Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

Here is more. Many more to follow in the cue from last summer.
The first two pictures are of assassin bugs. First up is Rocconota annulicornis…
Assassin bug by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

… and the second is an interesting assassin bug which I had found in the Magic Field. From BugGuide it was learned that this is Reduvius personatus – commonly known as the masked hunter for reasons stated below.
Masked hunter assassin bug by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr
Masked hunter assassin bug by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr
I had shown a nymph of this species some time ago (here is what it looks like: https://www.flickr.com/photos/87421607@N04/46659806714/in/album-72157692298668545/ ). As you see, the nymph camouflages itself with soil particles. So the sandy soil of the magic field has these lurking about! Maybe one day I will see one.

My oldest son has a couple kayaks, and so I decided to take them out on a local lake with the wife. Of course I was looking for Odonates. There were many, but all were known and common species except for some beautiful orange damselflies on the lilypads. That was intriguing. So I returned with a camera and ventured out again just to look for the damselflies. Leaning way out in a tippy kayak with a camera was actually rather stupid, and I will never do it again! But I came away with this picture. This is the lilypad forktail damselfly ( Ischnura kellicotti). Young females have this lovely color, while mature ones are more-or-less blue.
Lilypad forktail damselfy by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

Next up is a sawfly larva. This is the curled rose sawfly ( Allantus cinctus).
Rose sawfly larva by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

I had found this sandy bank along a river that has a number of interesting critters. Today I show one of them which is called a ‘toad bug’. These small predatory Hemipterans have an amazing camouflage, and they actually hop! This is the big-eyed toad bug ( Gelastocoris rotundatus). The very young toad in the next picture was the same size. The sandy bank turned out to produce several new finds, and so more pictures from this location will come later.
big-eyed toad bug by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr
Toad by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

Visits to the Magic Field usually turn up a couple entrance holes belonging to burrowing wolf spiders ( Geolycosis missouriensis). These impressively large spiders will sit at the entrance to their burrow at night and wait for passing prey. I wish I could go there at night to see that, but the gates are closed by then. I found that if one goes in the early morning, however, they will sometimes still be sitting out at their entrance. Of course they retreat when one approaches, but if you sit very still they will reappear after several minutes. So in the morning I set up a camera on a tripod to try for a low angle picture of one at their entrance. Here is the one decent shot from that experiment.
Burrowing wolf spider by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

The camera was controlled by a remote shutter, and there was no reliable way to fine tune the focus so getting this required trial, error, and luck.

Finally, I show the rig that I used for this spider. The tripod has a ‘boom’ arm, which has become a very useful accessory. The camera is mounted upside down, with the flash on a bracket. My usual dual head flash sits in the background. Next summer I want to repeat this effort with the wolf spiders, but this time I will have the ability to remotely control the camera focus and shutter through a laptop. And of course I can now do focus stacking.
A rig for photographing the wolf spider by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

photosbytw Loc: Blue Ridge Mountains

Is that a Tarion extension arm I see in the last image? If so, may I have your opinion of it?

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

A truly nice set.

tinusbum Loc: east texas

toad bug? what country are you in 😃

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

It is a "K&F Concept" arm ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GXHY4HQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ). I do like it, although it came in several rather baffling parts and there were no instructions on how to assemble it. I think it works well, though I have no experience with others of its kind. It looks very much like the arm you suggested, although mine does not come with a counterweight bag.

photosbytw Loc: Blue Ridge Mountains

Don't exactly recognize what you have hanging on the end of it but do you experience any drift when you use it horizontally?

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

On the upper end is a spring loaded hook for hanging a counter-weight. I have never tried to use a weight.
The elbow joint is a rugged clamp which locks into place with shallow teeth. The action of bending and positioning the angle at the elbow is a bit imprecise, as one has to use an angle that fits the teeth. For close up work the very small difference in angles can be significant. But you need those teeth to make the angle immobile once its clamped. Next to the elbow joint is another clamp that lets you slide the boom arm forward and backward. An issue here is that it easily rotates the boom along its long axis. But when its clamped firmly it will hold. Of course the hefty camera hanging out on the end of that will experience vibrations, and even a slight breeze will shake the camera. I think that is unavoidable with this type of rig. When using this rig for focus stacking on a table, I will prop something under the head to steady the camera better and minimize vibrations that are transferred up thru the tripod.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Wow, terrific shots, Mark.

Your toad looks like a young Gray tree frog (Dryophytes versicolor) to me. They have a remarkable ability to mimic their background with skin color and texture. That is an extreme example of their versatility in that regard! Other times you might see them smooth, shiny and bright green.

Mike

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Absolutely great - do some macro, not at this level and not sure I would have the patience to do it more than once or twice.

Have you ever seen the work of Shehkei Goh? He does macro and closeups of insects, reptiles etc and sometime throws in some other stuff.
He is on Face Book and here https://500px.com/shikhei

newtoyou Loc: Eastport

And tell me, do you not generate a lot of comment by passerby's whin you set this up? Get a grin, knowing what is coming. 1001 questions?
Hope so.
Can't tell you the pleasant hours spent in bs with another photographer on a weekend outing to a public park. Some of the peripheral benefits of the hobby.
Bill

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

🙂 I get a fair amount of that. My full rig as of late: One camera with the wonky dual head flash sticking out of my chest on one of those carrying vests, and then a second camera dangling at my hip. This one with a big lens. A hefty looking monopod, sometimes a butterfly net, and always with a big but slightly misshapen straw hat. Knee pads. I could go on. Those who do ask me about my business will get a detailed description and probably too much information about bugs. There are those who give me a wide berth, of course.

newtoyou Loc: Eastport

I am lacking knee pads. Not a problem, rarely kneel.
Cannot get back up at present.
I am discovering minor tweaks may be needed. I have a bit of creep. Cleaning all surfaces helps a lot, if possible, I may stipple them. A sand, or up to 400 3/8 steel ball bearings for weight, bag will help. Make your own.
Only about 61 days till spring.
Bill

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

No (until now), and wow! I am going to have to study his work. Those are amazing. Thank you!

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

Very impressive! I suspect that having a cooperative subject is essential when it comes to setting up your rig.