I know these are not great photographs, but to this day I found the habits of these "cute" little creatures amazing. First of all they have hollow bodies, and all that beautiful color you see is some weird covering for these bizarre wings. Those colored cases open up, and these wings come out, and no more beautiful lady bugs anymore. When I was a little girl these were the cutest things to me. As an adult, they look pretty ferocious under there. One of the greatest adventures in photography is not posting the best shot you can find, but understanding and actually investigating through a lens, things the naked eye may never catch. And although its not a great shot or this or that, to explore like this and see something up close, and understand its habits is worth all the salt sometimes of one photograph.

This is bug picture II and then no more ladybugs, I'll go on to spiders.....

Here is Ladybug II DUH!

Thank you both maygen and Alpha, I love what you pointed out Fred, about the movement, I find this interesting, and would love if we could set up something where you might and I might and maybe a few members might sit and chat and have an actual information tuty kind of deal. Like set up of an image, and framing and what to think of. I like these cause I didn't do any postwork in photoshop like I love to say on flower images and stuff. Interesting to note, I should have called the second photograph a walk on the gangplanks of Lady bugs LOL.... Maygen I watch discovery all the time, and sometimes this bug life stuff gets pretty in depth, and find it fascinating the info on them climbing to the highest point, thus, they are all crusted together on the top of that needle! What I noticed this year in particular is that we had an infestation of lady bugs if you can believe that. When I took the air conditioner down it was filled with them, and then on the metal piece that holds the air conditioner to the window, there were almost a hundred of them clustered on it. I had them falling all over the room, and I didn't know what to do. Syyd

Thats so odd that you mention that because every spring that use to happen. (When I lived in KY anyway there doesnt seem to be many lady bugs out here) but they would be everywhere! My mother was extremely superstitous in that she thought finding a lady bug in your home meant good luck so we had a time getting them out of the house every spring lol. Who knows Syyd maybe you are quite the lucky one.

Listen, thats SOOOOOOOO FUNNY! Last year I found one in the fall in the bedroom on a beautiful sunny day. I took it as a sign of good luck, and went and bought a lotto ticket. I made Colm and myself walk around with pennies in our shoes as well, and we actually got three numbers and a supplemental, which didn't amount to much but that was the closest I've ever come LOL.

LOL! the next time I come across one in my house I'm running for the nearest lotto vendor!

...gotta search and show you guys winner of our countrys photo 2001 pic, theres the pic from THE perfect moment, and ladybug included. .n

Found it. This years best nature photo here. Small size does not bring the pic out as well it could. .n

OMG thank you so much Niko, see how they become real bugs when the shell lifts? Amazing, thank Vuoden Luontokuva for me.!

"dumdidumdidum, ahhh, there flies a ladybug, I shall crab my camera and snap a pic of it." ...this is the finest example I have ever seen about "perfect moment". .n (pssst, Sydder, Timo Saarinen is the photographer, vuoden luontokuva means Nature photo of the year. Did you do your Finnish language homeworks yesterday? D i d you?)

Oh I know what you mean, look at it....! Sorry, Syyd goes back to finnish 101 and says "But I know some words I do, I know now Vuoden Luontokuva, which I thought was RUSSIAN LOL

hey antoonio im glad you posted this pic! I definitly see why this entry won.