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

Sunday 19 April 2015

DEAD AND ALIVE. (19/04/15)

Yesterday started with a frost but soon turned into a glorious , windless day. As I returned from our first walk I found this poor departed fly.

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_V0G8038    This is a Yellow Dung Fly; Scathophaga stercoraria. If you click the image you will see that behind it’s wing and above it’s back leg it has, as all flies do, a stick with a bobble on. This is the balancer and takes the place of the second wing to stabilise the fly in flight. It shows up quite well here.

After lunch I went out looking for some living insects.

_V0G8058    The first wasp I’ve seen this year. Vespula vulgaris. I missed it’s eyes but it wasn’t being very cooperative.

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_V0G8047     A Flesh Fly; Sarcophega carnaria. This was very settled.

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_V0G8054      This is another first for me this year. The Red-tailed Bumblebee; Bombus lapidarius. I got more insects than I bargained for here as it is infested with mites; horrible little spider type creatures. I have noticed several bumblebees similarly afflicted but I can’t see there is much to be done about it.

Things are looking better. These are all common creatures but there is a bit more variety about as the weather warms up.

_V0G8039     The red ring highlights the balancer.

Have a really good week.

 

28 comments:

  1. Eh, I cannot comment .....ha ...but if you see these ....I congratulate your magnificent macros, Adrian :)

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    1. Thank you Daliana. I can't stop taking macro at the moment.

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  2. I was just thinking you are right into macro at the moment. Are you still at your sister's? Perhaps there are lots of flies because of the horses?

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    1. Carol, yes I'm still in horse land. There are lots of insects everywhere but I'm not finding anything special.

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  3. Your ability to find and photograph these tiny critters is remarkable.

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    1. John, I still working on the technique. They aren't hard to find on warm days.

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  4. Amazing photos, Adrian. Not sure i liked the dead dung fly, though. And I missed the stick with the bobble.

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    1. Frances, I have popped a red highlight around the balancer, the stick with the bobble on.

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  5. What can I say, it is glorious Adrian.

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    1. Bob, they are attractive little beasts.

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  6. The mites are amazing! I can't believe that on a little bee there would be so many other insects. I'm ashamed to admit that he millimeter scale is now making much more sense.

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    1. Red, I find that size and colour are half the battle with identification.

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  7. I have nothing but admiration for the quality of your macros. I'm astounded by the detail of the bumble bee with the mites.

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    1. Graham, despite five shots this was the clearest of the mites. You can just about discern their legs. Bees are a problem as they rarely stay still.

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  8. It is a pity that men don't also have balancers under our armpits to assist safe ambulation homewards after a skinful in "The Dog and Duck".

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    1. YP, there were times when a balancer would have come in handy. Sadly those days are long gone for me.

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    2. Muy interesante tu reportaje, además es muy curioso e impresionante verlos a esta escala. Muy buen trabajo.
      Saludos.

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    3. Gracias Manuel. Me parecen interesantes y hermosos.

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  9. It's great to see so many tiny details on your little subjects. They really are amazing works of art.

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    1. Pauline, it is great for me as I can't see the detail until I get them on the computer.

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  10. Great, as always. When the hoverflies come out they are usually co-operative; not when hovering but when resting still for ages.

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  11. John. The hoverflies are always worth a picture or ten. I am looking forward to finding some interesting beetles.

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  12. amazing to see all the pollen, the insects in this way are sweet and cute, the one on the white background are dead? I hope are not dead

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    1. Laura, all the insects are alive with the exception of the Dung Fly which was dead on the path when I found it. I don't chill or kill insects for macro. It's not fair.

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  13. Fascinating macro work Adrian. The insect world is really coming alive right now.

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    1. Adam, everything is springing to life. I enjoy winter but enjoy spring for what I missed.

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  14. Wow! Amazing captures...my first visit here. I intend to come back though, and see what else you show us.

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    1. Thank you Maria. It's not always macro but It has got a bit of a habit lately.

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