I recently decided to start photographing my pet insects using my macro lens to see if I could get some higher quality photos. I had originally been using my macro lens to get better photos of tiny insects for iNaturalist. Once I started using it on my pets, I realized how useful it was. Even photos of larger insects, such as giant cave roaches (Blaberus giganteus), were much improved with the macro lens. I also started taking photographs of all the different instars of my monarch (Danaus plexippus) caterpillars. For those who are unfamiliar with the term “instar,” an instar number is the number of times a larva has molted, counting hatching as the first molt. Therefore, the first instar is a newly hatched larva. The fourth instar is one that has hatched and then molted three times since.
Some of the best photos I have captured with my macro lens are of my spiders. For example, I managed to catch my pet brilliant jumping spider (Phidippus clarus) in impressive detail. The most impressive part of this lens, though, is the fact that it is just a simple clip-on phone lens. My iPhone pictures are so much improved by this lens that I must recommend the brand: LIEQI. I have their 15x macro, and it is incredibly useful, even for photos that would not seem to require a macro lens.
The characteristic pink spots of a Pink-Spotted Hawk Moth (Agrius cingulata) The eye of a Pink-Spotted Hawk Moth (Agrius cingulata) The cute face of a Pink-Spotted Hawk Moth (Agrius cingulata) The head and thorax of a Pink-Spotted Hawk Moth (Agrius cingulata) The proboscis of a Pink-Spotted Hawk Moth (Agrius cingulata) A Yellow-Striped Oakworm (Anisota peigleri) The intricate structure of Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usenoides) The top of a Key Lime (no real point to this one) Pentas flower after misting Brazilian Skipper (Calpodes ethlius) nectaring at a Pentas flower A Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) drinking nectar out of a Pentas flower Silkworm (Bombyx mori) eggs on a penny A first instar Monarch (Danaus plexippus) caterpillar A second instar Monarch (Danaus plexippus) A third instar Monarch (Danaus plexippus) A fourth instar Monarch (Danaus plexippus) Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) caterpillar brandishing its osmeterium Golden Orbweaver (Trichonephila clavipes) Golden Orbweaver (Trichonephila clavipes) drinking off its web Cactus Longhorn Beetle (Moneilema gigas) Eastern Fire Centipede (Scolopocryptops sexspinosus) Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina) eating a Lobster Roach (Nauphoeta cinerea) A captive-reared Giant Stag Beetle (Lucanus elaphus) pupa The head of a Green June Beetle (Cotinis nitida) Some weevil from the genus Curculio This little Handsome Meadow Katydid (Orchelimum pulchellum) was quite loud in my room. A baby Obscure Bird Grasshopper (Schistocerca obscura) This is the photo of my cute jumping spider I mentioned above. A newly-molted Giant Cave Roach (Blaberus giganteus) Great Blue Skimmer (Libellula vibrans) A Harlequin Bug (Murgantia histrionica) This is some caterpillar that will likely be easy to identify since the picture is so clear.