Graphosoma lineatum
Graphosoma lineatum
Written by Wednesday, 13 May 2009 00:00
“Animals have done us no harm and they have no power of resistance .…There is something so very dreadful … in tormenting those who have never harmed us, who cannot defend themselves, who are utterly in our power.” Cardinal John Henry Newman
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Graphosoma lineatum (Family: Pentatomidae; common name: Striped shield bug) This is one of the most beautiful bugs in the Mediterranean region. It has a very bright red colour to deter predators and black lines on the top (which become dots in the underside); it looks like a jewel. Although it is quite common it is also difficult to find since it regularly stays on the underside of the leaves. We first saw these bugs in April and we found many breeding pairs. Consequently we assumed this is the reason we found them – most probably they stay hidden during the rest of the year. Taking pictures of them was relatively easy since they will not get upset by the human presence or try to move away. The weather in April and May is both a blessing and a curse in Greece. There is plenty of sunshine which allows the use of low ISO settings and high shutter speeds (the blessing) but the almost constant breeze is a nightmare when you work at a close distance (the curse). Since the lens we used (Tamron 180mm macro) is not a fast focusing lens, we spent most of our time trying to bring the insects in focus while the breeze was working against us. Photos by Marina Parha and George J. Reclos 1. Camera: Nikon D700 2. Camera: Nikon D700 3. Camera: Nikon D700 4. Camera: Nikon D700 5. Camera: Nikon D700 |
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