5 ms·

Portraits of insects reveal the intricacies of a world

89 points by sohkamyung 2y ago

dadjoker 2y ago
The intricacy of the design in these insects is absolutely amazing.
- desumeku 2y ago
  And it's all smashed to bits as soon as one lands on me. How tragic!
  - hermitcrab 2y ago
    It is tragic that some people feel the need to destroy every insect or arachnid that comes anywhere near them. 99.9% of them are harmless to humans. I don't understand the compulsion to maim or kill them.
    - dotancohen 2y ago
      As someone who doesn't kill them, I can explain the compulsion. People feel threatened by insects. They tickle, they sting, some spread disease. They can be painful. Some species can do major damage to structures and crops. They look alien and menacing to many people.
      - hermitcrab 2y ago
        I wish those people would learn some empathy and curiosity.
- xipho 2y ago
  As someone who has describe insects species we might alternately say "the evolutionary processes that lead to the anatomy of these creatures is mind-blowing". Find access to a 60x scope. Fill a yellow party bowl with water about 3/4 full. Put a drop or so of non-lemon dish-soap on the edge, it will break the surface tension. Put that bowl outside, literally anywhere there is plant life (and pretty much anywhere in general). Get an algae removing dip-net, for fish tanks. After a day, but no longer than that, pour the sample through the net. Rinse it carefully by running fresh water over your hand onto the specimens. Invert the result into a small, flat-bottomed white pan with a little ethyl (or propyl) alcohol you get from a pharmacy. Put that under the scope. Be amazed. I've seen a lot of minds melted by this little experiment, which isn't so little, it's the best way to collect many insects. In the field we'd run hundreds of these on collecting trips, servicing them every day or so.
- ddgflorida 2y ago
  No doubt!
Jun8 2y ago
“To capture tiny parts of the creatures in perfect focus, Danke puts his camera on a high-precision macro rail that can move in the micrometer—one millionth of a meter—range.” I was amazed by this and thought such a high-end rail would be thousands of dollars. Nope, there are models on Amazon for $200!
- hermitcrab 2y ago
  You need a rail and dead insect to get the sort of super detailed photos in the article. But you can get decent photos of live insects handheld with a macro lens and flash (and some patience!).
  - sohkamyung 2y ago
    Indeed. That's how I shoot insects: live and in the field with a macro lens. It's quite a challenge, especially for the smaller insects (2-3 mm in length).
    - hermitcrab 2y ago
      It is a bit easier if you photograph them in the morning, when they are still cold and sluggish. You can get a similar effect by putting them in a container in the fridge for a few minutes. But don't leave them in too long! And warn your partner...
      - sohkamyung 2y ago
        I'm more into shooting insects in the wild, when they are active and doing their thing, so I can also catch their behaviour. I contribute to iNaturalist, and a few of my observations have ended up as documentation in some scientific papers by local scientists.
        hermitcrab 2y ago
        Cool. Can you link to some photos online?
fuzzythinker 2y ago
"He hopes the text will be translated into English." If you are reading this, yes, please do. I was ready to buy it.
- FinnKuhn 2y ago
  For anyone else, who speaks German though, you can already buy it here: https://www.kosmos.de/de/von-angesicht-zu-angesicht_1179000_9783440179000 https://www.kosmos.de/de/von-angesicht-zu-angesicht_1179000_...

89 points by sohkamyung 2y ago

dadjoker 2y ago

The intricacy of the design in these insects is absolutely amazing.

desumeku 2y ago
And it's all smashed to bits as soon as one lands on me. How tragic!
- hermitcrab 2y ago
  It is tragic that some people feel the need to destroy every insect or arachnid that comes anywhere near them. 99.9% of them are harmless to humans. I don't understand the compulsion to maim or kill them.
  - dotancohen 2y ago
    As someone who doesn't kill them, I can explain the compulsion. People feel threatened by insects. They tickle, they sting, some spread disease. They can be painful. Some species can do major damage to structures and crops. They look alien and menacing to many people.
    - hermitcrab 2y ago
      I wish those people would learn some empathy and curiosity.
xipho 2y ago
As someone who has describe insects species we might alternately say "the evolutionary processes that lead to the anatomy of these creatures is mind-blowing". Find access to a 60x scope. Fill a yellow party bowl with water about 3/4 full. Put a drop or so of non-lemon dish-soap on the edge, it will break the surface tension. Put that bowl outside, literally anywhere there is plant life (and pretty much anywhere in general). Get an algae removing dip-net, for fish tanks. After a day, but no longer than that, pour the sample through the net. Rinse it carefully by running fresh water over your hand onto the specimens. Invert the result into a small, flat-bottomed white pan with a little ethyl (or propyl) alcohol you get from a pharmacy. Put that under the scope. Be amazed. I've seen a lot of minds melted by this little experiment, which isn't so little, it's the best way to collect many insects. In the field we'd run hundreds of these on collecting trips, servicing them every day or so.
ddgflorida 2y ago
No doubt!

Jun8 2y ago

“To capture tiny parts of the creatures in perfect focus, Danke puts his camera on a high-precision macro rail that can move in the micrometer—one millionth of a meter—range.” I was amazed by this and thought such a high-end rail would be thousands of dollars. Nope, there are models on Amazon for $200!

hermitcrab 2y ago
You need a rail and dead insect to get the sort of super detailed photos in the article. But you can get decent photos of live insects handheld with a macro lens and flash (and some patience!).
- sohkamyung 2y ago
  Indeed. That's how I shoot insects: live and in the field with a macro lens. It's quite a challenge, especially for the smaller insects (2-3 mm in length).
  - hermitcrab 2y ago
    It is a bit easier if you photograph them in the morning, when they are still cold and sluggish. You can get a similar effect by putting them in a container in the fridge for a few minutes. But don't leave them in too long! And warn your partner...
    - sohkamyung 2y ago
      I'm more into shooting insects in the wild, when they are active and doing their thing, so I can also catch their behaviour. I contribute to iNaturalist, and a few of my observations have ended up as documentation in some scientific papers by local scientists.
      - hermitcrab 2y ago
        Cool. Can you link to some photos online?

fuzzythinker 2y ago

"He hopes the text will be translated into English." If you are reading this, yes, please do. I was ready to buy it.

FinnKuhn 2y ago
For anyone else, who speaks German though, you can already buy it here: https://www.kosmos.de/de/von-angesicht-zu-angesicht_1179000_9783440179000 https://www.kosmos.de/de/von-angesicht-zu-angesicht_1179000_...