Assassin Bug

[Steve Maxson]

This Costa Rican Assassin Bug is sporting its "don't touch me/I'm dangerous" colors. It was temporarily captive, photographed with flash in a lightbox, and released. Canon 1D X, Sigma 150mm macro, f/16, 1/160, ISO 100, hand held.

[Jonathan Ashton]

A very apt name, he /sh certainly looks spooky. Is that yellow appendage an ovipositor?
Well focused and exposed, the use of flash is optimal, no objectionable highlights. My only suggestion would be to increase the image size.

[Ravi Hirekatur]

Nice image of a dark subject. Tricky exposure done well. Interesting bug. I have seen Assassin bugs in WI, they seems to be armored, yellowish and brown colored and hairless.

[Steve Maxson]

Thanks for the comments, Jon and Ravi.

Jon - there were two of the orange/yellow structures at the end of the abdomen. I'm not sure what their function is, but it's not a ovipositor. :S3:

[John Mack]

looks spot on. Pretty neat looking bug.

[Krishna Prasad kotti]

Nice Looking image.

Like the diagonal line.

I wanted to understand why this was shot at ISO 100 is there any reason for the same ?