February ends with my first insect sighting of the year. Well, that’s not quite true. I should say that February ends with my first outdoors insect sighting of the year. There are plenty of tiny flies that like to hop around on my computer screen when I am working in the dark!
 
Snow fleas have been on my list of things to seek out since I first read about them a few years ago, but actually getting down on my hands and knees to seek them out somehow slips my mind every year. This year would have been no different if they weren’t pointed out to me today. These flightless insects are about 2mm in length and from a standing position they look like indistinct black specks on the snow. Their movements are imperceptible unless one is intently looking directly at them.
 
In a great coincidence, today happened to be the first day I brought my macro lens out with me this year. I wasn’t conscious of the possibility of encountering snow fleas when I packed my macro lens. I don’t even know why I packed my macro lens at all! This photo is an almost 1:1 macro and an 80% crop, and it was taken handheld while resting the camera on my knees. It was the best out of about 40 shots.