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Photo#20393
Rosalia funebris

Rosalia funebris
Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
May 9, 2003

Amazing
We had never seen anything like it before, and this beetle had about 4 cameras all trying to get a "great" shot...nothing like yours, however!

Thank you for naming our mystery beetle.

 
Beetle photography
These large beetles are good photographic subjects, as they are slow to take wing and do not fly very fast anyways. One technique that I have learned for getting shots of them taking flight is to place them on level ground and spear a stick into the ground in front of them as they walk. The beetle can be relied upon to climb the stick and spread its wings for flight when it reaches the top. They must first open the elytra to clear the way for the second pair of wings. At this point you snap away. Catch the beetle before it escapes and then try again. When you and the beetle have had enough, you can let it fly off. Definitely a better feeling than putting it in a killing jar!

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