[Anupam Basu]

If your problem is specular reflections, a light tent -- a diffuser around the subject, not around the flash -- is the classical solution.

Dan, you are right. My problem is indeed specular reflections. But I can't figure out a way to put a light tent around insects in the field, as in this shot, for example.

The other thing I have been trying is cross polarized flash, but so far my results have been miserable - need to experiment a bit more with it to figure out what the problem might be.

-Anupam