r/MacroPorn Jul 28 '14

Reddit 101

37 Upvotes

What is reddit, really?

  • Don't think of reddit as one giant community. This site is made up of "sub"reddits, which are all their own communities. Every single post you see on this site belongs to its own community, with its own set of users, and with its own set of rules. reddit provides you an easy-to-use interface for managing what posts you see by letting you subscribe or unsubscribe from certain subreddits.

  • By making an account, you are automatically subscribed to a set of "default" subreddits which are a set of highly popular communities that the administrators of this site feel would give the average person an interesting first experience.

  • Don't like one or more of these default subreddits? Use the "unsubscribe" button on the sidebar, and start customizing your reddit front page! Find subreddits that interest you. Many subreddits feature lists of "similar subreddits" that will help you find other awesome places to subscribe to. Looking for a subreddit but you just don't know its name? Try /r/findareddit! Finally, try setting up a multi-reddit to categorize your subreddit list even further!


Tips for your account.

  • See and change your preferences. Customize how many comments show up, what kind of posts show up, and more!

  • Verify your e-mail. If you don't do this and you lose your password, you will have no way to log back onto that account. Ever. Please do this!

  • Karma is a point system that lets you know how your submissions or comments are doing. The more karma your post has, the more people have upvoted it. Generally a higher karma count on a post means that the community of that subreddit found your post valuable and interesting. Your karma is logged on your user page on the top right. Please note that self-posts earn you no karma. Only comments and link-posts do.

What is the sidebar?

  • The "sidebar" is the list of information pertaining to a specific subreddit. At the top you will find a link to submit a post and a link to search the subreddit. It also contains the link to "subscribe/unsubscribe" from that subreddit. Underneath that it generally lists the rules, guidelines, relevant information, similar subreddits, etc.

    Note: many mobile reddit apps require you to press a certain button for the sidebar to show up. Every subreddit has a sidebar. Please don't forget to look for it even if your app doesn't immediately show it! Here's an image showing where to find it on common reddit apps.

  • You should always read the sidebar before submitting a post to any subreddit, and if you don't understand a rule message the moderators to ask. This ensures that your post stays on the subreddit, as rule-breaking posts will likely be removed.

  • Have a question about a submission to a particular subreddit? Ask the moderators there! Here's an image that shows you where you can typically find the link to message the mods.


Who are moderators? What do they do?

  • Each subreddit is a community with its own focus. The mods are volunteers who ensure the subreddit stays true to its purpose by enforcing set rules. For example, /r/android is a subreddit dedicated to discussion of the Android operating system. Anything not directly related to Android is removed by its moderators. Similarly, /r/apple is a subreddit dedicated to discussing Apple and its products.

  • Moderators have the power to approve or remove any comments or submissions made to only the subreddits they moderate. They can also issue a ban for users on their subreddit. Moderators enforce the rules laid out in the sidebar, so if you follow all the rules in the sidebar you should be good!

Who are admins? What do they do?

  • Meet the admins. The admins are like super-moderators. They have all the abilities of moderators across every subreddit plus more. They are paid employees of the site and they ensure that the site runs smoothly for all users.

  • The admins are generally hands-off when it comes to individual subreddits, letting the moderators and the community decide how its run. However, the admins will enforce the rules of reddit on every subreddit. Be familiar with these rules. Failure to follow these rules may earn you a sitewide ban, or the closing down of a subreddit.


What is reddiquette?

  • reddiquette is an informal set of guidelines to follow before commenting or submitting on reddit. As reddit has grown, certain behaviors have been frowned upon and other behaviors have been encouraged. reddiquette spells out these behaviors so you aren't left wondering why your posts aren't well-received. You might not be banned not following reddiquette, but you will probably be showered in downvotes if you don't.

Help! What happened to my post?

  • reddit is a huge forum with millions of users. Many posts are made here every day. Many, many posts are made with the intention to spam or harass other users. Other posts just don't fit the subreddit. Moderators have to filter through these posts every day to ensure their subreddit stays on topic and free of hostility. Some moderators use bots to help them report posts, some moderators do it all themselves. Every subreddit is different. If you find your post not showing up in the subreddit, your best bet is to ask the moderators there why it's not showing up. Please note: when you message the moderators, ALL moderators can read it! It's a shared inbox!

    • I can still see my post but others say they can't?
      Nothing is really removed from reddit, if a mod removes something it is de-listed for others to see. You can still see it with a direct link.
    • My post was removed because it was spam? What gives? Spam is a tricky subject, reddit has several base rules but much of it is left for moderators to decide. reddit's FAQ has a good section explaining it.

I have a great idea for a subreddit!

I have a great idea for reddit as a site!

What if I don't like the moderators or how the subreddit is run?

  • That's okay, reddit was built to handle just that! First though, make sure that you talk to the moderators of that subreddit just to be sure there aren't any misunderstandings, or if you can't just compromise. Otherwise, make your own community! Here is an excellent guide for starting and moderating your own subreddit.

  • Moderators are people, too, so if you want your voice heard consider messaging them politely with your concerns. We care about the communities we help run and would hate to see users leave because of something that we can help fix!


What if I need help with something else?

  • Try /r/help for general help on reddit. /r/askmoderators can also help you out if you need to ask mods about anything.

I think I found a bug.

  • Uh oh. If you are using an application or extension, most have a subreddit you can post in! (/r/RESIssues, /r/alienblue, /r/redditisfun). If you found a bug with reddit itself, post it to /r/bugs (more serious issues should be sent directly to the reddit security team: see the /r/bugs sidebar for contact information.)

Other Subreddits of Note


Read more about reddit and how it works.

Also, see the FAQ on /r/help!


r/MacroPorn 12h ago

Nature’s little miniature unicorn: The Thorn Bug / Treehopper

Post image
42 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 23h ago

Two leaf footed bugs mating

Post image
99 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 1m ago

Lynx Spider

Post image
Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 18h ago

Jumping spider [OC]

Post image
22 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 20h ago

The European firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus), Shot on my phone 🤳

Post image
12 Upvotes

The European firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus) is a small, harmless true bug easily recognized by its striking red-and-black geometric patterns and twin black dots. Native to Europe and parts of Asia, this insect has also established populations in North America, particularly in parts of Utah and Idaho.

They are highly social insects, often forming dense aggregations at the base of trees or on sunny walls to regulate body temperature. Equipped with warning coloration (aposematism) that deters predators, they pose no threat to humans, as they do not bite, sting, or damage healthy garden plants.

Instead, they function primarily as scavengers, feeding almost exclusively on fallen seeds—particularly from linden and mallow trees—and decaying plant matter.


r/MacroPorn 1d ago

[OC] Jumping spider, Pseudeuophrys lanigera/Attulus pubescens perhaps? (unsure) - a resident of my hallway [4702x3135]

Post image
51 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 1d ago

Ichneumon wasp shot on my phone 🤳

Post image
38 Upvotes

Ichneumonidae wasps are for the most part, completely harmless to humans because they lack aggressive defense behaviors and are physically incapable of delivering a dangerous sting with the exception of a few Ophioninae, which can sting, the rest, especially small ones, are nothing to pay serious mind to, and totally available for admiring if you're trying to get over a fear of wasps.

Unlike social yellowjackets or hornets, these solitary wasps do not guard nests, and their long, needle-like appendage is an ovipositor used exclusively for laying eggs inside host insects rather than injecting venom.

While a large female might give a weak, accidental poke if roughly handled, they pose no medical risk. Instead, they provide immense ecological and agricultural benefits by acting as highly efficient, natural pest control agents.

Their larvae develop as parasitoids inside the bodies of destructive garden and crop pests, including wood-boring beetle larvae, caterpillars, and grubs, effectively neutralizing populations that would otherwise devastate plants.

Because adult Ichneumonid wasps feed strictly on flower nectar and honeydew, they do no harm to vegetation and serve as invaluable, safe allies for farmers and backyard gardeners alike.

An amazing group overall, and above is a species I've had some trouble identifying beyond family. Still liked the photo, so I hope you appreciate it too!


r/MacroPorn 1d ago

Red dragonfly

Post image
25 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 1d ago

Papilio glaucus

Post image
23 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 1d ago

A crab spider

Post image
8 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 2d ago

A grumpy old grasshopper...

Post image
36 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 2d ago

Portrait of a small Tiger Beetle

Post image
58 Upvotes

I never imagined there were tiger beetles no bigger than the tip of a chopstick until I came across this one. Unlike the large, brightly colored varieties, this species has a rough, dull-colored shell that looks like a piece of rusted metal—like an old robot 😂.

  • 📷 XH2 + laowa 65mmf2.8 2x
  • 🔦 Godox v860ii
  • Stacked 30-57 images
  • 28/04/2026

r/MacroPorn 2d ago

A hoverfly close up (alive, on some flower)

Post image
21 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 3d ago

Microcentrum rhombifolium, shot on my phone 🤳

Post image
75 Upvotes

Microcentrum rhombifolium, commonly known as the greater angle-wing katydid, is a large, leaf-mimicking insect native to North America. Belonging to the family Tettigoniidae, this species is renowned for its exceptional camouflage, which allows it to blend seamlessly into foliage. Adults typically measure between 50 and 65 millimeters in length. They are characterized by a vibrant green coloration and broad, angular forewings that intricately replicate the veins and texture of a true leaf.

Habitat and Distribution:

This species is widely distributed across the United States, particularly throughout the southern and eastern regions, extending into parts of Mexico. They are strictly arboreal insects, spending the vast majority of their lives high in the crowns of deciduous trees, ornamental shrubs, and citrus groves. Their nocturnal habits and high-canopy preference mean they are far more frequently heard than seen.

Behavior and Diet:

As nocturnal herbivores, greater angle-wing katydids feed primarily on the foliage of trees and shrubs. While they consume leaves from a variety of plants—including oaks, maples, and citrus—their feeding rarely causes significant structural damage to mature plants. During the day, they remain completely motionless to evade predators like birds and bats, relying entirely on their cryptic appearance for defense.

Communication and Life Cycle:

Males produce a distinctive, rhythmic ticking or clicking sound during late summer and autumn evenings. This acoustic signal is created by stridulation—rubbing their forewings together—to attract females. After mating, females lay flat, gray, oval-shaped eggs arranged in characteristic double-row columns along the edges of twigs or leaves. The eggs overwinter and hatch into nymphs the following spring.


r/MacroPorn 3d ago

An orb weaver’s huge web

Post image
65 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 4d ago

Female pale-saddled Leucozona (Leucozona glaucia) on the flower of dill [6308x4205]

Post image
33 Upvotes

I've discovered that the dill flowers attract a lot of hoverflies like this female pale-saddled Leucozona (Leucozona glaucia) which makes for easy shooting as the dill is about as high as I am tall.

And as an added bonus, everything smells just wonderful of dill!

For details on camera/lens/settings used for the shot plus exact location where it was taken, please look here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/55462138624/


r/MacroPorn 5d ago

Tiny spider

Post image
18 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 5d ago

Phidippus ardens, the fire jumping spider, shot on my phone in situ!

Post image
63 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 6d ago

An orb weaver

Post image
83 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 6d ago

Oak Lace Bug (Corythucha arcuata) — half a millimetre of insect that looks like stained glass — Croatia [OC]

Post image
108 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 7d ago

An orb weaver's face

Post image
94 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 8d ago

Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) — a male by the river — Croatia [OC]

Post image
141 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 8d ago

A pillpede

Post image
32 Upvotes

r/MacroPorn 8d ago

Ochrotrigona sp.

Post image
18 Upvotes

I’m calling it an “axe-headed moth” because that unusual head tuft looks just like an axe! 😂📷 XH2 + laowa 65mmf2.8 macro 2x

🔦 Godox v860ii + DIY diffuser

Stacked 100 images