Have you seen a cotton stainer bug before? Now you have! View larger to see his cute face! 8D
This cotton stainer bug (Dysdercus decussatus) is harmless. Unless you are trying to grow cotton plants. Because he will damage and stain the cotton boll. Adult cotton stainer bugs are 1-1.5cm (0.3-0.6in) long. Which is not very long at all.
My love affair with macro photography has opened up a whole new world to me. I find bugs less icky now, though I will still avoid spiders that are bigger than my thumbnail. After I shoot a bug, I surf local nature blogs to see if someone has already shot and identified the same bug, and then I google for more information. I am not an expert on bugs and flowers at all but I do enjoy learning more about them, as much as my rapidly ageing brain is able to anyway. 8)
The kind of "stain" that one can love to look at! He's beautiful .. do you grow cotton where you live, Livia? Or is this in a conservatory of some kind where they keep different insects from around the world. Lovely capture ... great markings on him. Fabulous shot!
@karenann Nope, there are no cotton plants here. All my bug shots are made in the parks, nature reserves or mangrove forests. They are not in an artificial environment. Every time I go out to look for them, it's really a matter of luck whether I find them or not. I wish I was more adventurous but I do try to avoid those forested areas which are more remote. (Even though the chances of seeing more and rarer bugs are greater in such areas.) I've seen fairly large snakes in a park and in a nature reserve—and I was alone—that I do not know are poisonous or not. Every time I go out with my macro camera, it feels like an adventure!
Thanks, Livia ... always appreciate your answers! You kind of wing it like I do then. We are adventurous, but we also don't want to get into serious or uncomfortable situations. Reminds me when I fell last winter and hurt my leg. My husband was with me but at the time, he wasn't near me. Had gone on walking around. I called out for him several times before he could hear me. AND I was alone .. and could not reach down to untangle myself, because I would have had to lay my camera in the snow AND that was a big "no-no!" Thanks, my friend. :) :)
What a cutie!! I just love capturing insects with my camera - you just never know what you will see when you download the pictures! Great macro Livia :)
So glad you're enjoying macro photography Livia. I really got into it last summer for my project and now am patiently waiting to get back up to the cottage to explore the forest again. Great info - love learning something new about bugs. :)
Great Macro! You can tell when someone has a passion for something as they become incredably good at it..You my friend are an excellent Macro Photographer and i enjoy all of your bug's!! We have alot of these bugs in Texas..im guessing now that you have taught us so much about them that they are there for the Cotton!! ...Keep the Macro shot's coming they are amazing! :)
Your bugs are way more interesting than the slugs and snails which seem to overrun everything else in my garden Livia. As well as getting great photos to look at I'm learning loads from you too :)
Great close up capture of this bug. I remember boll weevils getting into the cotton on my father's farm, but do not recall this bug. I was more interested in dolls than bugs at that time!
A great, big, stain-free, colorful and clearly marked "THANK YOU!" to all!
Thank you for stopping by! Going out to photograph bugs is like going on an adventure every time. I don't know if I'll find any but when I do, it's kind of fun trying to get a decent shot. Thank you so much for your constant encouragement. I appreciate it. 8)
Great capture. And I love your sense of curiousity. What your able to capture is fascinating, and I usually find myself looking up more about what you've found. And since I haven't been on here much, I have alot to catch up on.
Great macro
Thank you for stopping by! Going out to photograph bugs is like going on an adventure every time. I don't know if I'll find any but when I do, it's kind of fun trying to get a decent shot. Thank you so much for your constant encouragement. I appreciate it. 8)