2013 Macro Highlights
2013 has been an eventful year in my macro journey. Fired about 33,000 macro shots and uploaded close to 6,000 photos – at least 4 out of 5 photos taken were either duplicates (for insurance!) or not ideal for public viewing. I had a shoot every week and came back with 10GB to 20GB of photos each time. This year, I experimented more with various forms of macro photography, including ultraviolet macro, wide angle macro and back-lighting in macro photography. During which, I changed my setup and lighting several times, wrote on macro photography ethics, and I also conducted a few macro photography workshops for several like-minded groups. Last but not least, I’ve started a Facebook page where I share my photos daily and have over 27k followers since it started a few months ago. Hopefully it will be a good platform to share all the creepy stuff about macro photography and make new friends!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my group of passionate macro photographers whom have been tirelessly trudging through forests with me every week for the past year. Everyone had their own full time jobs and families, but took a night out each week in search for tiny beauties. A big thanks to Victor, Melvyn, David, Chris, Andrew and James. Thanks for the rides in the middle of the night, for generously sharing your finds with everyone, and for looking out for each other. Heartfelt thanks to you all, I am grateful to be with this bug-crazy gang.
This post is a consolidation of the memorable pictures taken this year. They may not be the best photos, but they will be etched onto my milestone to conclude the end of 2013. Enjoy, and have a happy new bug year! 🙂
Huntsman spider (Sparassidae)
It had been a rainy night. We were looking for velvet worms but found this Huntsman Spider on the forest litter instead.
Huntsman spider (Sparassidae)
Guarding her scoop of “ice-cream”, this lady refused to budge from her nest.
Giant green huntsman spider (Heteropoda boiei)
We first saw Heteropoda boiei in Sarawak, but were pleasantly surprised to see it in some places in Singapore.
Lichen huntsman spider (Pandercetes sp.)
A Lichen Huntsman Spider (Pandercetes sp.) after a moult.
Huntsman spider (Heteropoda sp.)
Heteropoda devours a large cockroach. It is perched higher due to the size of the prey.
Huntsman spider (Thelcticopis sp.)
Hauntingly beautiful Thelcticopis that we found on Pulau Ubin.
Huntsman spider (Sparassidae)
First sighting of cannibalism in Huntsman Spiders. Wonder if that was the male?
Huntsman spider (Sparassidae)
This Huntsman Spider sports a deep tone of red!
Huntsman spider (Sparassidae)
Tried taking pictures of spiders dangling on safety lines. The results were quite pleasing with a translucent effect. Especially stunning for hairier huntsman spiders!
Lynx spiderlings (Oxyopidae)
Probably seen as a piece of debris dangling from leaves, the entire bunch of spiderlings have cute patches of red on their carapace, paired beautifully with bright green legs. The mother of course, stands guard on the right looking on at her brats.
Lynx spider (Hamadruas sp.
Probably Hamadruas, one of the larger Lynx Spiders.
Lynx spider (Oxyopidae)
Never got to figure this out. My wife found this when we were in Cambodia, stunning but tiny!
Lynx spider (Oxyopidae)
A punk Lynx sporting a mohawk.
Green lynx spider (Peucetia sp.)
The Peucetia seems to be one of the largest lynx spiders around. This was in my wish list, and we found it near to our restaurant in Cambodia after lunch. With legs outstretched, this adult male could measure 2 inches long!
Jumping Spider (Rhene sp.)
This Rhene has a uniquely flat-topped carapace from the anterior view. It is also my model for the article on Ethics in Macro Photography which I wrote this year.
Heavy Jumper (Hyllus diardi)
Always a favorite, the Heavy Jumper (Hyllus sp.) is one of the most popular and easy-to-shoot Salticids in Singapore. Not skittish, slow moving, and large!
Jumping Spider (Phintella sp.)
Found this Mr Eyebrow while I was in Bali for holiday. Some called this Groucho Marx. Some called it Sam the Eagle from Muppets.
Jumping Spider (Siler sp.)
Siler is one of the most colourful Salticids in this region!
Jumping Spider (Phintella sp.)
This made it here for the cute innocent looking eyebrows.
Jumping Spider (Hyllus sp.)
Another Hyllus. Chris called it the gentle giant.
Jumping Spider (Phintella sp.)
Another colourful one!
Jumping Spider (Hyllus sp.)
One of my macro workshop attendees found this lovely Hyllus with green eyes.
Jumping Spider (Salticidae)
Interesting tones on the face, as if it used eye shadow.
Jumping Spider (Hyllus sp.)
Up close with another Hyllus
Jumping Spider (Phintella sp.)
One of the cutest faces of 2013! Classic OMG look.
Jumping Spider (Plexippus sp.)
Cannibalism, although they belong to different genera.
Jumping Spider (Hyllus sp.)
Yet another Hyllus, clearly a very sought-after subject!
Ant-mimic jumping Spider (Salticidae)
The orchestra conductor, busily mimicking an ant.
Jumping spiderlings (Viciria sp.)
Cute Wide-Jawed Viciria spiderlings.
Jumping Spider (Viciria sp.)
Wide-Jawed Viciria (Viciria praemandibularis) spotted eating her own eggs. Must’ve been stressed by our presence. 🙁
Jumping Spider (Hyllus sp.)
Heavy Jumper (Hyllus sp.), one of my favorite compositions this year.
Trashline orb web spider (Cyclosa sp.)
This orb web spider decorates its web with debris which looked like prey carcasses.
St Andrew’s cross spider (Argiope sp.)
An Argiope busily spinning her egg sac. Look at all the silk!
Scarlet acusilas spider (Acusilas coccineus)
Scarlet Acusilas Spider (Acusilas coccineus) with pearly babies.
Scorpion-tailed spider (Arachnura sp.)
Stunningly patterned Scorpion-Tailed Spider (Arachnura sp.)
Longhorned orb weaver (Macracantha arcuata)
The classic Spiny Back Orb Weaver (Macracantha arcuata), probably the longest horns amongst all spiny spiders.
Tent web spider (Cyrtophra beccarii)
Documenting the tent web of a Beccari’s Tent Spider (Cyrtophora beccarii)
Tree stump orb web spider (Poltys sp.)
Tree Stump Orb Weaver (Poltys sp.) demonstrating her camouflage.
Scorpion-tailed spider (Arachnura sp.)
Scorpion-Tailed Spider (Arachnura sp.) guarding her egg sacs.
Ladybird-mimic spider (Paraplectana sp.)
Paraplectana with a uniformly rich yellow colour.
Kidney garden spider (Araneus mitificus)
Just for fun, comparing the dorsal view of a Kidney Garden Spider (Araneus mitificus) with the Pringles logo.
Trashline orb web spider (Cyclosa insulana)
Cyclosa insulana perched in the middle of its orb web.
Spiny orb web spider (Gasteracantha dalyi)
Spiny Orb Weaver (Gasteracantha dalyi), not as long as M. arcuata but still significantly longer horns than others!
Tree stump orb web spider (Cyphalonotus sp.)
Another Tree Stump Orb Weaver (Cyphalonotus sp.) demonstrating its camouflage abilities.
Tree stump orb web spider (Cyphalonotus sp.)
“V”! Spotted on Victor’s birthday. 😛
St Andrew’s cross spider (Argiope sp.)
Another Argiope with her “egg yolk”. Look closely to see the details of the tiny eggs!
Ladybird-mimic spider (Paraplectana sp.)
Another Paraplectana which is thought to be new to science.
Big-headed bark spider (Caerostris sp.)
This Big-Headed Bark Spider (Caerostris sp.) was in my wish list for a long time. Not an adult yet but still a lovely specimen!
Big-headed bark spider (Caerostris sp.)
Second Big-Headed Bark Spider (Caerostris sp.) sighting, each got more exciting than the next!
Big-headed bark spider (Caerostris sp.)
Mother of all Big-Headed Bark Spiders, with a demonic look when illuminated under ultraviolet!!
Eight-spotted crab spider (Platythomisus octomaculatus)
Quite a few Eight-Spotted Crab Spider (Platythomisus octomaculatus) sightings this year. Managed to take a picture of the “8th spot”!
Eight-spotted crab spider (Platythomisus octomaculatus)
A chance sighting of the Eight-Spotted Crab Spider (Platythomisus octomaculatus) while we were shooting the milky way!
Eight-spotted crab spider (Platythomisus octomaculatus)
The Eight-Spotted Crab Spiderling (Platythomisus octomaculatus) popped out a few weeks later. No spots yet!
Bird-dropping crab spider (Thomisidae)
Bird-Dropping Crab Spider, keeps prey under white patches of silk to mimic bird dropping as well!
Crab spider (Thomisidae)
Bizarre looking Crab Spider found during one of our night shoots.
Crab spider (Thomisidae)
Another interesting looking Crab Spider with a nice tone of green.
Comb-footed spider (Chrysso sp.)
A tiny Chrysso moulting
Food-stealing comb-footed spider (Argyrodes sp.)
A male kleptoparasite, Argyrodes lives on the webs of other spiders to feast on their prey.
Mirror comb-footed spider (Thwaitesia sp.)
My most stolen photo of the year. I called it the Comb-Footed Mirror Spider (Thwaitesia sp.) and it was published on several news sites and magazines.
Twig-like comb-footed spider (Ariamnes sp.)
Largest Theridiid I have ever seen. This Twig Spider (Ariamnes sp.) easily measured 2 inches long when stretched completely.
Ant-like sac spider (Teutamus sp.)
Face to face with an Ant-Like Sac Spider (Teutamus sp.)
Long-legged sac spider (Miturgidae)
Long-Legged Sac Spider feasting on a caterpillar
Spiny ant-like sac spider (Echinax sp.)
Spiny Ant-Like Sac Spider which doesn’t look like a corinnid at all at first glance.
Brush-footed trapdoor spider (Barychelidae)
Just how many legs does this Brush-Footed Trapdoor Spider (Barychelidae) have? The palps are as thick as the legs and are often mistaken to be the 9th and 10th legs.
Tarantula (Theraphosidae)
Close up on the foot of a Tarantula, such beautiful patterns!
Tarantula (Theraphosidae)
Found this Tarantula (Theraphosidae) clinging onto her egg sac in the open.
Tube trapdoor spider (Nemesiidae)
An immature Tube Trapdoor Spider (Nemesiidae)
Tube trapdoor spider (Nemesiidae)
Found this Tube Trapdoor Spider (Nemesiidae) in Nikoi Island.
Brush-footed trapdoor spider (Barychelidae)
Messed around with the leaf litter and found this Brush-Footed Trapdoor Spider.
Tarantula (Theraphosidae)
Sometimes, the subjects got angry with us. Tarantula with a threat display.
Tarantula (Theraphosidae)
Common for Tarantulas to be infested with mites, especially between the chelicerae.
Brush-footed trapdoor spider (Barychelidae)
Initially thought to be a tarantula, this blue Brush-Footed Trapdoor Spider (Barychelidae) was found resting in a drain, probably looking for a mate.
Wall spider (Oecobiidae)
Where else, but found in my home!
Intertidal spider (Desis sp.)
Made a special trip to the shore to shoot this Intertidal Spider (Desis sp.). Mega large fangs!
Psechrid spider (Psechridae)
Interestingly large psechrid
Daddy-long-legs spider (Uthina luzonica)
Daddy Long Legs Spider (Uthina luzonica) with one of the largest egg sacs I’ve ever seen on a Pholcid.
Wolf spider (Lycosidae)
The elusive blue Wolf Spider taking a break at the edge of a dead leaf.
Wolf spider (Lycosidae)
Cannibalism of the Wolf Spider, not sure if that was the male or her spiderling?
Nursery web spider (Hygropoda sp.)
Nursery Web Spider with her spiderlings
Big-jawed spider (Mesida sp.)
Big-Jawed Spider (Mesida sp.) with the metallic abdomen.
Wandering spider (Ctenidae)
Wandering Spider (Ctenidae) with a bluish tone, quite small for a Ctenid.
Daddy-long-legs spider (Pholcidae)
Daddy-Long-Legs Spider, where the spiderlings were ready to hatch at any moment!
Velvet mite (Trombidiidae)
Close up on a Velvet Mite
Long-legged velvet mite (Erythraeidae)
Long-Legged Velvet Mite (Erythraeidae), different family from the one above!
Harvestman (Opiliones)
Crazy excavator-like Harvestman (Opiliones)
Pseudoscorpion (Pseudoscorpiones)
Pseudoscorpion clinging onto Longhorn Beetle (Cerambycidae), hoping for a free ride
Harvestman (Sandokanidae)
Harvestman (Sandokanidae) moves at slow motion and likes to play dead when disturbed.
Tailless whip scorpion (Amblypygi)
Taillless Whip Scorpion (Amblypygi) which my wife found in the shower when we were in Bali.
Baby scorpions (Lychas scutilus)
Fat little baby Scorpions!! (Lychas scutilus)
Scorpion (Liocheles australasiae)
Shake hands with this Scorpion (Liocheles australasiae?) will ya?
Harvestman (Opiliones)
Harvestman with live prey
Harvestman (Opiliones)
Harvestman feasting on fungus (thought to be more common than live prey)
Leafhopper (Cicadellidae)
The Leafhopper (Cicadellidae) is supposed to be really common, but a green one isn’t!
Leaf-footed bug (Coreidae)
This Leaf Footed Bug (Coreidae) happens to be my blog header now. 🙂
Leafhoppers (Cicadellidae)
Mating pair of common Leafhoppers (Cicadellidae)
Treehopper (Membracidae)
Ultraman reborn in the form of a Treehopper (Membracidae)
Derbid planthoppers (Derbidae)
A pair of Derbid Planthoppers “sparring”
Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha)
These Planthoppers seem to always come in rich colour tones!
Leafhopper nymph (Selenocephalinae)
Leafhopper nymph (Selenocephalinae) with 2 bizarre hairy tails
Derbid planthopper (Derbidae)
Derbid Planthopper (Derbidae) with a mite on its back
Planthoppers (Fulgoromorpha)
Family of Planthoppers!
Moth-like planthopper (Ricaniidae)
Moth-like Planthopper (Ricaniidae) fresh from moult
Eurybrachyid planthopper (Ancyra sp.)
Eurybrachyid Planthopper (Ancyra sp.) which Dani found when we were in Cambodia.
Derbid planthopper (Derbidae)
A red Derbid Planthopper
Blue-green planthopper (Penthicodes bimaculata)
One of the most colourful planthoppers around here.
Derbid planthopper (Otiocerus sp.)
Very small planthopper but relatively easy to shoot.
Issid planthopper (Issidae)
Issid planthopper?
Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha)
Yes, another family of Planthoppers
Moth-like planthopper (Ricaniidae)
Moth-Like Planthopper coming in matcha flavor
Planthopper nymph (Fulgoromorpha)
Planthopper nymph displaying an explosive butt (or fireworks for the new year)
Water stick insects (Ranatra sp.)
Water Stick Insects (Ranatra sp.) mating underwater
Ant-snatching assassin bug (Acanthaspis sp.)
Ant-Snatching Assassin Bug (Acanthaspis sp.) with the largest mountain of carcasses I’ve ever seen on its back!
Brown marmorated stink bugs (Halyomorpha halys)
Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs? (Halyomorpha halys?) cuddling together
Scale insect (Coccoidea)
Scale Insect? (Coccoidea) One of the interesting discoveries of the year. Will certainly keep an eye for these next time!
Longhorn Beetles (Chlorophorus annularis) that I found while I was cycling in Bali.
Tortoise Beetle (Cassidinae) saying bye bye to me.
Stag Beetle (Lucanidae), really tiny one!
Darkling Beetle? (Tenebrionidae). We called it the “oil-spill” beetle. 😛
Close up of Mango Longhorn Beetle (Batocera rubus)
Darkling Beetle (Platydema sp.) which shows up green only under the flash
Mating beetles oblivious to the crowd around them.
Rove Beetle (Neopinophilus sp.), some may have a potent chemical defence so we were quite wary of it.
Another “oil-spill” Darkling Beetle (Tenebrionidae)
Straight-Snouted Weevil (Brentidae) getting ready to escape!
Cute Darkling Beetle with bunny-like “ears”
Mole Cricket (Gryllotalpidae), unfortunately this one was injured when we found it
Katydid moulting (Tettigoniidae)
Forest Leaf Grasshopper (Systella rafflesii) with back-lighting
Spot the Forest Leaf Grasshopper! Click on the photo for the answer.
Cute little Monkey Grasshopper (Erianthus versicolor) found in Cambodia.
First time seeing a Predatory Katydid (Hexacentrus unicolor) in action
Katydid nymph (Phaneropterinae) with a pinkish head.
Soldier Fly (Stratiomyidae) with the patterned compound eyes
Lacewing eggs, looks like they have hatched!
Owlfly larva (Ascalaphidae) from the leaf litter, with back-lighting
Lacewing (Chrysopidae) with potential numbers on the wings (for 4D)
Robberfly (Asilidae) with prey
Robberfly (Asilidae) with captured Long-legged fly (Dolichopodidae)
Super cute Big-Headed Fly (Pipunculidae)
Crane Fly (Tipulidae) taking a break from all the break-dancing. It quivers rapidly to make itself less visible to potential predators.
Midge (Chironomidae) with plumose antennae.
Mayfly (Ephemeroptera). Wonder why it always seems to be looking at the sky?
Ant (Myrmicaria sp.) grooming the queen?
Armored Ant (Cataulacus sp.) looked like any other ant if not observed closely enough.
Scoliid Wasp (Scoliidae), lots of them in Nikoi Island.
Mantis Parasitic Wasp (Podagrion sp.) ovipositing into a mantis ootheca.
Cuckoo Wasp (Chrysididae), easily the most beautiful wasp here.
Ensign Wasp (Evania appendigaster) preys on cockroaches.
Crown Wasp ovipositing (Stephanidae)
Sweat Bees sleeping (Halictidae)
Forest Ant (Camponotus gigas), one of the rare moments where it stopped for me to shoot.
Big-Headed Termite
Armored Cockroach (Catara rugosicollis) gives off a weird smell.. really weird.
Winged Termites (Termitoidae) marching in unison.
Cockroach (Blattodea) doing a “Darth Vader”.
Caterpillars which reminded me of gummi worms…
Puppy Moth found at night in Nikoi Island.
Skull-Faced Caterpillar
Back-lit Caterpillar which looked like it was struck by a hundred arrows
Another back-lit Caterpillar to highlight the hairs
Hawk Moth Caterpillar
Dragonfly (Anisoptera)
Dragonfly nymph.. underwater!
Moss Mantis (Ceratohaania sp.?), incredibly camouflaged when walking on mossy surfaces.
Boxer Mantis nymph (Hestiasula sp.) with crazy spikes on the abdomen.
Majestic Dead Leaf Mantis (Deroplatys sp.)
Dead Leaf Mantis (Deroplatys sp.) with back-lighting
Flower Mantis nymph (Hymenopodidae?) looking shy…
Lovely pair of Stick Insects (Phasmatodea) mating. Looked very dull initially but turned out quite nice!
Face to face with a Stick Insect (Haaniella sp.)
Centipede moulting (Scolopendra sp.) posing with its ex-claws.
Millipedes (Diplopoda) mating
House Centipede (Scutigeridae), face to face!
House Centipede (Scutigeridae) moulting. Rare to see it purple! Turns brown when the exoskeleton hardens.
Pill Millipede (Sphaerotheriida) struggling to unroll and get moving.
Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus?) looking as if it was ready to sing.
Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus?) with cute knobbly legs.
Happy Birthday Singapore! A tribute to the country where most of the macro shots on this blog took place in.
Springtail (Neanurinae) at 1+mm
Earwig (Dermaptera), another commonly ignored subject.
Striped Kukri Snake (Oligodon octolineatus)
Larut Torrent Frog (Amolops larutensis) on Hose’s Frog (Odorrana hosii)
Reticulated Python (Broghammerus reticulatus) which appeared after the drains flooded from the rain.
Reticulated Python (Broghammerus reticulatus)
Crested Lizard (Agamidae)
Wagler’s Pit Viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri), probably a juvenile
Bioluminescent Fungi (Filoboletus manipularis?)
Bioluminescent Fungi (Filoboletus manipularis?)
Lunula Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda lunula)
Stick Insect (Phasmatodea)
Tarantula threatening to destroy my lens
Huntsman Spider (Gnathopalystes sp.). The long exposure allowed the struggling prey to appear with motion blur.
Katydid in Ultraviolet (Tettigoniidae) reveals crazy vein patterns.
Stick Insect under Ultraviolet (Phasmatodea)
Paraplectana sp. which many called the one-up spider. (recall Super Mario?)
Crab Spider (Thomisidae)
Crab Spider (Tmarus sp.)
Bird Dung Spider (Pasilobus sp.), looking like a precious stone.
Harvestman (Opiliones)
Scorpion (Liocheles australasiae?)
Harvestman (Opiliones) under UV light
Fungus Weevil (Anthribidae) with only the eyes fluorescing
Millipede under UV light (Diplopoda)
Macro Photography Workshop Poster
Students from one of my macro photography workshops
As always, I will start with some spider families.
Sparassidae – Huntsman Spiders
The most commonly shot spider at night. Easily spotted because of their size, although some may be mature at less than 1cm!
Oxyopidae – Lynx Spiders
Slightly smaller hunting spiders, but often overlooked as they really looked too… common!
Salticidae – Jumping Spiders
The permanently shocked looks in this family of spiders deserve a gallery of their own.
Araneidae – Orb Web Spiders
This mega family appears to be the most diverse in morphology. Despite the given common name, many do not actually weave orb webs, don’t be confused!
Thomisidae – Crab Spiders
Common ambush spider but there are MANY lesser seen species around!
Theridiidae – Comb-Footed Spiders
Tiny little spiders that usually make their home under leaves.
Clubionidae, Corinnidae, Liocranidae, Miturgidae – Sac Spiders
Somehow all of these got to be called Sac Spiders.
Mygalomorphae – Tarantulas, Trapdoor Spiders, etc.
These larger spiders live in burrows and rarely come out from their homes.
Other Spiders
Other families which may be common, but deserve a mention somehow! 😛
Arachnida – Scorpions, Harvestmen, Whip Scorpions, Tailless Whip Scorpions, Mites, Ticks, Pseudoscorpions
Many other arachnids other than spiders!
Hemiptera – Bugs
Bugs… my wife calls my group the bug people. But we really shoot more than this beautiful order!
Coleoptera – Beetles
Looking up close at some beetles often reveal a lot of unexpected details!
Orthopetera – Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids
To the layman, most just called them grasshoppers.
Diptera, Neuroptera, Ephemeroptera – Flies
They fly. Really fast.
Hymenoptera – Ants, Bees, Wasps
Subjects that bite or sting and don’t really like me. Ok ok… not all bite or sting. 😛
Blattodea – Cockroaches, Termites
Not the favorite order as they are often viewed as pests.
Lepidoptera – Butterflies, Moths and their larva
Because 90% of my shoots were at night, we hardly take pictures of butterflies now.
Odonata – Dragonflies, Damselflies
On the lookout for these beauties in morning dew!
Mantodea – Praying Mantises
Showcasing some of the more interesting ones we spotted this year!
Phasmatodea – Stick Insects
Lots of stick insects in Singapore, but they are also the most difficult subjects to create a beautiful photograph with.
Myriapoda – Centipedes, Millipedes
These many-legged subjects are abundant in our forests. But which ones captured our eyes?
Onychophora – Velvet Worms
Only know of 1 species in Singapore, but this crazy worm deserves a category of its own!
Other Insects
Still insects but in lesser known orders.
Amphibians, Reptiles – Frogs, Snakes, Lizards
Usually larger but often spotted in our jungle journeys. Will just document whatever we see!!
Plants
Inanimate subjects often capture our attention as well.
Wide Angle Macro
I experimented with a few wide angle lenses, and eventually settled on one lens to bring to capture slightly larger subjects – the Sigma 15mm F/2.8 Fisheye. It is small, and has a very short working distance.
Ultraviolet Macro
I bought countless ultraviolet lights this year to experiment on, and eventually settled on the 365nm range of lights. The results were much more pleasant than the 395nm range of ultraviolet torches. This year, we found that scorpions were not the only arthropods that fluoresce under ultraviolet! I will write a separate post soon on how these photos were taken.
Last but not least, I had this macro photography poster done up with the help of my wife. 🙂
The complete album can be viewed on Flickr.