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Photo#44011
Zygogramma sp. - Calligrapha bidenticola

Zygogramma sp. - Calligrapha bidenticola
Mountville, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA
July 1, 2005
Size: 6mm w/o antennae
A specimen from my collection. Not the best photo, but I am still having trouble taking photos of small insects under the microscope. Am I correct in putting this in genus Zygogramma?

almost certainly Calligrapha bidenticola --det. S.M. Clark

Moved
Moved from Zygogramma.

Looks like it to me.
However, there are other beetles with very similar markings, so I can't be sure. Re photo quality, why not check out Helicon Focus, for which you can get a year's trial license for less than $30. It would automatically merge this shot with ones where the antennae and feet were in better focus.

 
Thanks!
I'll have to check into that. Right now, most of the trouble I am having is with getting a white background without distorting the coloration of the insect. The white balance on me camera doesn’t adjust high enough to compensate for the light. I'm going to try a using different light and using a tripod, so I can set my camera for a lower shutter speed. As far as the blurring goes, I'm able to stitch the images together in my recently acquired PhotoShop.

Do you think I should let the photo where it is or move it?

 
Don't worry about the background
If you can get the subject to come out with the right color balance, the background shouldn't be that hard to edit out.

 
I'd wait a bit
to see if others have some thoughts.

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