ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Thursday 8 August 2013

I’M COMMON (08/08/13)

Nearly everything I stumble across is common. The Common this and the Common that. I’ve not much to show for today, I found a beetle with an orange head but the only picture I got was soft, very soft in fact I would go so far as to say completely out of focus. I was moving it gently to a better place when it fell off my hand and I couldn’t find the little devil again.

There were plenty of darters about but they were very skittish. On the edge of the wood I found this beauty.

_V0G7478   It’s a Common Hawker and so big that I couldn’t fit it in.

_V0G7504   I’ve no idea what these are but they are Bobby Dazzlers and feeding on Common Reed.

That’s all for today.

37 comments:

  1. Look in the mirror of your common camper van and you should see a common criminal - commonly thought to have performed uncommon actions on Clapham Common with Kris Commons. Sorry this is a common comment because I am merely a commoner. Or as the French might say - Comment?

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. YP. I heard you the first time. No need to repeat yourself.

      Delete
    2. YP, no need to delete comments either. The more the merrier.

      Delete
  3. HI Adrian Great close ups. the first one's head and body are so in focus that they look like ceramic. Glad you are happy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Margaret, the light at this time of year doesn't favor landscape photography. These are keeping me entertained. Depth of field even at f8 is only about 4mm. My hands shake 4mm. I was happy to find it even if it's the Common one.

      Delete
  4. heerlijke foto,s zowel de libelle als de rupsen.klasse.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nic wat betekent rupsen clas betekenen? Ze zijn rupsen. Heb het nu.
    U moet beschikken over honderden in Nederland.
    Ik herinner rupsen clas. Het is veel beter dan caterpillar

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think the caterpillars are of the Knot Grass moth. Or at least that was the conclusion I came to when I saw something similar on Skye last year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So did I Mark but they are feeding on the wrong plant. T'internet is a bit lacking..botanists and certainly bottomists prefer to publish hard copy. Shame on them. It's not quite the same though as it has the pattern repeated on it's back. The Knot Grass Moth caterpillar has more regular yellow/red black. These are more dash white red dot dash white.
      How is John? He knows all this stuff backwards.

      Delete
    2. Mark they are, the link you provided was spot on. I hope Common Reed doesn't harm them.

      Delete
  7. Adrian, that last one looks like a grub similar to what we have here and call witchety grubs (obviously not their scientific name).

    You may have stumbled on a whole new species and they will name it after you ~ Hairy Bobby Dazzler Adrianus :).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Carol, it's a baby butterfly or moth twice removed. They then transform themselves into a crystalice or some such. Then they come out, fly a bit, bonk, and lay eggs. The eggs hatch and these pop out.
      At your age I'd have thought you had been told the facts of life.

      Witchety Grub...I'll be blowed....It's much more complicated than that.
      I'm an expert.

      Delete
  8. The "COMMON" Hawker has got it, he is superb, and I agree with Mark, Knot Grass moth.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Bob, he was drying his wings so was easy. I've got brambled as I had to lean over them to get the picture. I thought it was the Knot Grass Moth Caterpillar. My book says it eats mint, these were chopping reeds. I'll see if Wikipedia has a page ....I'll edit it and quote you and Mark as the expert sources.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I've taken to looking up a few of these insects as you post pictures. Obviously I'm in kindergarten but hoping to graduate to first grade soon so I can be in the same class with Carol. Sorry Carol if I have underestimated your knowledge in this area. Please blame Adrian. :)

    The wiki article told me a some stuff about darters after I finally got past the fish on Google. The article said darters ambush their prey but didn't say what their prey is...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. David, I don't want blaming for anything.
      They eat other insects.

      Delete
    2. I guess that means I'm going to have to take responsibility for my own action. *sigh* I didn't think anyone had to do that anymore.

      Delete
    3. Personally I only take responsibility and own up when caught red handed.

      Delete
  11. I dont know what they are common or not , but they make good photos.


    peter.............another common name.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peter, they take some finding unless they move. I'm going to try using a polarising filter. I suspect it may help with lifting detail in their eyes.

      Delete
  12. Hi Adrian... I hate when I see the word COMMON as a prefix!!
    I think they need to remove it from all that wear it!! I'm serious one of my pet peeves!!!
    Like why can't he just be a Haw,haw,hawker,...sorry had something in my throat!! : ) "rant done ..thanks for the platform"!!
    Cracking shot (as Keith would say) on that first one , his eyes are amazing!!

    Not common "just amazing"
    Grace

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Grace you are welcome to the platform. They are very photogenic.

      Delete
  13. I really like the last photo as you hardly ever see anything like that. Now I know what it looks like in my garden when plants mysteriously get eaten.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Red, it is strange that moth caterpillars are usually quite exciting and colourful but generally grow into drab creatures Butterfly caterpillars are usually plain by comparison.

      Delete
  14. And what's wrong with common? Being common has seen me through sixty odd years!...I like common..I'm used to it!

    Excellent images of the Upper Class Hawker and those High Class Knot Grass Caterpillars!!...[;o)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Trevor, nothing is wrong with common. I like that the Upper Class Hawker. I'm glad I found it before it got on the move. Half an hour later it was zooming up and down the side of the wood.

      Delete
  15. Macro lens working well Adrian.

    ReplyDelete
  16. John, I like the Canon 100mm macro. I've got some extension tubes coming for it. So that should show up my deficient technique.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah. Haven't tried extension tubes since my 35mm SLR days. Should be taxing to get any depth of field with them.

      Delete
    2. It will be John but I'll give it a go. I borrowed one a month or so ago and used it on the 400mm lens. That was quite successful. I suspect that some of the stunning macros are focus stacked and the subjects are dead. I'm not prepared to kill for the sake of an image.

      Delete
  17. Que buenos detalles...Hoy los "pillates" muy bien ;)
    Buen fin de semana.
    Un abrazo

    ReplyDelete
  18. Soy demasiado viejo para Pillates. Tengo problemas de pie después de tomar estas fotografías.
    Un buen fin de semana para tu.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I see you're having fun with your 100mm? I'm enjoying mine; the 60mm is still in the shop, but the 100mm is still sharp as ever; and I see it in your shots, that is if you used it. Very sharp! Or is this the 65mm you own?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maria, it's the 100mm at f11. It's a good lens.

      Delete
  20. Sorry but I've nothing to say that hasn't already been said.

    ReplyDelete