Yesterday the crop sprayer arrived to give the barley a seeing to. It was a big new machine and soon got the job done.
All computer controlled so no waste as it knows the shape of the field and where to spray and where not to. It also works out the fastest way to get the job done. Amazes me but I was talking to the driver and he explained it has to see the sky for a GPS signal and yesterday he was running near a row of trees and the machine stopped and refused to move. He had to phone up to get instructions on how to over-ride the computer. Instructions he couldn’t understand so they had to send a consultant out. No such problems here the job was Braw. I think that means good in Fifeish. I won’t give you the antonym but it is similar the world over.
This morning I checked on the Puss Moth larva and the little one is missing but the big one is fine.
The big pink thing is the end of my index finger. I hold a bit of the leaf and rest the camera on my arm. I don't know how much a 1Ds, ring flash and MP-E lens weighs but it feels like 20kg after a while.
I have been trying to get some fly shots for several days. There are some wonderful picture wing flies but they won’t stay still long enough for a snap. This hoverfly is not much better but I got a shot of it upside down yesterday and after a good thirty minutes I got it the right way up today.
This is a Hoverfly and a large one; Volucella pelluceus. There is a very similar drone fly but it has a hairier and more pointed bum. These aren’t as sharp as they could be but he’s blasted fast, I don’t think my chances of a head on shot are very good.
Another Hoverfly yet to be identified. There were dozens of these out this morning but none in the mood to pose for a high magnification shoot.
These two are don’t knows. The latter I have seen all week and again it is far too fast for me. It is a stunning lime green and about an inch long.
Ringlet Butterfly, the female is top and the male the bottom image. Thank you once again TREVOR.
I’ll leave you with a bit of Arty-Farty.
Have fun.
I really need to take the 75-300 lens of my camera one day...and go macro-ing.
ReplyDeleteR.Mac, it's fun and saves an awful lot of walking.
DeleteLove the butterflies and the last arty shot.
ReplyDeleteThanks Margaret.
DeleteGreat set of shots Adrian. Love that satellite driven machine. When I worked in the Cotton Industry they were doing similar things with their pest control too. He seems to be driving over the top of the barley though?
ReplyDeleteCarol, he is driving through it. All the machines do the first one in makes tram lines and the others follow them. Not much choice really unless you spray from an aircraft.
DeleteNice shots Adrian.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ian.
DeleteNice bugs Adrian and the arty shot is great. Funny that no matter how smart they make machines they still have no common sense!
ReplyDeleteGillian, they have much in common with our government.
DeleteThat sprayer is some piece of machine. Cost a bit too I should think.
ReplyDeleteLove the Puss Moth caterpillar shots.
Keith, it's an interesting thing to watch. I will have a look what they cost but it won't be cheap.
DeleteI'm Just hoping the birds don't eat the caterpillar.
Beautifully images of the caterpillar, and the farm wheeler.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bob.
DeleteSelf controlled sprayers, self driving cars.... Now if we could just get a functioning congress here in the colonies... Great pictures, Adrian!
ReplyDeleteBill, I suspect you wish for the impossible.
DeleteNice shots- the second one is awesome!
ReplyDeleteTerri, I enjoy a bit of colour popping now and then.
DeleteWow - great shots of the fly!
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda.
DeleteThat's a great bit of kit to do the spraying, on contract ?
ReplyDeletepeter
Yes Peter, they come round ever few weeks have a look then send the sprayer if necessary.
DeleteI like the first picture with the green field. Personally I'm not so keen about mini monsters (they scare me!), but your insect photos keep reminding me of adverts I've seen about a photo exhibition going on at one of our art museums this summer, with that title (Minimonsters). So I just looked it up to check out the photographer and here's a link to his webpage: http://www.johnhallmen.se/2015/5/21/studio-stack-cuckoo-wasp. You might enjoy them! ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link Monica. He is in a different league to me but I enjoyed his Flickr pages. It's something to aspire to.
DeleteThe Puss Moth larvae looks almost alien in appearance. That tractors GPS sounds a nightmare
ReplyDeleteDouglas, the company also contract plough and cultivate and the chap said loss of GPS signal is a problem with those machines. He can move the sprayer but it has to know what and how much it has sprayed so won't start spraying again till it's re-set.
DeleteExcellent shots as always Adrian. Ringlets have just appeared down here in good numbers.
ReplyDeleteAdam, it is still a bit early for butterflies here. It will be interesting to see how many appear a bit later in the season.
DeleteYou've found some very attractive flies. Gps is used in agriculture here. It's flat and not trees only a few sloughs. They use air seeders no till.
ReplyDeleteRed, yes I've seen pictures of your air drills. I have seen them in Lincolnshire but the fields here are all hilly and far from regular so for the most part its cultivated by eye.
DeleteYou are romping with those fly shots!
ReplyDeleteALOHA
ComfortSpiral
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Cloudia, thanks but romping sounds a bit athletic. More a crawl is what I do.
DeleteI bet that guy was quite content and having a good day, sitting in his nice little bubble with the air con and surround sound turned up to full power, letting the computer do all the work....until those trees scuppered his little plan?
ReplyDeleteI like that Puss Moth larva...looks a bit scary close up though!
Nice set of 'flies'... Looking at the diffuse wing stigma and the dark lower half of the middle tibia on the hind leg of the first 'unknown' one, I'll plump for it being one of the bee mimic hoverflies...Eristalis arbustrum
Not much help with the other one, I'm afraid, but check out Chrysogaster solstitialis ??
And the 'lime green one'...a Green Sawfly Rhogogaster viridis. ...[;o)
Trevor, thanks for the IDs.
DeleteThe crop sprayer driver is not a fan of the modern sprayers or the combines. He says he learnt to drive them properly. They are always in a rush as they can't spray when it's raining or very windy.
That sprayer thingy is quite ... well I don't know quite what ... impressive, I guess.
ReplyDeleteImpressed me John but it's as well to keep up wind of it.
DeleteIn the fourth picture, the blurry pink thing in the background does not look like an index finger! It looks more like a cocktail sausage to me.
ReplyDeleteYP, my finger is perfect, almost perfect.
DeleteBuena seria Adrian. Me gusta más la mariposa que la mosca ;)
ReplyDeleteVolveré en unos dÃas .
Un abrazo.
Laura, que tiene unas buenas vacaciones. No recibimos muchas mariposas aquÃ.
DeleteBarley and greens are so beautiful on your picture #1.
ReplyDeleteLike a silk carpet.
Kovacs, the barley is fine I am hoping for many more photographs. I love the way the light changes on it.
Delete