Bug

 

I went to Brockholes in Lancashire last week for a spot of wildlife photography as that is something I have not done much of lately. Unfortunately the weather conditions were shocking to begin with but as I had to pay for parking I wasn't going to leave without something. So between downpours I had a lovely time walking around the reserve and while there was not a lot of birdlife to photograph I decided to concentrate on bugs and managed to get a few decent images so all in all I had a productive day.

I have lots more images to go through but today I have also been out taking photos at the Hoylake Sand Yacht Regatta and i need to edit a few pics for the Sand yacht  club page so I will put the bugs on hold for a little while.

Making a Difference

 I have been busy with my camera recently which has been nice after a bit of a break and this weekend I have shot 1300 images. Initially for the star trails (see previous post) and then at the Rhyl Air Show and it was my intention to share a few images from the air show today but I realised I still have a few good shots from Sizergh to post and while I will come back to them after I have posted some shots of planes I decided to first go for these bees.

The reason for this choice is because today we gave my grandson a book that was written and illustrated by my very talented niece, all about a bee who felt unimportant. It is a little reminder that just like the bee we are all important and have something to give, we can all make a difference in our own unique way.

Plus I really liked the bold colours and the fine detail in these shots which have a really summery feel. 

Polydrusus formosus

 

This is a green immigrant leaf weevil.  It was very difficult to photograph because it was so small and moving very quickly along the garden wall.

It is a pest really and has potential to cause damage to emerging leaves and  blossoms so not really a welcome visitor to the garden but it is quite interesting with really vibrant colouring. As you can see from the second image which is a close crop of the carapace the colouring is actually a series of very fine dotted lines (you probably have to zoom in a bit) each dot like a little green jewel.

It is hard to get a true sense of scale when these are enlarged but if you use the grains of sand in the mortar as a guide you will get some idea of how tiny this thing is.

Hitching a Ride

 So today I have decided to hold off with Bluebells and share something different.

These shots were taken using my 100mm macro lens.

The first shot is a pair of Alder Leaf Beetles, full of the joys of spring I guess. I had some less "raunchy" pics but they were a bit fuzzy because there was quite a strong breeze that was constantly moving the tree so it was hard to get a decent shot so rather than posting a fuzzy pic I went for this indecent one instead.

The beetle in the next two images is another leaf beetle, I am not sure whether it is a dead nettle leaf beetle or a brassy leaf beetle, I am thinking it is the brassy variety but I wouldn't swear to that so I will leave that to the better informed to decide. Of course it may be neither of these two varieties as there are several different leaf beetles that are found in the UK. They were busily munching on the leaves and going about their beetle business. In the second image if you look closely you can see the detail of its compound eye. I really like the iridescent green.  

Waterfall

 Here are four more images from my brief visit to the Black Forest in November, as I said in a previous post I had gone to see the famous Triberg Waterfall but it was closed due to adverse conditions. However that disappointment did not stop me enjoying the forest or limit my opportunity to find great photographic subjects.

The theme for today is falling water even if the pictures do not show a waterfall; in the first picture the reverse of the leaf has a jewelled coating of raindrops that reflect the little light that was creeping through the trees. I have increased the depth of the shadows to highlight the glistening droplets. This was shot using my 100-400mm lens and perhaps the focus is not as sharp as I would have hoped but nevertheless I think it is an effective image.

For the next three images I switched to my 100mm macro lens and got really close up to capture the raindrops clinging to the branches, several times I missed the shot as the droplets fell before the shutter closed. The light was fairly poor and I had no flash so I could not capture the falling droplets which is a shame but even so I think these shots look pretty cool.

I particularly like the last image, I used a small torch to illuminate the droplet from below, I took three different shots of this droplet, the first two to capture the inverted reflection of a pine tree  but of the three shots I preferred this one that highlights the shape and structure of the droplet.
 

Look at those fangs...

 Now I know that most people to varying degrees dislike spiders and would rather not look at them too closely, and while am among those people who would jump if I saw one running across the floor in my living room or creeping up the wall in my bedroom I am weirdly drawn to look closely when I spot them in my garden. And when I spot a specimen like this one I cannot resist getting my camera and getting a few shots.

I love the colouring of this European garden spider that was sitting patiently at the centre of its dew covered web waiting for its next meal. Given the position of the web I couldn't get a shot of the spider's back but these shots nicely show the underside and its legs, and if you look closely (go on, I dare you) you can see its fangs. I am sure they could give a nip to your finger but just think what they can do to a fly or moth. 

Plume Moth

This is a variety of Plume Moth, or Platyptilia. There are lots of different varieties so I won't pretend I know exactly which it is. All I know is that it was the one that was taking a break on the dining room wall.

Looking at those wings you might wonder how it is able to generate enough lift to actually fly but what you cannot see is that the full wings are folded underneath and when they are extended in flight they have the sort of profile that you would expect to see.

A Very Hungry Caterpillar

 

This is the caterpillar of the Grey dagger moth, it was one of several that were making a meal of our small willow tree.

The gets its name from the black dagger like markings on its dusty grey wings, but the caterpillar as you can see is very brightly coloured with a striking red and yellow colour scheme and a dramatic black hump a short way along its back.

This is a fairly common species and can be seen munching on leaves through the summer months from July to October before they find shelter under loose bark or in rotten wood in November where they overwinter as pupae before emerging in spring as a moth.

A Small Dusty Wave

 I very much doubt that when you saw the title of this post  you thought that I was referring to a moth but that is exactly what you have got.

The Small Dusty Wave is a small European moth, varieties of this moth are found across Europe from Moscow in the east to Spain and the Mediterranean, even as far south as Morocco and Tunisia (so it is not limited to Europe). They are quite common in England and Wales, they are found in the east of Scotland only and they are rare in Ireland.

Small and dusty is a good description, this specimen has a wingspan of just 17mm typically they are between 19 -21mm and it would be easy to miss it laying flat against the wall of my house.

It was easy enough to get the shot from above but getting the face on shots was quite tricky simply because it was pressed so flat against the wall it was hard to get a good angle. You can see that I used a very narrow field of view thanks to my Canon 100mm Macro lens.

In The Air

I wonder whether you could tell from this first image what the subject of the photo is, those filaments emanating from that mysterious centrepiece, perhaps thread on a spool...?

It is only when you step back and see the object from a distance that it is really obvious what it is, a dandelion seed. Not the whole seed head but a single seed, all fluffed up and floating in the air.

 I took several pictures trying different settings, to try to get the lighting right and also to get a sharp image. It was actually quite difficult and I would say dangerous even trying to get these shots. Dangerous you might ask? and How did you manage to capture this seed in mid air?

Well although it appears to be floating it was actually suspended by a single strand of gossamer and hanging above the stairs in my home. If you look carefully in the final image you can just barely make out the thread of spider's silk but it is not visible in the other images at all. 

To get these shots I used my 100mm macro lens and using a very fast shutter speed and my ring flash I was able to compensate for the fact that I was holding my camera one handed as I used my other hand to support myself against the beam above the stairs while leaning out and standing on one leg. Did I look stupid as I did this? probably. Would I have got any sympathy from my family if I had fallen and hurt myself in the process? Probably not. Was it worth the effort? I should let you be the judge of that but in my humble opinion I would say "yes, definitely".

Hoppers

 

A few more macro images from my walk on the heath in the New Forest.

It was a hot, sunny day and the air was filled with the buzzing sound of bees gathering nectar or pollen from the heather and gorse so I paused from time to time to try and capture some images of the industrious bees. But while I was trying to follow the bees at work I was also drawn to the sound of the grasshoppers all around. 

It was quite frustrating trying to spot them though, they were pretty small, and with their clever colouring I found it almost impossible to spot them, in fact I needed the assistance of my son who was on the trip with me.

If you zoom in you will see that they have really interesting eyes, you can also see the incredibly powerful legs they use to get out of the way of predators. I think they are pretty cool.

You Know When You've Been Tangoed

 This is Tango, a truly beautiful Leopard Gecko and another member of my daughter in law's menagerie. This was my first attempt at photographing her and it was harder than I expected. I couldn't use a flash because that would startle her and as she was so flighty I would have preferred a much faster shutter speed to get the clearest image. However I think she is stunning and always appears to be smiling. Those eyes too are really cool.

Although I didn't manage to get many shots I did get the chance to sit in her playpen and I felt like we had bonded as she climbed up my arms and looked deep into my eyes. Hopefully next time I visit with my camera she will sit still a little longer so I can get some more pictures.

And now for a final treat...

This is an Armadillium klugi or clown isopod. It is rather like a woodlouse but much more regal with its shiny back and bright spots. As babies they are white and the colours develop as they grow.

Salem

 I have been asked to stop posting spiders because they're just too creepy, so after today there will only be one more post and  then I will focus on some other macro images that I know you will like.

I do have a couple of shots of a larger specimen but she got stage fright so I couldn't her best side and I have skipped those images to share these pictures of Salem a Grammostola pulchra or Brazilian Black. Of all the spiders I photographed this is the one that gave me the biggest chills but surprisingly enough this was the one I got closest to. With all of the others I moved myself into various positions to get the best angles and the best shots but when it came to Salem I actually reached out and moved the open container without thinking what I was doing, my hand just an inch or two from the little beast. When it dawned on me what I had done I was a little freaked out and I am not sure I would do it again. 

So while you are enjoying these photos (which I hope you are) remember I got close, so you don't have to...

Prince Zuko

Today's handsome specimen is a Brachypelma boehmei a native of Mexico it is also known as a Mexican Fire Leg. They normally live in dry scrubland and like to dig burrows in sandy soil. Although they look really creepy this spider sat very calmly, posing for the photo shoot. They do move really quickly when a meal walks by and just thinking about that sends a shiver down my spine. The spider has an interesting defence mechanism too, when startled or threatened they "urticate" , that means they can eject the bristles from their abdomen towards any attacker, they are barbed and the bristles will embed themselves in the skin or eyes and cause serious irritation so beware!

This one is called Zuko and is named after Prince Zuko a character from The Last Airbender. Zuko is a fire bender so the name is quite apt.
 

Tika

 Did you see my post yesterday? If not take a minute to check it out because it will make you see spiders in a different light.

The little jumping spiders yesterday were super cute and barely the size of an average finger nail. Unlike today's specimen which was one of the larger spiders I photographed.

This is Tika, a Brachypelma hamorii or Mexican red knee. I forget its actual dimensions but it was definitely large and spectacular. I will readily admit that as the lid was taken off its habitat I  was more than a little nervous. As you can see it was high on the glass side and I was certain it would start to creep out and then I am not sure what I would have done. I was reassured that compared to some of the other species in my daughter-in-laws' collection Tika is quite slow so I would have time to escape if necessary. As it was with a little gentle encouragement Tika climbed down and posed quietly as I snapped away. 

I did get pretty close and I am blown away by the detail and by the vivid colours. 

They still creep me out but I am captivated by the exotic beauty.

Cute mini beast

 I haven't posted any photos lately despite having had a couple of days out. I haven't really got round to sorting through the pictures I took but hopefully I will soon get some time  to process them and then share the best ones.

Today however I finally got to do something I have been planning to do for ages but due to Covid restrictions I have not had the opportunity to do and that is go and do a photo shoot of some of my daughter-in-law's collection of spiders. She has 27 tarantulas if you can believe that, 27!!!

Now I do not like spiders, at all, and I am grateful that in my house it is not me who has to remove them when they become a nuisance (which is whenever they appear). I once did a presentation about spiders to a youth group, thinking that if I understood more about spiders then I wouldn't be so afraid of them, guess what, it didn't work. The more I knew the  more I realised it made sense to be afraid...

Despite that I do find them fascinating and extremely photogenic and the opportunity to get up close and take some macro photos of a few of the species in the collection was something I didn't want to pass up. There were some species that I definitely did not want to get close to because they are very fast and extremely poisonous but the ones that I will share with you were a little more easy going. I even surprised myself by moving the containers to get closer, without thinking about just how close my hand came to the venomous beasts. 

Anyway I have decided to share some of the cutest pictures today. Meet Pebbles and Jasper. These are two Phiddipus regius or Regal Jumping Spiders. They are just too cute with their whiskers and 8 shiny black eyes. 

They are also ridiculously small, so these images are cropped to get up really close. Pebbles is the largest of the two and I have included the full image of Jasper with his owners hand in the shot to give you a true sense of just how small he is.

I have some more shots of Pebbles to share but I will save them for another day and before I get back to them I will share some images of some of the larger species so come back for more if you dare.

Slowly Does It...

I am not really sure what to say about these snails. In the garden they are a pest because they can be so destructive but in "the wild" they are something else. They are an important part of the eco-system and they are really cool when you look closely at them.

My favourite image is the last one, I like the lighting and the overall composition. What I also like is the fact that it is a tiny snail, no bigger than my little fingernail, but despite its diminutive size it was making short work as it munched its way through the leaf.