Locust, Iridescent Flower

I was exploring a field of these tiny flowers through my macro lens when I spied this grasshopper sitting very still in the middle of a bloom. He tolerated my approach without moving, and I made several photographs of him before he crawled slowly and carefully to the back side of the flower.

For some reason, it bothers me that the grasshopper didn't hop away like I'd expected. There was something strange and wrong about being so close to such a volatile and athletic insect. When I look at this photograph, I'm reminded of a distinct sense of unease and wonder. I'm reminded that even in such delicate beauty, nature can be final, fickle, brutal.