Harlequins

Some shots from September found languishing on my hard drive. I chose to use a high key look for these images, to capture a sense of the delicacy of the ladybird’s acrobatics on dry grass stems in my garden.

This beetle is a harlequin ladybird, or harmonia axyridis. The harlequin was brought from Asia into America and Europe as a form of biological control and it spread quickly, arriving in the UK in 2004. It has since caused a rapid decline in indigenous species of ladybird.

My own observations, for what they’re worth, bear this out; I rarely see anything but harlequins in my garden now. Pesky things. That doesn’t stop me photographing them though…

23 thoughts on “Harlequins”

These are wonderful, Rachael.

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Rachael on December 20, 2012 at 10:30 am said:

Thank you, Gracie 🙂

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I love that high key look, such an ethereal look to the background. I’ve not seen many of those ladybirds in our garden, we had quite a lot of the reds this year though.

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Rachael on December 20, 2012 at 10:34 am said:

Hi Barbara. Sadly here in Surrey the harlequins have all but taken over 😦

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Your photos are amazing 🙂

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Rachael on December 20, 2012 at 10:35 am said:

Thanks!

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Fabulous photos Rachael. You did such a perfect job capturing these beautiful little bugs.

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Rachael on December 20, 2012 at 11:50 am said:

Thanks! Of course I missed the take off shot I was trying for 😉

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crackers must have been f2.8 or better for the depth of field – let me also take this opportunity to wish you Merry Christmas and a fabulous New Year Racheal

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Rachael on December 20, 2012 at 11:56 am said:

I think I used f5 or thereabouts for these. Of course,the depth feels shallower because of using a 100mm macro lens. At f2.8 I would probably have got one eye in focus only.

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- Scott Marshall on December 20, 2012 at 12:16 pm said:
  
  ah a macro (that is what I am saving for)
- Rachael on December 31, 2012 at 7:49 pm said:
  
  It’s easily my best piece of glass. Well worth the investment. Good luck with the saving. 🙂

I’m sad to learn such a beautiful little creature has caused such carnage among English ladybirds. It’s a tale so often told, especially in Australia and New Zealand but usually the usurper is an ugly brute, like the cane toad!
Gorgeous and etherial photographs, nonetheless 🙂

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Rachael on December 20, 2012 at 11:57 am said:

Thanks. Yes, I came across the cane toads on my travels in Australia back in 1989. These harlequins are indeed prettier. 😉

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I never knew ladybugs could look so phantom-like. You did a fantastic job capturing this new perspective as well as maintaining their sunny nature (;

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Rachael on December 31, 2012 at 7:50 pm said:

Thank you very much for such a lovely comment. Much appreciated.

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Beautiful, once again Rachael. The delicate grass makes it look like the little critters are almost doing a high wire stunt.

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Rachael on December 31, 2012 at 7:51 pm said:

Thanks, Jaina. I am of sure what the ladybird was trying to achieve but it was entertaining me!

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