In March and April last year, I noticed many tiny insects in our garden that I had never really seen before. It wasn’t that they were new. I had simply never taken the time to look closely. At this time of year, the birds visit our garden less often. As a result, I start looking for other wildlife to photograph. Once I slowed down and started paying attention, I discovered a whole world of tiny insects living right under my nose.
This year the same thing is happening again. While photographing the honeybees and bumblebees in the garden, I began seeing these small hovering insects once more. This post is about one of them – the melangyna novaezelandiae hoverfly.
A Tiny but Beautiful Hoverfly
The melangyna novaezelandiae hoverfly is extremely small. Adults usually grow to only 9–12 mm long. Because they are so tiny, they are easy to miss. Often they look like a small blur in the air, much like a mosquito flying past. However, once you photograph them, you realise just how beautiful they are.
One of their most impressive abilities is their flight. A melangyna novaezelandiae hoverfly can hover perfectly still in the air. Then, in a split second, it darts off in another direction. Their flight is surprisingly similar to that of a hummingbird. Because they move so quickly, photographing them can be difficult. Unless they pause briefly on a plant or flower, the camera often struggles to lock focus.
Learning to See Them First
Over time, I have learned an important lesson when photographing tiny insects. Train your eyes before relying on the camera. Instead of immediately trying to photograph them, I first sit quietly and watch.
After a few minutes, I start to notice their patterns. Soon I can predict where they might fly next. Once I can follow them with my eyes, I bring the camera up and begin shooting. I also make sure that animal tracking is turned on. This helps the camera maintain focus when the hoverfly suddenly takes off.
Capturing the Hoverfly on Camera
All the images in this post were taken while I was watching honeybees in the garden. While sitting there, I noticed a small movement on the pavers below me. When I looked closer, I saw a melangyna novaezelandiae hoverfly exploring the tiny weeds growing between the paving stones.
At the time, I was using my large bird lens. Surprisingly, it works very well for photographing small insects. At full extension, the lens allows me to capture very small subjects while keeping a comfortable distance. The lens can focus from 1.3 metres, which still allows for great detail.
The PDAF autofocus system on my Lumix G9II was also able to detect and track the tiny hoverfly. Even with such a small subject, it managed to keep focus as the insect moved around the weeds.
Discovering Tiny Wildlife in Your Garden
One of the best things about garden wildlife photography is discovering how much life exists in a small space. Creatures like the melangyna novaezelandiae hoverfly are easy to overlook. Yet once you start looking for them, they become fascinating subjects to photograph. By slowing down and observing carefully, you may discover an entire miniature world living right in your garden.
Creatures like the melangyna novaezelandiae hoverfly are easy to overlook. Yet once you start looking for them, they become fascinating subjects to photograph. By slowing down and observing carefully, you may discover an entire miniature world living right in your garden.
All the images in this post were taken using my Lumix G9II and Panasonic Leica 100-400 lens. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to contact me through my website, or follow along on Facebook or Instagram.