Theme Challenge - INSECTS

[Cassel]

 

The theme for March is INSECTS.

Insects are all around us, from the buzzing bees in the garden to the delicate butterflies fluttering through the air. Whether they are helpful pollinators, fascinating creatures with unique patterns, or even pesky bugs that sneak into our homes, insects are a part of our everyday world. Do you have photos of insects in nature, at a butterfly exhibit, or maybe a fun childhood memory chasing fireflies? If not, you can always tell a story and use stock images, illustrations, or themed embellishments like bees, ladybugs, or dragonflies to bring your layout to life.

Remember, you can also share older layouts you’ve already made—you don’t have to create a brand new one!

Let's get creative!

Let's go!

Post your project in the gallery.

[Corrie Kinkel]

Recently Anna Aspnes was retiring a lot of her older products and had those on sale with a big discount and I bought just a small kit and in this kit was a butterfly and  lovely backgrounds and elements. With this month's theme I had to try to make a layout in Affinity and I used one of my own butterfly photos and put it inside the frame from the kit. Then I had to use a pin from my stash to "hang" the frame on. The font I used is called My Butterfly and has lovely swatches and although I have found a way to use some I couldn't figure out how to use others. There is so much to learn.......

[Julie Magerka]

  On 3/1/2025 at 10:59 PM, Corrie Kinkel said:

Recently Anna Aspnes was retiring a lot of her older products and had those on sale with a big discount and I bought just a small kit and in this kit was a butterfly and  lovely backgrounds and elements. With this month's theme I had to try to make a layout in Affinity and I used one of my own butterfly photos and put it inside the frame from the kit. Then I had to use a pin from my stash to "hang" the frame on. The font I used is called My Butterfly and has lovely swatches and although I have found a way to use some I couldn't figure out how to use others. There is so much to learn.......

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Oh yeah, I saw her sale! Good markdowns. You did justice to her elements.

[Cassel]

Several years ago, the kids called me outside as they found a huge butterfly. It was my first encounter with a Luna Moth. Unlike most moths, this one is quite colorful. I noticed that the moth was on the ground, and our cat was about to pounce on it. I grabbed it and it kind of hopped on my sweater and crawled on my face. It was likely injured, but it ended up flying away (and we brought the cat inside, to give it a chance).

This moth has a life span of about one week.

[Sue Thomas]

Many of you will know that one of my passions is the wonderful world of insects. I observe, macro photograph,  document and showcase them. Here is one I previously did.

Edited March 2 by Sue Thomas

[Corrie Kinkel]

Sue you know so much about insects and I wonder if you could help me. I took this photo when I was in California in the end of April last year and I have no clue what it is, I think it is a beetle but I'm not sure. It was rather big, a couple of centimeters. I searched a bit on line but couldn't find anything similar. I don't think it is rare it was just in the front garden, but my granddaughter who is always interested in everything living said she hadn't seen it before.

[Anne Lamp]

  On 3/1/2025 at 11:37 PM, Cassel said:

Several years ago, the kids called me outside as they found a huge butterfly. It was my first encounter with a Luna Moth. Unlike most moths, this one is quite colorful. I noticed that the moth was on the ground, and our cat was about to pounce on it. I grabbed it and it kind of hopped on my sweater and crawled on my face. It was likely injured, but it ended up flying away (and we brought the cat inside, to give it a chance).

This moth has a life span of about one week.

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Nice picks of the moth, I have never seen one of these. I bet that tickled crawling on your face.

[Sue Thomas]

  On 3/2/2025 at 3:58 PM, Corrie Kinkel said:

Sue you know so much about insects and I wonder if you could help me. I took this photo when I was in California in the end of April last year and I have no clue what it is, I think it is a beetle but I'm not sure. It was rather big, a couple of centimeters. I searched a bit on line but couldn't find anything similar. I don't think it is rare it was just in the front garden, but my granddaughter who is always interested in everything living said she hadn't seen it before.

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What a great capture Corrie, it is not a beetle of any kind. At first glance, and after reading your  comment on its  size, it is a bumble bee. My guess  is that it is possibly a  carpenter   bee, or a species of black bee.  I hasten to add, that they are completely harmless, unless  unduly provoked. 

[Corrie Kinkel]

  On 3/2/2025 at 8:30 PM, Sue Thomas said:

What a great capture Corrie, it is not a beetle of any kind. At first glance, and after reading your  comment on its  size, it is a bumble bee. My guess  is that it is possibly a  carpenter   bee, or a species of black bee.  I hasten to add, that they are completely harmless, unless  unduly provoked. 

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Thank you, now I finally know what this creature is. It was quietly sitting in the citrus tree and we could take a good look at it. 

[Sue Thomas]

I often use masks to blend two, or three photos together. Here I used two photos.  Mind you it makes it a dawdle  when I take this technique into account when taking photos.  Shadows, etc.  It also helps when the insects are within the same vacinity. (Macro photography)

Edited March 3 by Sue Thomas

[Sue Thomas]

Another technique I like to use.  This is a Ladybird larvae. Ladybirds go through 4 stages, 5 if you incluse the adult stage.  (Macro Photography)

[Susan Ewart]

  On 3/1/2025 at 11:37 PM, Cassel said:

Several years ago, the kids called me outside as they found a huge butterfly. It was my first encounter with a Luna Moth. Unlike most moths, this one is quite colorful. I noticed that the moth was on the ground, and our cat was about to pounce on it. I grabbed it and it kind of hopped on my sweater and crawled on my face. It was likely injured, but it ended up flying away (and we brought the cat inside, to give it a chance).

This moth has a life span of about one week.

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Wow, I've never seen one of these, it's really breathtaking

[Michele]

  On 3/3/2025 at 1:51 PM, Sue Thomas said:

Another technique I like to use.  This is a Ladybird larvae. Ladybirds go through 4 stages, 5 if you incluse the adult stage.  (Macro Photography)

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What kind of critters are the little black round things on the leaf?

[Sue Thomas]

  On 3/3/2025 at 2:26 PM, Michele said:

What kind of critters are the little black round things on the leaf?

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They are aphids. The North American Ladybirds predominately lay their eggs on the Kochia plant (also known as the tumbleweed, which rolls across the North American landscape during the winter). Their diet consists of aphids.  A gardeners best friend. 

Edited March 3 by Sue Thomas

[Sue Thomas]

This afternoon's project for the insect challenge. I can remember seeing a layout quite some time ago, and have been wanting to replicate my own, in other words scarp lifting. Using vectors, I created a template first.  I chose an insect which  is out of the ordinary for most yet common, that would't be posted on here. Again, my own macro photo.  A plain layout.

Edited March 3 by Sue Thomas

[Corrie Kinkel]

@Sue Thomas Instead of commenting on all your layouts one by one, I just want to say they all look stunning and of course they are in your so unique style. It learns me a lot of insects that I don't know and most of them aren't living in my part of the world, or when they do it is often another variety.

[Anja Pelzer]

I found some photos with Humblebees. Picture tube by Cassel and paper my own

[kasany]

My work based on Our Fractal Garden /https://ourfractalgarden.blogspot.com/ /where I was working with fractals of my friends in the past. BTW, I know spider is not an insect but it is visible in the darden very often so excuse my mistake.

[Julie Magerka]

  On 3/5/2025 at 12:51 AM, Anja Pelzer said:

I found some photos with Humblebees. Picture tube by Cassel and paper my own

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Love all those little bees hovering around. I can almost hear the buzzing!

[Susan Ewart]

  On 3/11/2025 at 2:22 PM, kasany said:

My work based on Our Fractal Garden /https://ourfractalgarden.blogspot.com/ /where I was working with fractals of my friends in the past. BTW, I know spider is not an insect but it is visible in the darden very often so excuse my mistake.

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these are really cool Kasany.  I LOVE the bee.  And that middle butterfly!

[Susan Ewart]

  On 3/3/2025 at 10:19 PM, Sue Thomas said:

This afternoon's project for the insect challenge. I can remember seeing a layout quite some time ago, and have been wanting to replicate my own, in other words scarp lifting. Using vectors, I created a template first.  I chose an insect which  is out of the ordinary for most yet common, that would't be posted on here. Again, my own macro photo.  A plain layout.

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This little guy is so cute.  He(she?) looks like he's hyped up on caffeine and ready to rumble

[Susan Ewart]

  On 3/3/2025 at 2:26 PM, Michele said:

What kind of critters are the little black round things on the leaf?

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It also looks like an ant, at the stem, is coming to the party too!  Mother Nature using a complementary color scheme too! It's neat to get this up close look at something most of us dont even see or realize is there.