Keeping oneself clean...

We know well enough that cats (they are toooo big for macro of course) are quite often fastidious when it comes to cleaning themselves - you will see them licking their fur and their paws and wiping the paws across themselves as they polish their coats...

Of course insects too have to be clean (as much as most are considered dirty horrible nasty creatures that make you want to wash your hands if you so much as flick an insect away, let alone hold one).

Mind you, I certainly would not recommend having a hold of this insect. More than likely he (or she) would act defensively and do it's utmost to impart a sting through your epidermis!

This wasp is on apple blossom, and as you can quite clearly see, is wiping one of it's legs through its mouth parts - and as far as I can determine - this is cleaning itself, or at least trying to remove anything off its leg that would not normally be there (can't see anything though, other than leg...)

No extension tubes used this time - wasps are big enough, and this one was a huge bugger, well over an inch from the tip of its nose to the stingy bits at the back.

C&C as always.


Exif:

Camera Maker: Canon
Camera Model: Canon EOS 550D
Lens: 105mm
Image Date: 2011-04-15 10:42:49 +0000
Focal Length: 105mm
Aperture: f/9.5
Exposure Time: 0.0056 s (1/180)
ISO equiv: 100
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual
White Balance: Manual
Flash Fired: Yes (Auto, return light detected)
Orientation: Normal
Color Space: sRGB
GPS Coordinate: undefined, undefined
Photographer: Paul Iddon
Copyright: A View of the UK - Paul Iddon Photography


Paul.

Title:	Keeping oneself clean...
Username:	Paul_Iddon
Uploaded:	15 Apr 2011 - 12:14 PM
Camera:	Canon EOS 550D
Lens:	105mm
Recording media:	JPEG (digital)
Date Taken:	15 Apr 2011 - 10:42 AM
Tags:	Apple blossom, Canon eos 550d, Clean, Close-up / macro, Garden, Iddon, Macro, Nature, Sting, Wasp
Votes:	6