Looking at this shot of a female Gwynne's mining bee (Andrena bicolor), it is easy to understand where the scientific name "bicolor" comes from.

The really interesting colour here though is of the pollen on its hind legs. The blue hue can tell us that this one has been gathering pollen from the siberian squill (Scilla siberica), a blue flower which unlike most other flowers actually have deep blue pollen. It is an common flower in spring here, often creating great blue bands across people's lawns.

For an older shot of another Gwynne's mining bee on a siberian squill where the blue pollen is showing while still on the flower, please have a look here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/34755557270/

Tags:   macro Canon Canon 5Ds CanonEOS5Ds 5Ds flash Godox Thinklite TT685C plåtdiffusor v6 Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Raynox DCR-250 white background insect bee bi bij Biene sandbi Andrena bicolor mining bee Gwynne's mining-bee solitärbi solitary bee Solitärenbiene grävbi ängssandbi hair hairy fuzz fuzzy fur furry black orange black eyes compound eyes Andreninae Andrenidae Apiformes Apoidea gaddstekel midjestekel stekel Aculeata Apocrita Zweifarbige Sandbiene Sandbiene pollen blue pollen f/13 Reddited

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My first try using my waders, at the Nedre Dammen pond at Åva-Stensjödal in Tyresta National Park just south of Stockholm, Sweden resulted in shots of at least two new species for me. One of them this male ruby whiteface (Leucorrhinia rubicunda) which somehow stayed still on his perch while I slowly waded closer.

I'm kinda surprised by what a pretty species this is - the black and orange work so well together!

Tags:   macro Canon Canon 5Ds CanonEOS5Ds 5Ds flash Godox Thinklite TT685C plåtdiffusor v6 Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Åva Stensjödal Tyresta Tyresta National Park Leucorrhinia rubicunda dragonfly trollslända Odonata Moosjungfer Jungfer Nordische Moosjungfer nordisk kærguldsmed isolampikorento whiteface østtorvlibelle kärrtrollslända nordisk kärrtrollslända segeltrollslända Libellulidae Anisoptera reeds black red orange compound eyes ruby whiteface hair hairy fuzz fuzzy fur furry hairy back orange spots f/9.5 Epiprocta libellule トン

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When seeing this one on a tree stump near Stensjödal in Tyresta National Park I mistook it for a European rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes nasicornis) which in Swedish is called the equivalence of rhinoceros beetle.

Something was off though and with a closer look I realized this was a male rhinoceros beetle (Sinodendron cylindricum), ie without the European part.

The Swedish name for this one indicates that it is a member of the stag beetles unlike the other one which is a Scarabaeidae.

This one stayed still long enough for me to shift lens and get a couple of more shots and I think it looks kind of like a Styracosarus (a dinosaur related to the Triceratops). Part 1 of this is quite similar - but taken using the Canon MP-E65mm instead if you want to compare the two. Here it is: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/48482785297/

Tags:   macro Canon Canon 5D MkII Canon 5D Mark II 5D2 Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Raynox DCR-250 flash Godox Thinklite TT685C plåtdiffusor v3 Tyresta Tyresta National Park Åva Stensjödal insect black shiny Käfer skalbagge noshornsoxe Sinodendron cylindricum rhinoceros beetle Polyphaga allätarbagge ekoxbagge stag beetle horn horned laqcuer Lucanidae glossy Coleoptera Kopfhornschröter Schröter dimples indentations claws rolrond vliegend hert f/27 CanonEOS5DMarkII

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I am not completely sure this is a birch shield bug (Elasmostethus interstinctus), but almost.

It was, along with ten or so more of its brothers and sisters hanging out on the window sill one early morning.

These guys were actually quite difficult to shoot as they are so bloody shiny, but at least them being a little cold slowed them down a bit for me.

For a shot from the front (even shinier) look here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/48838151048/

Tags:   macro Canon Canon 5D MkII Canon 5D Mark II 5D2 Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro flash Meike MK-300 glassdiffusor insect shield bug birch shield bug Elasmostethus interstinctus true bug bärfis berry fart björkbärfis större björkbärfis Hemiptera Pentatomoidea shiny reflective red green grey background Acanthosomatidae stink bug Heteroptera Raynox DCR-250 f/11 CanonEOS5DMarkII halvvinge Schnabelkerfe

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Some species of jumping spiders are climbers.They like rocks and vertical spaces - which also makes the side of your house a nice place to hang out.

The V-fronted jumper (Aelurillus v-insignitus) - like this male from Åva-Stensjödal in Tyresta National Park - are more about the ground though. They bounce around there in jumps so quick it looks like they are teleporting, seemingly not bothered at all by all the ants crawling around in the same space.

No points for guessing where this species has gotten its name though.

Tags:   macro Canon Canon 5Ds CanonEOS5Ds 5Ds flash Godox Thinklite TT685C plåtdiffusor v6 Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Raynox DCR-250 Åva Stensjödal Tyresta Tyresta National Park Aelurillus v-insignitus vinkelhoppspindel v-fronted jumper Arachnida Araneae Araneomorphae gripkäkspindel Salticidae hoppspindel Springspinne jumping spider jumper V chevron cute kawaii hair hairy fuzz fuzzy fur furry big eyes green eyes mittens f/13 oOOo

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