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Posted: **Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:58 pm**

This female mud dauber wasp spent the afternoon building a mud nest, and I spent the afternoon taking her photo

Hugs
Rel

ps - there are some more shots here if you are interested

http://www.pbase.com/narellepower/mud_dauber_wasp

Posted: **Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:59 pm**

All great captures, but no. 1 is outstanding even if you are not a macro fan, like myself. I see a PoW coming!

Alex

Posted: **Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:11 pm**

Fan-bloody-mazing!

Posted: **Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:37 pm**

Rel your patience is immeasurable and photography a skill unto itself - fantastic

Posted: **Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:44 pm**

....... hail to the "Queen" of macro.........

Posted: **Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:50 pm**

wow these are amazing!!

just wondering, are they cropped in any way or are they straight out of the camera? Also did you have to use extension tubes to get that close?

Second one is definately my favourite.

Posted: **Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:51 pm**

Wow, these are awesome photos. Would she have gotten angry if you poked your finger into her new nest? :lol:

Posted: **Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:55 pm**

Amazing photos Rel,

initially when I saw the photos, I thought that they were photos of toys or something, but then I read the description, awesome.

Which lens are you using for these?

Cheers,

André

Posted: **Mon Oct 16, 2006 5:04 pm**

HOLY CRAP!

Posted: **Mon Oct 16, 2006 6:08 pm**

Good work Rel! A great insight into the often invisible/ignored world of such a creature!

Reminds me of the time I got stung by a Hornet in Botswana..OWWWW!

Posted: **Mon Oct 16, 2006 7:18 pm**

Wow, Rel!

These are fantastic - and so sharp! I'm not sure I could spend all afternoon watching a wasp building a nest though...ants maybe

!

L

Posted: **Mon Oct 16, 2006 7:35 pm**

Excellent shots Rel. The photos in your link are stunners. I particularly like 6195, 6189, 6119 and 6168. You have that 105 on song!! Did you use a macro flash?
Cheers, Mick

Posted: **Mon Oct 16, 2006 11:28 pm**

Thanks everyone

I know insect shots aren't everyone's cup of tea so to speak

Ok - straight shots with the 105 micro and the SB800+beercup (SB800 set to manual flash, not TTL), but Oscar - one day I'll get a ring flash

, and no tubes, just the Nikon 105 micro (a very very sweet lens:) )
Bit arsy huh ?

....
very slight crop to remove the side of the window frame in the shot - to give you an idea of scale - the second shot is completely uncropped.

These guys can and do sting and have a hell of a bite - the mandibles on these are amazing - she had just finished stuffing 3 huntsman spiders into the mud nest - all of which had their legs expertly removed!!!! I've caught one in a butterfly net for a collection, and by the time I tried to get her out of the net, she had already cut a hole through the mesh with her mouthparts and flown the coop !!! Word of advice, don't piss them off, don't stand on them, and try not to be bitten/stung !!!!

needless to say, she was getting a tad pissed off with me, but at least I got some half decent shots

Hugs all -and thanks again

Rel

Posted: **Wed Oct 18, 2006 7:52 pm**

Amazing flying shots which show skill, experience and most of all patience! Flying shot is my favourite..

Posted: **Wed Oct 18, 2006 8:24 pm**

I don't think there was any arse involved here - just great skill and patience. Did you get any shots of her with the spiders?
I am dreaming of the 105 (and a couple of other lenses) so it is great to see your work. Well done. Cheers, Mick

Posted: **Wed Oct 18, 2006 11:15 pm**

Bloody Awesom Rel,

1st one is amazing.

Well done !

Mic. :wink:

Posted: **Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:47 pm**

How on earth did you photograph #1? Amazing.

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