Close-up on Nature

Craig Biegler

Blendon Woods Naturalist

A few years ago, I started taking photographs of insects and other small animals with a macro lens, which allows me to magnify the image and see details that are invisible to the naked eye. It’s a great way to explore nature, even in your own yard! Here are a few of my favorite photos that I have taken here in Ohio.

GNAT OGRE

The eyes of predator insects are often huge. Gnat ogres are a type of robber fly that love to eat (you guessed it) gnats! They also eat mosquitoes and other biting insects, so I love finding them in my yard. Because their eyes wrap all the way around their head, gnat ogres can see a potential meal even when it’s behind them.

SIX-SPOTTED TIGER BEETLE

Tiger beetles are not named for their color, but for their ferocity! They are fast fliers and are very difficult to approach. Many species live on sandy beaches and have brown or gray camouflage, but the six-spotted tiger beetle is a common sight on woodland paths with its metallic blue-green body.

BANDED TUSSOCK MOTH CATERPILLAR

Some furry caterpillars are safe to touch, but you should always be careful with them; you may be more sensitive to the hairs than the person next to you. While this species doesn’t sting with venom like some other caterpillars, you can see in this close-up that its hairs are barbed, and will cause irritation if they get into your eyes, nose, or mouth.

CECROPIA MOTH CATERPILLAR

This is one of our largest and most colorful caterpillars. It has no defenses beyond camouflage, so it will whip its upper body around to try to smack whatever is bothering it. The orange, yellow, and blue knobs on its body may make it hard for a bird to swallow.

SWAMP CICADA

Cicadas are some of the loudest insects. Their bodies are mostly hollow, allowing the sounds they make to increase in volume, much like how a drum or a violin has a lot of empty space inside. You will hear them during the day in late summer. Each species sounds different; the swamp cicada makes a raspy, wobbly call that gets louder and louder for about 15 seconds.

CHINESE MANTIS

The Chinese mantis is not originally from North America; it was introduced by people as natural pest control. Unfortunately, they are voracious predators of any animal their size or smaller, not just the things we consider pests. They can eat butterflies, ladybugs, other mantises, and even hummingbirds! They have been around for over 100 years and are considered “naturalized,” meaning they are now a permanent part of our American ecosystems, but we still don’t fully understand the effect they have had on our native wildlife.

DOGBANE LEAF BEETLE

This insect has “structural color,” which means its color changes depending on the angle of the light. If the sun hits it just right, you will see every color of the rainbow. These bright colors warn predators that it is poisonous.

AUTUMN MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLY

Some dragonflies will go through dramatic color changes throughout their lives. This one is freshly emerged, but it will eventually turn bright red. Their huge eyes and strong wings make them some of the most formidable predators in the insect world. This also makes them difficult to photograph; I was lucky to find this one resting in the grass.

PUTNAM’S JUMPING SPIDER

Jumping spiders are harmless to people and have a lot of personality. You can tell when they are watching you, trying to puzzle out what you are. Jumping spiders are active predators, always crawling around looking for food. They do not use a web to catch prey: they jump on it! Male jumping spiders, like this one, often have strong patterns, bizarre tufts of hair or bright colors in order to attract a female.

BAD-WING MOTH

There are so many insect species that it is impossible to come up with common names for all of them. There are many that still don’t even have scientific names because there aren’t enough scientists to do the work! This moth, however, has a very memorable name. When preserving a moth or butterfly, you are supposed to spread the wings out so that all the markings can be seen. The hind wings on this moth are very small, and whoever named it must have had a hard time spreading them.

ROSY MAPLE MOTH

Anyone who says moths are boring and ugly has not seen a rosy maple moth! Despite their bright colors, they camouflage quite well on the fruits (also known as samaras or “helicopters”) of the maple trees they lay eggs on. This male has extra-feathery antennae, which he uses to smell the chemical pheromones of the female. He can travel great distances in the dark just by following her scent trail.

You don’t need a special camera to explore the tiny world around you. A simple magnifying glass will reveal many hidden secrets. Look at flowers, under logs, or on the bark of a tree. A single shovelful of soil is full of interesting things. You never know what you’ll find unless you look.