A hunting we will go

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Sun May 02, 2010 4:28 pm

Don't know what the story is here. This was shot on the underside of a leaf, where a tiny beetle had this tree hopper in tow, so to speak, or maybe they were "swinging." Anyway, the beetle must have bagged the hopper with a "22-250" judging from the bloody wound on the top of the abdomen.

EOS 7D w/Sigma f/2.8 150mm APO EX DG Macro 1/200 sec. @ f/16 ISO 100

Sort of dark, I was in an awkwards position while taking this shot. Granted it could have been sharper but we old folks are not as steady as we used to be, now for some liniment. I think I twisted something!

Steve Nic · Post by **Steve Nic** » Sun May 02, 2010 5:11 pm

Hi Ken,

FWIW I think your beetle is actually a shield bug nymph, many of which are predatory, though how it managed to snag something the size of that hopper I have no idea (you're probably right about the rifle

)

Great looking hopper that, they do come in some incredible shapes and colours.

Steve

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Sun May 02, 2010 5:30 pm

First time that I have encountered a hopper such as this with two horns rising up vertically behind the head. Hopefully sometime in the future, I will come across one with a bit more life left in it. You're right though, they do come in some fantastic shapes and colors and it is a challenge finding them as they seem to blend in so well to their surroundings. Well, with the exception of "shield bug nymphs" which obviously have no problem finding them at all.

Thanks Steve

sonyalpha · Post by **sonyalpha** » Sun May 02, 2010 11:44 pm

WOW!!!!

This is just the kind of insect drama I like to see........nature in the raw!

I don't think that I will get that lucky today though because the temperature here has dropped like a stone so most of the early summer bugs are tucked up in the warm some-place:

sonyalpha

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Mon May 03, 2010 2:03 am

Actually, all of this was just out of pure luck that I noticed or found it. Especially with it being on the underside of a leaf. The whole show couldn't have been no more than several millimeters in size.

Thanks sonyalpha

Erland R.N. · Post by **Erland R.N.** » Mon May 03, 2010 10:02 am

Excellent picture and situation.

Isn't this a nymph of a true bug ? I have actually a few photos similar to this with big prey, although this one surely beats mine in size.

Erland

Cyclops · Post by **Cyclops** » Mon May 03, 2010 10:10 am

lol, swingers! Great piece of natural history there Ken!

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Mon May 03, 2010 3:45 pm

Erland R.N. wrote:Excellent picture and situation.

Isn't this a nymph of a true bug ? I have actually a few photos similar to this with big prey, although this one surely beats mine in size.

Erland

Don't know a thing about them Erland.

I was assuming the larger to be a hopper of some sort, since there are plenty around this year. The other little fellow has been suggested as being a shield bug nymph, though I am unfamiliar with those also.

Thanks Erland, Larry