Insect Profiles: Your Macro Photo Compass for Buzzing & Humming
What is this page about?
This page is your hub for insect profiles. Here you’ll find a collection of field observations, accompanied by detailed macro photography. Each photo offers a glimpse into a microcosm that is often overlooked. Alongside the images, you’ll get short, easy-to-read profiles with key facts about each insect.
Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, hobby photographer, or simply curious – these insect profiles are a compass that shows just how fascinating the tiniest inhabitants of our world really are.
Braconid Wasps (Braconidae)
Braconid wasps are slender members of the order Hymenoptera. Their bodies are narrow with a distinct "wasp waist" and long, multi-segmented antennae. The wings are usually transparent with a…
Why insects and macro photography?
Macro photography reveals what usually escapes us in daily life: the delicate wing structures of a dragonfly, the pollen hairs of a bee, or the intricate patterns on a butterfly’s wings.
The mix of insect knowledge and photography not only brings you beautiful images but also explains why these creatures are so vital for us.
Example:
- A photo of a bumblebee on a fruit blossom is more than just a pretty picture – it also shows its role as a pollinator.
- A dung beetle in autumn, captured up close, looks like a tiny soil worker – and makes clear how important it is for soil health.
Key facts about the insect world
- 75% of our cultivated crops depend on pollinators, though they account for only about 35% of global food production.
- According to the Krefeld study, the biomass of flying insects dropped by up to 82% in midsummer between 1989 and 2016.
- Main causes identified in scientific literature include intensive farming (including pesticides), habitat loss, climate change, and light pollution – even though the Krefeld study itself did not prove specific causes.
- Insects are active year-round – from the first bumblebee buzz in spring to winter gnats in the cold season.
Why insects matter
Pollination
Without bees, bumblebees, and butterflies, there would be no apples, tomatoes, or berries.
Pest control
Ladybugs and lacewings keep aphids in check – no chemicals needed.
Soil health
Beetles and woodlice turn dead plant material into fertile humus.
Food source
Many animals, such as birds and bats, depend on insects for food.
Insect decline – and why it happens
- Monocultures → Less flower diversity
- Pesticides → Decline of many species
- Sealed surfaces → Loss of habitat
- Light pollution → Disorientation and exhaustion
- Climate change → Shifts in flowering seasons
- Extreme weather → Nests and larvae destroyed
Your gateway into the microcosm
The insect profiles on Wildenatur.com combine nature knowledge with macro photography, making the small world of six-legged creatures accessible to everyone.
Discover details you would never normally see, and learn why every buzz and hum is part of a bigger whole: our shared habitat.