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

Wednesday 13 July 2016

HOW LONG. (13/07/16)

I must be very slow. I have been taking macro for years and using the MP-E 65mm lens for half that time and only this morning thought to increase the ISO so as to get a background to show.  I have used an extra flash unit to achieve the same effect but it makes the whole caboodle too cumbersome.

I got far too many pictures this morning but though I’m pleased with them I missed the two snaps I really wanted. The first was a Longhorned Beetle on Hogweed it fell into the undergrowth never to be seen again and the second was a Lacewing on Hawthorn which flew away. I’ll be keeping my eye out for them.

I’ll start with a study of a couple of Ringlet Butterflies that were still fast asleep when I spotted them._V0G0119

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I mislaid the second one and was just about to use some special words when I looked at the hand supporting the camera and there it was.

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Ringlet Butterfly, Amphautopus hyperautus.

The next little beast is the micro moth Orange Spot Piercer Pammene aurana. I took a snap yesterday but managed some better ones today, they don’t always have orange spots as I suspect the spots fade to white as they get older.

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This is one of the appeals of macro photography; it doesn’t seem to matter how much better the shots get there is always so much room for improvement.

The next few flies are ones I can’t identify I think they are all the same species. The first I found sheltering for the night under a Hogweed umbrel. It does look very strange.

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It looks like an ex-fly but it flew so was still lively enough. I think it landed next door on Sticky Willow or Goosegrass.

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Since getting back to the van I’m not at all sure this is the same fly. They are so small that it’s impossible to be positive.

That’s all for today. I have some bigger, more colourful flies to post but they can wait a day.

20 comments:

  1. Do butterflies always sleep with their eyes open? Just asking. Lovely photos.

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    1. Frances, all insects do as they don't have eyelids. I have seen them cleaning their eyes with their feet.

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  2. In the 7th photo, the insect looks like something out of science fiction, a robot of some kind. Incredible.

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    1. Marie, I have another shot of it I'll see if it looks any better.

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  3. Is that a another new hat you've got Adrian...butterfly wakeruperer?

    I think your first mystery fly could be a Snake Fly...check out Atlantoraphidia maculicollis

    The other two are Dance Flies...Bicellaria vana...[;o)

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    1. Trevor, many thanks. I'll try and get some more photographs as there were several sleeping under the Hogweed umbrel. It looks an impressive beast stretched out.
      I never thought of looking for dance flies. The hump is pretty distinctive.
      Butterflies were fast asleep this morning, not for long when I got there.

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  4. Some great shots of the insects Adrian, see if you can get a shot of the Theresa May Fly.

    peter

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  5. Wow!! Amazing macro photography Adrian.

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    1. Thanks Lynda, Illike taking them, I just wish I knew more about insects.

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  6. Those first three potos are spectacular.

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    1. John, early morning tends to work best but the only problem is finding them.

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  7. Modern cameras can withstand a pretty high ISO.

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    1. John, I am still in film mode and tend to regard 800 as about the limit. These are shot at twice that but i see problems in the out of focus background. It's not a problem but it does mean taking more time over sharpening.

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  8. The fly that Trevor thinks is a Snake fly looks quite bizarre. The world of macro is fascinating.

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    1. Graham, incomprehensible is how I see it. I walk a couple of miles most days and at this time of the year it takes about three hours.

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  9. Really like the level of detail on the butterfly

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    1. Douglas, this lens is a bit too macro for butterflies. It can get close if the subject is half asleep.

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