Paper Wasp

[Keith Kennedy]

A close up of a paper wasp (Polistes sp.) foraging on golden rod. Note there is a structural defect in the insect's clypeus/frons area (dark Y-shaped furrow on left side of face). However, the defect did not seem to be affecting its activity. I was trying to capture a 'different' view of this frequently photographed wasp.

Canon 180 mm f/4 macro lens + 1.4X TC and EOS 30D; ISO 500; Av with exposure=.+0.33; 1/50s at f11; Canon T24 twin flash at -1 2/3; Gitzo 1325 tripod

[Mike Moats]

Hey Keith I really like this how he's peeking through the flower. Great idea.

[Robert O'Toole]

Keith I like this one a lot and its great as you mentioned to see a different macro view. I always prefer a face to face macro shot and this is not exception.

Eye is realy an eyespot, which is a psuedo eye right I forget how that goes? it is really a compound eye right? Was he relaxing on a leaf or actively collecting pollen?

Robert

[Jeroen Stel]

Excellent thinking outside of the box and i love the effect of the peak through!
Well done and thank you for posting!

Greetings,

Jeroen Stel

[Keith Kennedy]

Robert, it is a compound eye rather than a pseuo-eye. The wasp was actively foraging when I saw it crawling up behind a flower grouping. Given its direction, I was pretty sure that it would eventually reach a specific opening so I pre-focused on that spot and waited for it to appear. This doesn't always work but I was lucky this time.