Backyard micro land.

[Sushigaijin]

The rain has finally abated in Chicago - we've had severe weather six days a week for the last three months. My backyard has just started recovering but it looks like I've lost a lot of the good growing season to cold and wet...hopefully we get some good warm and sunny over the next few weeks!!

today it was merely muggy and mostly cloudy. I'd hardly call it "bright" but it was very even lighting...so I spent twenty minutes in the backyard chasing around the usual suspects. None of the really interesting insects have emerged yet because of the cold (we've had nights in the forties and fifties in the last thirty days) but there are signs of life and many small things are buzzing around...

These colorful (and small!) leafhoppers are abundant.



And I have at least two species of grasshopper nymphs.





let the bugging season begin!

[Frog]

Don't know how you even found that second one.
These are amazing bug macros.

[Sushigaijin]

Thanks Frog!

I usually find a plant with the right characteristics first - low, sturdy branches that are out of the wind, good light, strong hosting potential (flowers, edibility, etc.) and then I just look for bugs on it. There WILL be bugs on it.

here's another one that I just saved from the bin.

[SARtech]

wow... nice stuff. I live outside of Chicago and I've never seen these guys in your first post. Of course, I've never really looked that close I guess.

[OldClicker]

Wonderful macros! - TF

[paulnj]

OMG! That leaf hopper is amazing!

[CaraRose]

I'm finding the leaf hopper even more amazing after seeing one in my yard this weekend and realizing how tiny those things are!

[A.M.D.A.]

Very nice shots.

I also like the leaf hopper one most... those critters are tiny, and well, hop alot too. Beautiful colours and DOF.