I saw a lightning bug sitting on a leaf and decide to do some close ups. After uploading the pictures to computer I started looking at them and noticed that the "feet" structure kind of looks like the antennae which made me wonder if they work like antennae.
X
Another
And another
For those who have asked .. my trick for shooting bugs that do mind having a camera lens in their face is to put them in the freezer for about 30 seconds. It doesnt kill them and they stay still for about a minute.
I bought a little bug house at the dollar store and it works beautifully for putting them in the freezer.
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I think that beetle is one of the Cantharidae / Soldier Beetles
http://davesgarden.com/bf/b/Coleoptera/Cantharidae/none/none/genus/0/
Lots of beetles' feet have little tiny hooks so they can hang on to just about anything!
You're right! I wasn't 100% sure it was a lightning bug, that's why I didn't submit it to the bugfiles. do you know which one?
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Probably Chauliognathus marginatus because the pronotum/ or 'neck' has that black stripe, instead of a spot.
Xeramtheum,
I use the same technique for slowing bugs down for photography, but your freezer must be much colder than mine. I usually have to use three and half minutes in the freezer to inactivate the bug enough for photography,
Ken
