When Edouard Martinet was 10, one of his teachers introduced his pupils to insects. Subliminally, the fascination sunk in to the young French boy. Fast-forward 40 years, and Martinet has become the art world’s virtuoso insectophile, transforming bits and pieces of cast-off junk culled from flea markets and car boot sales into exquisitely executed…
SNAIL WITH SEMI-TRANSPARENT SHELL DISCOVERED Photograph by Jana Bedek In a paper published on 30 August 2013 by the International Society for Subterranean Biology, Dr Alexander Weigand of Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany, has described a new species of cave-dwelling snail from the Lukina Jama–Trojama cave system. The new species, Zospeum tholussum, is a…
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton (external skeleton), a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods include all insects, arachnids, and crustaceans. Their body plan consists of repeated segments, each with a pair of appendages. Their versatility has enabled them to become one of the most species-rich members on the planet. [Source]…
Photograph by TROY ALEXANDER Rainforest Expeditions | Tambopata Research Center Chemical ecologist Troy Alexander recently returned to the US after a 3-month volunteer position for the Macaw Project. The project was based out of the Tambopata Research Center (a joint research center/tourist lodge run by Rainforest Expeditions), one of the most remote Amazon Rainforest…
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT Photograph by Prabhu B Doss In this perfectly timed photo by Prabhu B. Doss, we see a butterfly that appears to be looking in an invisible mirror, its likeness accurately reflected. Believe it or not, it’s two different butterflies, and if you look closely you can see differences in…
The importance of bees cannot be understated. In the US alone, the Department of Agriculture estimated that bees pollinate about 80% of flowering crops, constituting about 1/3 of everything Americans eat. Their ability to pollinate has a tremendous environmental and economic impact on the entire globe. And now their influence is spreading to the…
Markus Reugels is a German photographer best known for his incredible high-speed photography (we’ve featured Reugels work previously here and here). He is also an accomplished macro photographer with an impressive gallery of over 72 photos on Flickr entitled, Insects & Animals. Below you will find a small selection of the Sifter’s personal favourites.…
Photograph by Bob Henricks Caddisflies are an order (Trichoptera) of insects with approximately 12,000 described species. They can be described as small moth-like insects with two pairs of hairs membranous wings. One of the most interesting characteristics of the caddisfly is the ornate and highly intricate protective cases they build as larvae. The caddisfly…
The Golden Tortoise Beetle (Charidotella sexpunctata) is a widely distributed North American insect with a typical size of 5 -7 mm. Recognizable by their golden colour, they have the ability to change colours when disturbed. This color change is accomplished by microscopic valves controlling the moisture levels under the shell. Their preferred food are…
Thomas Shahan is one of the most popular macro insect photographers on Flickr. His 250+ gallery has garnered hundreds of thousands of views and he has brought a level of detail and beauty to these insects that is truly astounding. Hailing from Oklahoma, USA, Thomas uses photography as a tool to raise awareness and…
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