Beetle on goldenrod

Feeds:: Posts; Comments

Beetle on goldenrod

August 28, 2014 by Mike Powell

Goldenrod seems to act like a magnet for all kinds of flying and crawling insects and earlier this week I was fascinated by a large beetle crawling around and through the goldenrod. I haven’t yet been able to identify the beetle, but I had a lot of fun trying to move in close with my macro lens and capture its image from various angles.

Posted in Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography | Tagged Alexandria VA, beetle, Canon 50D, goldenrod, Huntley Meadows Park, Tamron 180mm macro lens | 12 Comments

12 Responses

on August 28, 2014 at 8:55 am | Reply mvschulze

It looks like a lightning bug, of the kind I knew so well when I was a catching them and keeping them in a jar by the bedside for light. (My wife told me to stop that!) (Sorry that last part was not true!) M 🙂
on August 28, 2014 at 9:47 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions

I think it’s a goldenrod soldier beetle (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus). I saw one the other day that I had to identify. Your shots of it are much better than mine!
- on August 29, 2014 at 5:26 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks for the ID help, Allen. I probably should have clued in better on the host plant when searching for an identification.
on August 28, 2014 at 10:58 pm | Reply krikitarts

I agree with NHGS on is ID of the goldenrod soldier beetle. Three very nice portraits!
- on August 29, 2014 at 5:25 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Gary. I guess that I gave up a little too easily on the identification, given that I had already identified the insect as a beetle and the plant as goldenrod. It’s embarrassing as retired Army guy that I couldn’t identify it as a soldier.
on August 28, 2014 at 11:59 pm | Reply Charlie@Seattle Trekker

Yes definitely Chauliognathus pensylvanicus…You really got some wonderful photos.
- on August 29, 2014 at 5:25 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Charlie
on August 29, 2014 at 5:46 am | Reply Bruce Ruston

Love your shots, it is an interesting looking fellow.
- on August 29, 2014 at 5:48 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Bruce. I was encouraged by some of your recent postings to try to get in really close and this insect was pretty cooperative in letting me do so.
  - on August 29, 2014 at 5:58 am Bruce Ruston
    
    The first one works best, personally I grumble a bit when an insect turns it’s back on me. But back shots are really useful for identifying a bug. here is something I have been trying with shots like the first one. A step to the right trying to line up an eye with the lens. Its been to windy though so I am going to try again when the weather calms. I am hoping to increase the impact of the shot by lining up the eyes with the view. To be honest I think I am going to have to wait till this coming spring to get the results I am after. Plus I really need to do something to the flash, I find it to harsh but need it for the detail.
on September 1, 2014 at 5:22 am | Reply mariekeates

Whatever it is it’s beautiful
- on September 1, 2014 at 8:04 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks. I think others have been able to identify it as a Goldenrod Soldier beetle–it’s always nice to have the help of others with greater expertise.