Fun Friday: Peek-A-Boo

Today’s Fun Friday post is from my nearby natural prairie. While photographing wildflowers and small, prairie insects, I saw a couple of familiar heads peeking above a Common Milkweed wildflower:

Red Milkweed Beetles mating

Recognize the pair? I slowly and carefully moved my tripod around to get a better view:

Red Milkweed Beetles mating

A pair of Red Milkweed Beetles (Tetraopes tetraophthalmus) were mating. When this pair is done, eggs will be deposited on the milkweed stems, near the ground, or slightly below the soil level. Larvae bore into the stems and overwinter in roots. In spring, they pupate. Adults emerge in early summer and complete their life cycle by autumn.

Photographic Equipment Used:

  • Canon 7D body
  • Canon EF180mm, f/3.5 macro lens (the first image also used a Canon 1.4x TC)
  • Gitzo #1258-LVL carbon fiber tripod, with Kirk Ent. HD ballhead
  • ISO 500
  • Aperture f/8 (top photo) and f/22 (bottom photo)
  • Shutter 1/200 sec. (top photo) and 1/10 sec. (bottom photo)

 

 

Posted in Fun Friday Post, Insect Photography, Macro Photography, Nature Photography, Wildflowers
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