There is pretty much nothing I'd rather do than hike, take pictures, and learn about the natural world around us.  I find macro and telephoto the most exciting forms of photography to learn about critters and nature. Through macro and telephoto pictures, one can identify species (bugs-macro to birds-telephoto) and learn more about these species through the details in the pictures.

This post will focus on the macro.  Here are some close-up macro shots from this summer.

Caterpillar I saw at the MN Landscape Arboretum

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Long-horned beetle

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Bluet in the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

Damselfly - Spreadwing species

Daddy long legs species - Did you know that daddy long legs are more closely related to scorpions than to spiders?

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It looks like a moth but it is actually a citrus planthopper.

Goldenrod soldier beetle

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Dark fishing spider

Spreadwing damselfly

Spreadwing damselfly species

Flower fly species

Swallowtail

I'm not sure what species/type of bug this is. The closest I could were some assassin bugs that looked similar.

Crab spider species

Jumping Spider At Governor Knowles State Forest