Barking around at Ramsdown

With the first two days of Easter Bank holdiday weather being cold and overcast, I undertook a local trip to Ramsdown nature reserve to try out the Canon MT-24ex Mark X diffuser out in the field.  Well in fact it is really the Mark XI as I replaced the dove deodorant tops with some foam taken from paint roller refils.  All shots on the Canon 650D with Canon MPE-65mm

On the first day I found a green spider on a web.  I think it may be an Araniella spider ( cucumber orb ) from a quick look on web, but not sure.

Then on a Rhododendron bush there were lots of plant bugs, which of all the attempts this was the best.  The main issue being, if the lens touched the leaf, they run!

On the second day the first insect that took my eye was another plant bug, wandering across a large log.

Then a fly – maybe a bark fly ?

And a close up of it.

Then I found a shield bug sheltering in some bark.

Followed closely by a wandering woodlouse.

And finally a tiny bark fly.  They have pretty eyes I think.

Overall I am pleased with the new diffuser setup.  Only thing I did note that I may be blocking a bit too much light as about 4x magnification the images get a bit dark, the solution for me was to up the ISO from my normal 200 to 400 for those higher magnifications.

Map of Location

Off road parking is available here.