25 Januari 2012

Bug snaps will give you creeps

Tree Hopper
Beast ... black bug
NICOLAS REUSENS / CATERS NEWS

IT looks like a Doctor Who baddie - but this is actually a monster close-up of a bug.

Amateur photographer Nicolas Reusens has taken hundreds of macro images of insects across the world over the past three years.

And the results are enough to give anyone the creeps.

Claw blimey ... on leaf
Claw blimey ... on leaf
NICOLAS REUSENS / CATERS NEWS

In one image a wasp appears to be staring down the cameras lens menacingly, his black and yellow markings standing out between his horn-like antenna.

Another shows an Amazon Moth's piercing and scaled green eye protruding from his feathered fur.

Hairy ... insect
Hairy ... insect
NICOLAS REUSENS / CATERS NEWS

Prickly ... tiny creature
Prickly ... tiny creature
NICOLAS REUSENS / CATERS NEWS

While one shows the oily complexion of a Tiger Beetle feasting on a leaf in Nicolas' studio.

The 36-year-old Spaniard had to stay awake 24 hours to snare one species of wild bug he desperately wanted to add to his collection.

Who nose where they lurk ... yellow bug's 'beak'
Who nose where they lurk ... yellow bug's 'beak'
NICOLAS REUSENS / CATERS NEWS

Eyes can see you ... quad-eyed creepy crawly
Eyes can see you ... quad-eyed creepy crawly
NICOLAS REUSENS / CATERS NEWS

Each shot takes him between 20 and a staggering 200 frames to compose through a complex process named stacking.

Nicolas has visited a host of countries in his quest to picture as many known species of insect as possible - taking in Peru, Costa Rica, Malaysia, the Amazon and South Africa.

Army of them ... this one had long limbs
Army of them ... this one had long limbs
NICOLAS REUSENS / CATERS NEWS

Afraid of the dark ... black beasty
Afraid of the dark ... black beasty
NICOLAS REUSENS / CATERS NEWS

He said: "For some of the images I had to hide for hours on end to wait for the insect to come along. Some I spent all night searching for them.

"With the studio ones it is very difficult to keep an insect still. You have to have a lot of patience.

Big headed ... super nano snap
Big headed ... super nano snap
NICOLAS REUSENS / CATERS NEWS

The eyes have it ... this gets our vote
The eyes have it ... this gets our vote
NICOLAS REUSENS / CATERS NEWS

"People's reactions on seeing them are always good.

"People use terms like amazing, breathtaking and beautiful, but you can always improve."

Plant you a biggun' ... bug on leaf
Plant you a biggun' ... bug on leaf
NICOLAS REUSENS / CATERS NEWS

Bea careful ... black and gold
Bea careful ... black and gold
NICOLAS REUSENS / CATERS NEWS

Nicolas only started collecting the snaps three years ago: He went on:"I only started three years ago. I've always had a sharp eye for nature and been fascinated by insects.

"I collected ants, moths and other insects in matchboxes, so my hobby is just a progression from that.

"I guess you cold call me a perfectionist or maybe even a freak - I'm that obsessed by them."

Claw joking ... could one of these be under your bed?
Claw joking ... could one of these be under your bed?

DUIT