The Perils of Photography - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

08/01/2005 06:43:43 PM · #1

Encountered this insect with really pretty orange wings earlier in the Spring. It was a big sucker, about the size of a small Boeing 747. Looked like a giant termite on steroids. I was out taking pictures of cactus blossoms. It was hanging around this plant so I decided to try and get a few macro shots of it.

With my camera I have to get within a few inches to get a decent macro. Took probably 10-15 shots that close... the insect was irritated and would fly away and then return.

Then much later, after talking with Daryl Faust (Louddog on DPC), I found out that the insect is a Tarantula Hawk. It is a kind of wasp that lays its eggs inside tarantulas after it stings them and they become paralyzed.

The Tarantula Hawk is the most poisonous insect in North America!

If I'd have known about that I would have run the other way. It is one huge bug! Goes to prove that being a photographer can be hazardous to your health.

More about Tarantula Hawks!

Anyone else have their own danger stories to tell while taking pictures?

Message edited by author 2005-08-01 18:47:20.

bell

Casio Exilim EX-Z1000

08/01/2005 06:47:30 PM · #2

Hey Steve this appears to be worse than your rattle snake encounter. By the way it's wildflower season in the White Mountains!!!!

rox_rox

Canon EOS-20D

08/01/2005 06:49:51 PM · #3

Great story, and awesome shot!

I sat in a pile of fire ants while taking this one.

Does that count?

08/01/2005 06:53:55 PM · #4

Originally posted by bell:

Hey Steve this appears to be worse than your rattle snake encounter. By the way it's wildflower season in the White Mountains!!!!

Hi Brenda! Been up by Red Mountain and Humphrey's Peak by Flagstaff a week ago and found some wild flowers there. I was with Daryl and it was on that on drive that I found out about the Tarantula Hawk!

Wildflower pictures from there are here...
Red Mountain and Wildflowers

Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

08/01/2005 06:57:45 PM · #5

Originally posted by greatandsmall:

Great story, and awesome shot!

I sat in a pile of fire ants while taking this one.

Does that count?

Sure does... I tried to take some pictures of them just last weekend but they were a lot more interested in crawling up my legs than posing and I dind't get one decent shot. LOL!

Btw... really nice picture... Like it a lot.

Message edited by author 2005-08-01 18:58:22.

CEJ

Canon EOS-40D

08/01/2005 07:00:19 PM · #6

I think the sting is the most painful, not the most poisonous. IT won't kill you, just hurt like nothing you ever got stung by before.

From the article you linked to:
Tarantula hawk stings are considered to be the most painful of any North American insect. AND Although painful, the Pepsis sting is not especially lethal.

Message edited by author 2005-08-01 19:01:39.

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

08/01/2005 07:02:07 PM · #7

Originally posted by Alienyst:

Either way... I don't any no part of it. :)

Message edited by author 2005-08-01 19:02:24.

Brad

Olympus OM-D E-M1

08/01/2005 07:03:21 PM · #8

Was a real one I had to "coach" with a pair of tweezers.
Notice I said WAS - after the photoshoot, it suddenly got really, really flat...

mesmeraj

08/01/2005 07:07:02 PM · #9

i read "perils" as a certain other world *get out of the gutter elli!*

but if were trading war stories, i think my 2 best "in the name of photography" was when i stood on the side of a bathtub, fell and my arm got caught on the 3 foot off the ground windowsill (at the underarm) while my butt was sitting on the bottom of the ) tub. And when i stood on top of a office chair to get a photo, the chair flew to one side of the room after sending the tripod and camera flying in the across the other side of the room and into the window and gravity did its job on me.

art-inept

Olympus C-5060WZ

Canon EF 35mm f/2.0

08/01/2005 07:07:47 PM · #10

Originally posted by BradP:

Was a real one I had to "coach" with a pair of tweezers.
Notice I said WAS - after the photoshoot, it suddenly got really, really flat...

ahhh that's so gross. is that a black widow? i dont want to click the full view because im arachnophobic and i shoot them with rubber bands and high powered bb guns

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

08/01/2005 07:09:54 PM · #11

Originally posted by BradP:

Was a real one I had to "coach" with a pair of tweezers.
Notice I said WAS - after the photoshoot, it suddenly got really, really flat...

Great shot!

The thing that "bugs" me about flying insects that sting is they can chase you a lot more effectively when they are mad than spiders and rattlesnakes that are not that fast.

Had an encounter with killer bees one time that scared the heck out of me and I got stung 15 times... but that was not while taking pictures.

Message edited by author 2005-08-01 19:11:10.

Brad

Olympus OM-D E-M1

08/01/2005 07:14:55 PM · #12

Originally posted by art-inept:

ahhh that's so gross. is that a black widow?

Yes it was real, and was the largest one I have ever seen.
While "coaching it" into position once out of about a dozen times, it's silk stuck to the long tweezers,and when I pulled the tweezers back after getting it into position, came with the silk/tweezers, and thought it jumped at me.

Sacred the living crap out of me !!!

Message edited by author 2005-08-01 19:15:50.

rox_rox

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

08/01/2005 07:17:09 PM · #13

Originally posted by stdavidson:

Originally posted by bell:
Hey Steve this appears to be worse than your rattle snake encounter. By the way it's wildflower season in the White Mountains!!!!

Hi Brenda! Been up by Red Mountain and Humphrey's Peak by Flagstaff a week ago and found some wild flowers there. I was with Daryl and it was on that on drive that I found out about the Tarantula Hawk!

Wildflower pictures from there are here...
Red Mountain and Wildflowers

Hey Steve,

Those are great wildflower shots! However, I'd be concerned if i were you. I've been researching this moth.

And it turns out that it's "Gnophaela suicida". It's said that anyone who gets too close to them will display self-destructive behavior, such as provoking other dangerous insects.

Oh, nevermind...I guess you already have that disorder.

Be Careful! ;)

Message edited by author 2005-08-01 19:28:29.