Strategies for approaching flightly insects

Nature Talk
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With Spring in full swing in New York I have been trying to take pictures of all of the new winged insects flying around. However, I’ve been having mixed success as I only have an iphone to work with and need to get quite close to be able to get decent photos. Even when I’m super careful and patient with approaching I seem to get detected and the insect flies away before I can even get a single photo. :(

Is there any tips or advice for approaching these insects (especially the flies) without them getting spooked?

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  • Go out early in the morning, when it’s cooler out. There may be less insects, but they will be much slower. Some bees will spend the night on or under a flower or leaf, and they don’t move much until the sun warms them a little.
  • Avoid jerky movements.
  • As you move, don’t let your shadow fall across them.That will spook them.
  • Start taking photos sooner. You can take more/better photos as you get closer. But if it flies away, at least you’ll have something you might be able to crop to get an identifiable photo. And if not, no harm done.
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You should really try this tip cause it really works!

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Follow the them! I’ve found that many times, insects like to hang out in a certain area. Especially when it’s colder out and insects slow down, it shouldn’t be too hard to track them down.

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I’ve noticed that lots of flies like to return to the same perch, so if you sit quietly there and focus on the leaf tip or flower or whatever, you may get another chance to get a couple of shots.

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