Ant macro

[scraggs]

Well I haven't had chance to go anywhere nice with the camera so managed an hour in the garden and got this ant, not the easiest thing to take.

Taken with the Canon 100 macro and 65mm of ext tubes
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1107/1020239605_645baf2373_o.jpg

[RobertP]

Pretty good depth of field considering. I keep meaning to have another go at ants but not got round to it.

[InaGlo]

:agree:

...So its my lack of tubes thats stopping my 100mm from netting me such close-up results is it, looks like I need to go shopping!

[scraggs]

To be honest the tubes make a difference, but it doesnt seem to be as big a difference with the macro lens compared to a non macro, as daft as that sounds.
I was lucky getting this as they were busy with what appeared to be tending the tiny black bugs in the background, so 2 or 3 of them were staying ing the same area.

[busterboy]

Knowing how small these critters are thats a very good catch Keith..:thumbs:

[Ewan]

Very good indeed :)

[Gandhi]

The little black bugs in the background are Aphids, or Black-fly to most people. The ants literally 'Farm' them.....protect them and nurture them. In return for this the ants get the sweet secretions that the aphids produce and use it as food!

Symbiosis in action.

Nice shot too btw. I've tried and failed with the little black blighters. I just crawled all over whenever I try and shoot them!

[scraggs]

Thanks for the comments everyone, for anyone trying to shoots ants I highly recommend trying to find some tending aphids like these were because it makes it a heck of a lot easier.


The little black bugs in the background are Aphids, or Black-fly to most people. The ants literally 'Farm' them.....protect them and nurture them. In return for this the ants get the sweet secretions that the aphids produce and use it as food!



Thanks for that it looked like they were either getting or taking liquid of some sort as in this shot.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1205/1029922256_7e8f1c265a_o.jpg

[kamion]

The second shot just above is a great shot! Especially that it describes exactly the story Gandhi mentioned.

[natjag]

cracking shots. Seen an aspect of ants that I've never seen before. 10/10