LarryFitz Loc: Beacon NY

I took this with a Canon EOS T6, with 18-55 kit lens and 31 mm extension tube.
Also tried with my 55-250 lens and 21mm and 13mm tubes.
I did experience the need to crouch and getting in close, before insect moved. Also focused by moving camera, verse lens.
Any comments/advise would great. Already read many of the posts on this forum.

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Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Excellent shot!!!!!!!!

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Nice start. It's a very addicting genre. It does get me outside a lot, though.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Not too shabby!

PaulBa Loc: Cardiff, Wales

wayne barnett Loc: Grants Pass, Oregon

Great start. Keep up the good work.

relbugman Loc: MD/FL/CA/SC

What a great start! You might consider the following for bugs: try to get at least one eye in sharp focus (you have this close enough, but could be sharper), this is generally primary for nearly all wildlife photos; second, if possible, get at least one antenna in sharp focus, especially if the eyes are hidden. For identification purposes, if that's what you want, get at least one wing sharp to see the veins; alternate views are often very helpful. May take more than one photo to accomplish the first, and bugs often don't cooperate, but be patient! For me, the greatest difficulty is holding the camera perfectly still yet hand-held. I think most of my pictures suffer from movement, reduces even the best photos to mediocre.

LarryFitz Loc: Beacon NY

Thank you, Yes I discarded many image that were out of focus. The bending down and getting back up can count for exercise for the day. Figure out if I create a shadow, they fly away

bigwolf40 Loc: Effort, Pa.

Very good shot.

Harvey Loc: Pioneer, CA

A very good capture - hand held gets extra points from me - now to get picky - what were your settings on this image? A higher F stop F11 and up gives good DOF as in your image but hard to get that much DOF at 1:1 true macro.
What was your lighting - flash, natural, reflected? Is this 1:1 for macro or less for a close up?
Not being critical but both asking questions and pointing out things I have learned from the group in my venture into Macro - I am sure someone will join in here to help us both with thier knowledge.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Very nice! Great focus, detail and clarity. I'm new to the insect macro venue also so I am confident you will find it as exciting as I have.

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

A good start! The comments here are right on. I did not peek at the Exif data, but a general rule is to have the shutter speed be faster than the inverse of the focal length for handheld. So at 100mm, the shutter speed should be faster than 1/100.
Lighting: An external flash with diffuser. This looks like natural light, and the exposure seems right, but you will like the results better if you control the light so that the image is 'made' by the flash, with diffused light. The external flash adds to the weight, unfortunately.
Critical focus: The nearest eye and at least one nearby foot to 'ground' the subject. Focus from head to tail if they are sideways to you. And as much else as you can focus.
Smaller apertures give greater dof, but the image can soften again due to light diffraction. Depending on the lens, but you can get significant diffraction starting at f/16 for many lenses.
Of your lenses, you will get better results with the smaller zoom lens. You can focus closer with it (get higher mag).
The hobby is a bit strenuous! I like to use a small pole to help me steady my camera for hand held. Kind of like an informal monopod, gripping both the pole and the camera w/ the left hand. This reduces camera shake a lot, and it helps to save you a lot of energy.

The wasp is the European paper wasp (Polistes dominula). This is an invasive species that is causing a sharp decline of some of our native paper wasps.

LarryFitz Loc: Beacon NY

Thank you for the tips. Yes a flash is on my list, but a 50mm Prime is ahead of it.