White-lined Sphinx Moth - Hyles lineata White-lined Sphinx moth - Hyles lineata
Common Gray Moth - Anavitrinella pampinaria Lynx Flower Moth - Schinia lynx White-lined Sphinx Moth - Hyles lineata White-lined Sphinx Moth - Hyles lineata
White-lined Sphinx Moth - Hyles lineata Ailanthus Webworm Moth - Atteva aurea Ailanthus Webworm Moth - Atteva aurea Ailanthus Webworm Moth - Atteva aurea
White-lined Sphinx Moth - Hyles lineata Ailanthus Webworm Moth -  Atteva aurea Ailanthus Webworm Moth -  Atteva aurea Ailanthus Webworm Moth -  Atteva aurea
Fiery Skipper - Hylephila phyleus Corn Earworm Moth - Helicoverpa zea  Lesser Viburnum Clearwing Moth - Synanthedon fatifera  
Fiery Skipper - Hylephila phyleus Corn Earworm Moth - Helicoverpa zea   Lesser Viburnum Clearwing Moth - Synanthedon fatifera  
 
Butterflies (and their caterpillars)
Clouded Sulphur - Colias philodice Delaware Skipper - Anatrytone logan Monarch Caterpillar - Danaus plexippus Monarch Caterpiillar - Danaus plexippus
Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice) Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan) Monarch Caterpillar Monarch Caterpillar
Monarch Caterpillar - Danaus plexippus Weidemeyer's Admiral - Limentis weidermeyerii Northwestern Fritillary - Speyeria hesperis Great Spangled Fritillary - Speyeria cybele
Monarch Caterpillar Weidemeyer's Admiral (Limentis weidermeyerii) Northwestern Fritillary (Speyeria hesperis) Great Spangled Fritillary - Speyeria cybele
Cabbage White - Pieris rapae Red Admiral - Vanessa atalanta  Melissa Blue - Lycaeides melissa  Monarch - Danaus plexippus 
Cabbage White
Pieris rapae
Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta 
Melissa Blue
Lycaeides melissa 
Monarch Butterfly
Danaus plexippus
Pale Crescent - Phyciodes pallida      
Pale Crescent
Phyciodes pallida
   
 
Dragonflies/Damselflies/Darters
Eastern Forktail - Ischunra verticalis Eastern Forktail - Ischnura verticalis Eastern Forktail - Ischnura verticalis Damselfly - Coenagrionidae
Eastern Forktail - Ischnura verticalis Eastern Forktail - Ischnura verticalis Eastern Forktail - Ischnura verticalis Damselfly - Coenagrionidae
Damselfly - Coenagrionidae Meadowhawk Dragonfly - Sympetrum Meadowhawk Dragonfly - Sympetrum Twelve-spotted Skimmer - Libellula pulchella
Damselfly - Coenagrionidae Meadowhawk - Sympetrum Meadowhawk - Sympetrum Twelve-spotted Skimmer - Libellula pulchella
Band-winged Meadowhawk - Sympetrum semicinctum Sedge Sprite - Nehalennia irene Pale Snaketail dragonfly - Ophiogomphus severus  
Band-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum semicinctum) Sedge Sprite - Nehalennia irene Pale Snaketail - Ophiogomphus severus
 
Flies
Blowfly species - Calliphoridae Blowfly species - Calliphoridae Blowfly species - Calliphoridae Root Maggot Fly - Anthomyiidae
Blowfly (Calliphoridae) Blowfly (Calliphoridae) Blowfly (Calliphoridae) Root Maggot Fly - Anthomyiidae
Tachinid Fly - Archytas species Archytas Fly Species  Archytas Fly Species  Hoverfly - Syrphidae family
Tachinid Fly (Archytas) Archytas sp. Fly Archytas sp. Fly  Hoverfly (Syrphidae)
Hoverfly - Syrphidae family Hoverfly - Syrphidae family  Stilt-legged Fly - Rainiera antennaepes Mayfly - Isonychia bicolor
Hoverfly (Syrphidae) Hoverfly (Syrphidae)  Stilt-legged Fly - Rainiera antennaepes Mayfly - Isonychia bicolor
Midge - Axarus genus - Festivus species group Eristalis stipator  Tiger Crane Fly - Nephrotoma  Condylostylus sipho - Long-legged Fly
Midge - Axarus - Festivus species Eriistalis stipator  Tiger Crane Fly (Nephrotoma)  Condylostylus sipho (Long-legged Fly)
 
Beetles
Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle - Harmonia axyridis Goldenrod Soldier Beetle - Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus Goldenrod Soldier Beetle - Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus Blister Beetle - Epicauta
Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis) Goldenrod Soldier Beetle - Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus Goldenrod Soldier Beetle - Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus Blister Beetle - Epicauta
Blister Beetle - Epicauta Leaf Beetle - Paria Spotted Cucumber Beetle - Diabrotica undecimpunctata Northern Corn Rootworm - Diabrotica barberi
Blister Beetle - Epicauta Leaf Beetle - Paria Spotted Cucumber Beetle -Diabrotica undecimpunctata Northern Corn Rootworm - Diabrotica barberi
Weevil - Anthonomus      
Weevil - Anthonomus      
 
True Bugs
Clouded Plant Bug - Neurocolpus Milkweed Bug - Oncopeltus fasciatus  Milkweed Bug - Oncopeltus fasciatus Jagged Ambush Bug - Phymata
Clouded Plant Bug - Neurocolpus Milkweed Bug - Oncopeltus fasciatus Milkweed Bug - Oncopeltus fasciatus Jagged Ambush Bug - Phymata
Ambush Bug - Phymatinae Jagged Ambush Bug - Phymata     
Ambush Bug - Phymatinae Jagged Ambush Bug - Phymata    
 
Grasshoppers / Crickets / Katydids
Common Tree Cricket - Oecanthus Spur-throated Grasshopper - Melanoplus Short-horned Grasshopper - Melanoplus Lesser Meadow Katydid - Conocephalus
Common Tree Cricket - Oecanthus Spur-throated Grasshopper - Melanoplus Spur-throated Grasshopper - Melanoplus Lesser Meadow Katydid - Conocephalus
Differential Grasshopper - Melanoplus differentialis Differential Grasshopper - Melanoplus differentialis    
Differential Grasshopper - Melanoplus differentialis Differential Grasshopper - Melanoplus differentialis    
 
Spiders / Arachnids
Mesh-web Spider - Dictynidae Yellow Garden Spider - Argiope aurantia Harvestman -  Leiobunum vittatum Grass Spider - Agelenopsis
Mesh-web Spider - Dictynidae Yellow Garden Spider - Argiope aurantia Harvestman - Leiobunum vittatum Grass Spider - Agelenopsis
Marbled Orb Weaver - Araneus marmoreus Marbled Orb Weaver - Araneus marmoreus Harvestman - Phalangium opilio
Marbled Orb Weaver - Araneus marmoreus Marbled Orb Weaver - Araneus marmoreus  Harvestman - Phalangium opilio  
Cicadas  
Dog Day Cicada 1 - Neotibicen canicularis Dog Day Cicada 2 - Neotibicen canicularis Dog Day Cicada 3 - Neotibicen canicularis Dog Day Cicada 15 - Neotibicen canicularis
Dog Day Cicada - Neotibicen canicularis Dog Day Cicada - Neotibicen canicularis Dog Day Cicada - Neotibicen canicularis Dog Day Cicada - Neotibicen canicularis
Flowers 
Thistle Bud Thistle Bud - Macro  Sunflower head - Macro  Horsetail - Equisetum 
Thistle Bud  Thistle Bud  Sunflower head  Horsetail - Equisetum 
       
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This page was last edited on 03/19/21