Garden chafer (??)

[Jonathan Ashton]

Tripod
Camera Model Canon EOS 50D
Shooting Mode Aperture-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/100
Av( Aperture Value ) 8.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation 0
ISO Speed 400
Lens EF180mm f/3.5L Macro USM
Image Quality RAW
Flash Off
White Balance Mode Daylight
AF Mode AI Servo AF
Color Space Adobe RGB

I found this little guy climbing up and down, up and down the same reed stem, when he got to the top he would hang on with two legs and his others would be dangling mid air, I had a good laugh with him.. He looks like a dwarf version of the cock chafer I posted a few weeks ago, I think it is a garden chafer but entirely sure, so entomologists please correct me if I am wrong. This was taken on one of those very rare days when we had some sunshine, his body and body hairs were very bright, I ensured they were not too hoy but I have to concede they do look pretty light coloured.
I used f8 to provide a reasonable shutter speed, he was always moving a leg or antenna.
All C & C welcome.

[nzmacro]

Nice capture Jon, love the twist in the grass and its sharp. Maybe try a little cutting back on the whites, maybe. Not too sure on that because this is good as it is.

All the best Jon, nice macro work.

Danny.

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Jonathan. Well, the antenna shape indicates that this is a type of scarab beetle - that narrows it down to several thousand species - after that, I'm afraid I can't help you on this one. Sounds like you had fun watching this little guy. The beetle is giving you a nice pose on an interesting perch against a clean background. Very nice comp too. IMO, your long-awaited sunshine didn't do you any favors here as the light is rather harsh - as you acknowledge. You might try to brighten the area just around and below the eye a little more. The overall sharpness of the beetle isn't up to the very high standards you have set recently with your dragonfly/damselfly images - likely due to the moving subject and the 1/100 shutter speed. Some diffused flash may have helped in this instance.