Technical Stuff
O.K., so here's where I go into a lot of boring details that some of you may want to know about and some of you
don't. I did this web site for my own entertainment, and not really to educate anybody, but some of you might want
to know what I did. Also, mostly for myself, I have included a list of some of the best bug books ever written. They
are my favorites, at least, and I hope you like them.
Doing the web page:
Prior to making this web site, I had not done one. I went to the computer store, and asked what kind of software I
needed. The clerk there had a new piece of software made specifically to write web pages. It's cost was around
$150. That store was also offering a six hour course in how to use that software, and I think they charged around
$180 for that. I considered buying the software that the clerk told me was easy to use and had everything I would
ever want until he let it slip that he had not actually ever made a website himself. I thanked him and left.
I went to the bookstore and found a copy of HTML 4 for Dummies, 2nd edition by Deborah S. Ray and Eric J.
Ray. It cost about $15. Since I only have Microsoft Works, and not MS Word on my computer, I used MS notepad
to do all of the source code for the web page. There are types of software out there that will do it all for you, in sort
of a what you see is what you get manner, but you don't really need them. They would allow you to make pages
that are a little fancier than this site is, and if you are trying to do it professionally, you might want a good software
package. But really all you need is that book. I was surprised at how incredibly easy making a web page is.
Images:
Once again, I was limited a little by cost. I do almost all of my photography with a Pentax 67 camera, which is
medium format, (the film used is 120 size film, which is larger than 35 mm size film). I have not purchased a
medium format scanner yet, because of their high cost--several thousand dollars. I do some of my own darkroom
work, using ilfochrome classic paper and chemistry. Most of the photos shown here started as 120 size slide film
photographs, then were printed in the darkroom and scanned into a flatbed scanner. I have scanned a couple directly on my flatbed scanner using a portable light box behind the slide on the same flatbed scanner. Quality suffers a little bit
from the translation on both methods, but mostly I can live with the results.
Taking pictures of bugs:
As I mentioned before, I use a Pentax 67 camera to take my bug pictures. I chose that camera because it is a
medium format camera, and in my opinion it is the best medium format camera for taking closeup photographs. I
admit that I have not tried most other medium format cameras, or 35mm cameras, either, so I don't want to get into
any debates about whose camera is better. I would probably recommend a beginner purchase an inexpensive
manual focusing 35 mm camera, with a short telephoto single focus lens (not a zoom lens), and extension tubes,
and use a close-up flash technique. There are a lot of ways to take closeup photographs, but here's what works best
for me. I use extension tubes and a macro lens. I use a flash which is on a flash bracket, and is located almost two
feet from the focusing point of the lens. A more typical arrangement would have the flash closer to the subject, but
I move it back to get a better background. When the flash is farther away, the out of focus background is more
likely to be brighter than when the flash is close. Also, the 67 has a slow flash sinc speed of about 1/30 second, as
opposed to 1/125 to 1/4000 for other cameras. Therefore, the backgrounds are more likely to be light because the
correct exposure with flash is closer to the exposure of the ambient light.
I don't use a tripod when I use the flash because the flash usually stops the motion. Using extension tubes I have to focus by moving the camera backwards or forwards rather than by turning a ring. Focusing is very critical and is hard to do because depth of field is so small. Typically only one in ten of my insect photographs turns out to be focused on the area of interest (which is usually the eye)
Taking pictures of butterflies:
Butterfly photography is similar to most other insect photography, with one major exception. Most insects like
flies, beetles, etc., are not easily spooked by the photographer. Butterflies are usually easily spooked. However, it
is possible to sneak up on them. How to do it is difficult to describe. You need to understand butterfly behavior.
After a certain amount of field work you will be able to pick out which butterflies will sit there and let you take
their pictures and which ones will be easily spooked. You can usually get within about six feet by moving slowly,
then you almost have to stop. It is important to have your center of gravity in a place where you will not tip over.
Commercially available knee pads for gardeners or construction workers are very useful tools. Then you just
gradually sneak up on them, and take their picture. It sounds easier than it really is. But it can be done. When
you get really good, you will also be able to catch butterflies with your hands.
Don't just stick with flowers. Rotting fruit attracts a lot of butterflies, particularly some types of butterflies that are
not attracted to flowers. Also watch for mud puddles. After a heavy rain on a hot day, the edges of gravel roads
are very good. Thistles, golden rod, and swamp milkweed are among the best of the wildflowers. Zinnias and a
weedy-looking plant called a "Mexican sunflower" are among the best domestic flowers.
Books to read:
Here is a list of some of my favorite bug books. I can highly recommend any book on the list.
1. Bumblebee Economics by Bernd Hienrich: This book is just plain fun. It shows some of the excitement that
can be generated by ordinary scientific studies. Mr. Hienrich studied the energy relationships of different
flower/pollinator interactions, primarily with relationship to butterflies. Also, by this same author, and also highly
recommended are: The Thermal Warriors, about thermoregulation in insects, and Ravens in Winter, about the
behavior of ravens. Actually, I have read many books by this author, and recommend them all.
2. A Guide to Observing Insect Lives by Donald W. Stokes: There are several books out there written by Donald
Stokes and his wife. This is not a field guide--it can not be used to identify many species of insects. However, it
does describe a wide range of insects and describes in detail their life cycles.
3. Journey to the Ants by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson. These guys have another book out there called
The Ants. The first book is somewhat condensed, and a lot easier to read. The second book is a large coffee table
type book which has some spectacular art work--photographs and paintings. Both are recommended. The only
problem I have with The Ants is that it is so large that it is difficult to hold long enough to read. You really need
to have a coffee table to buy this book. Both books are about ants--their biology and behaviors, and are very
fascinating to read.
4. Insects in Flight by John Brackenbury. This book is filled with photographs of insects in flight. The
photography compares to that of Stephen J. Dalton, but unfortunately the author makes no reference to his work,
even though Dalton's work was done 20 years earlier and involves the same techniques. I am sure he had to be aware of the
earlier work, and use it extensively. This book does carefully analyze the process of insect flight and is very good
in that regard. There are a couple of other books by this same author, which are also recommended: Insects and
Flowers, and Insects Through Four Seasons. Some good text, and a lot of photographs.
5. Insects in Flight by Werner Nachtigall. Same title, vastly different book. This book doesn't have nearly as
many photographs, and is much older. It was originally published in German in 1968, and translated into English
in 1974. The book goes into a lot of detail about how insects fly, and how the study of that flight was done.
6. Caught in Motion by Stephen J. Dalton: A lot of my books are in the closet! I think this is the title. He also
has another book, which I think is called Born on the Wind. Both are highly recommended. Mr. Dalton is one of
the pioneers in insect photography, especially capturing insects in flight.
7. The Butterflies of North America by James A Scott. Probably the most complete butterfly book out there right
now. Very good, but most of the photos are of dead pinned insects. Very complete descriptions of the habits of the
butterflies.
8. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies by Robert Michael Pyle. All very good
photographs, all butterflies are living. This is probably the most useful field guide to butterflies out there.
9. Insects in Camera by Christopher O'Toole, and photographs by Ken Preston-Mafham. This is mostly a
photograph book. Text is mostly just captions to the photos. Interesting, anyway.
10. Close-ups in Nature by John Shaw. This is about photography, particularly close-up photography. This one
book explains close-up photography much better than I could hope to, and explains a lot of methods in detail. It
costs about what two rolls of film with processing would cost. I recommend that anyone attempting to take close-up photographs
buy this book and read it.
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