Bugsnapz

12/27/2025

Golden-Eyed Shrub Frog! 🐸

Meet 𝘗𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘥𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴, the golden-eyed shrub frog - a species endemic to Sri Lanka! 🇱🇰 This beautiful little frog is part of the family Rhacophoridae and represents another gem in Sri Lanka's incredible endemic biodiversity. Found nowhere else on Earth!

📸 Olympus OMD em1 mark ii, 60mm Zuiko macro lens, & Godax V350o flash with diffuser

📌 Handheld single shot 🖐
cameras






©Thilina Hettiarachchi | TH

12/25/2025

🎄 Merry Christmas! 🎄

Christmas colors found in nature!

This tiny flightless grasshopper (𝘙𝘢𝘬𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘢), endemic to Sri Lanka, looks like it dressed up for the holidays! 😝😂 Swipe to see the original - nature's own Christmas decoration with those perfect festive red and green hues! 🎅🎁

Wishing all my followers a wonderful Christmas filled with joy, peace, and beautiful moments! May your day be as colorful as this little grasshopper! 🌟💚❤️

📸 Olympus OMD em1 mark ii, 60mm Zuiko macro lens, Raynox dcr 250 & Godax V350o flash with diffuser

📌 Handheld single shot 🖐



©Thilina Hettiarachchi | TH

12/22/2025

Time for a Teenie Tiny Parasitoid Wasp! 🔍⚡

Meet 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘴 sp. - a genus of parasitic wasps in the family Chalcididae!
Check out those prominent horn-like projections extending from the front of their heads! These tiny chalcids are parasitoids of flies.

What do you think of this tiny body builder? 👇

📸 Olympus OMD em1 mark ii, 60mm Zuiko macro lens, Raynox dcr 250 & Godax V350o flash with diffuser

📌 Handheld single shots 🖐
cameras






©Thilina Hettiarachchi | TH

11/18/2025

A Beautiful Katydid! 🦗🌸

Meet 𝘋𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢 (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878) - a stunning katydid with a tautonym (same genus and species name)!

The name comes from Latin dēflōro, meaning "to pluck flowers" or "past flowering" - likely referencing this insect's relationship with flowers. This is the first time I found them and now I know why they named it that way!

📸 Olympus OMD em1 mark ii, 60mm Zuiko macro lens, & Godax V350o flash with diffuser

©Thilina Hettiarachchi | TH

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRKW0e5EScn/?igsh=bGN1bTZlM21qYnFp

11/12/2025

Some Cool BEASTS!!!! ⚡

A collection of tiger beetle photos I've captured so far - from stunning adults to a fierce larva (final shot)!! Some are museum specimens, most captured in the field. Speed demons and ambush predators - absolute beasts! 💪

Which is your favorite? 👇

📸 Olympus OMD em1 mark ii, 60mm Zuiko macro lens, Raynox dcr 250 & Godax V350o flash with diffuser

📌 Handheld stacked shots 🖐

©Thilina Hettiarachchi | TH

https://www.instagram.com/p/DQ9sg-eESB3/?igsh=d2IxbGJjbm9oZGJq

11/12/2025

10/30/2025

MODEL OF THE DAY! 📸✨

Photoshoot with nature's coolest model - the Wandering Violin Mantis (𝘎𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘺𝘭𝘶𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴)!
This is just a juvenile - the adults are even MORE spectacular!

What do you think of this stunning model? 👇

📸 Olympus OMD em1 mark ii, 60mm Zuiko macro lens, Raynox dcr 250 & Godax V350o flash with diffuser

📌 Handheld single shots 🖐



©Thilina Hettiarachchi | TH

https://www.instagram.com/p/DQaJFWoEUeS/?igsh=MW0zZmp3MDlpN3VsZQ==

10/26/2025

Nature's Crime Scene! 🕷️🐝

Found this Ground Crab Spider (𝘟𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘴 sp.) years ago on a Prairie Crocus in Saskatoon - with THREE wild bee victims! 😱

Early spring flowers attract desperate pollinators, and this spider knew exactly where to wait. Brutal but fascinating!

📸 Olympus OMD em1 mark ii, 60mm Zuiko macro lens, Raynox dcr 250 & Godax V350o flash with diffuser

📌 Handheld stacked shot (34 shots) 🖐



©Thilina Hettiarachchi | TH

https://www.instagram.com/p/DQQh5kAjC9n/?igsh=ZWdneTBvNWNkY3Yz

10/17/2025

Sleepy Bee Alert! 💤🐝

Found this adorable male Dimorphic Leafcutter (𝘔𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘫𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘢) catching some Z's near my house during my Sri Lanka trip this year!

Have you ever spotted a sleeping bee? 👇

📸 Olympus OMD em1 mark ii, 60mm Zuiko macro lens, Raynox dcr 250 & Godax V350o flash with diffuser

📌 Handheld stacked shot (54 shots) 🖐



©Thilina Hettiarachchi | TH

10/09/2025

Meet 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘹𝘪𝘢 𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘴! 🌿✨

Check out this absolutely cool-looking tiny Cixiid planthopper I found during my Sri Lankan adventure!

This beauty is 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘹𝘪𝘢 𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘴 from the family Cixiidae! 🤯 (identified by Mr. WonGun Kim)

Have you ever spotted one of these before? 👇

📸 Olympus OMD em1 mark ii, 60mm Zuiko macro lens, Raynox dcr 250 & Godax V350o flash with diffuser

📌 Handheld single shot 🖐

©Thilina Hettiarachchi | TH

https://www.instagram.com/p/DPlrq_mjkez/?igsh=MWw4aXp0dnAxaXpjeA==

10/04/2025

Happy World Animal Day! 🌍✨

When we celebrate animals, the spotlight usually falls on the larger species. But today, I'm celebrating some of the most amazing creatures in the animal kingdom - arthropods!

These incredible insects often go unnoticed, yet they make up over 80% of all animal species on Earth! They deserve their moment too.

Here are some of my favorite shots of these tiny wonders:

1. Brown Wasp Mantidfly (𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘢)
2. Big Sand Tiger Beetle (𝘊𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘢)
3. Seven-spotted Lady Beetle (𝘊𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘢)
4. 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘦
5. Tricolored Bumble Bee (𝘉𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴)
6. Larva of tiger beetle sp.
7. Dark-veined Longhorn Bee (𝘔𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘴)
8. Short-horned Cellophane Bee
9. 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘺𝘴𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴 sp.
10. Brown Wasp Mantidfly (𝘊. 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘢)
11. 𝘊𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘨𝘪𝘥𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘨𝘪𝘥𝘢 (museum specimen)
12. Jagged Ambush Bug (𝘗𝘩𝘺𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘢) feeding on 𝘛𝘰𝘹𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴
13. Brown Wasp Mantidfly (𝘊. 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘢)
14. Mating pair of Black-spined Bladetail (𝘔𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘴)
15. Jagged Ambush Bug (𝘗𝘩𝘺𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘢) feeding on a Slender-faced Masked Bee
16. 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘺𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘰𝘴𝘢 (museum specimen)
17. 𝘗𝘶𝘭𝘤𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘺𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘴
18. Bronzed Tiger Beetle (𝘊𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢)
19. Boreal Chorus Frog (𝘗𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘢)
20. Me

Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments! 👇

📸 Olympus OMD em1 mark ii, 60mm Zuiko macro lens, Raynox dcr 250 & Godax V350o flash with diffuser


©Thilina Hettiarachchi | TH

https://www.instagram.com/bugsnapz?igsh=MzR0NHR0aWUwZzN6

10/04/2025

Colorful Froghopper Alert! 🐸✨

Meet 𝘙𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢 cf. 𝘣𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘳 - a stunning spittlebug (family Cercopidae) first described from Sri Lanka in 1891! 🇱🇰

Check out that unusual color and those intricate black vein patterns on the tegmina tips - nature's perfect artwork! 🎨

How amazing is nature's color palette?

Kuruwita, Sri Lanka 🇱🇰

📸 Olympus OMD em1 mark ii, 60mm Zuiko macro lens, Raynox dcr 250 & Godax V350o flash with diffuser

📌 Handheld single shots 🖐

©Thilina Hettiarachchi | TH

https://www.instagram.com/p/DPUStIXEfE3/?igsh=MXF4dGw1cnJpZmZxaA==