Aquatic Eristalis Drone Fly Larva
e6filmuser
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In our garden there is a mains water-fed tub, used for watering garden plants. The turnover of water is such that it must completely change once a week. However, in order to save some unripe damsons, on a branch which snapped off a few days ago, we put the broken end in the tub water.
The water was a bit clouded and smelly and the insect fauna had changed. This is the first time I had seen Rat-Tailed Maggots in there. These are larvae of Eristalis hoverflies such a E. tenax the Drone-Fly. They have a telescopic snorkel, so that they can vary its length. They can browse with the tip of the snorkel breaking the surface film or dive much deeper.
Most published images of these larvae will have been taken through the glass of a small aquarium. Not having an immersible lens, I had to wait for them to twist and turn at the surface (with its reflection problems). I used twin flash on my EM-1 (manual mode) with my Kiron 105mm at f16. Hand-held.
Yes, you can see small mosquito larvae. There are also bloodworms, which are not shown.
I tried to get similar shots on other days but the results were disappointing.
Harold
The water was a bit clouded and smelly and the insect fauna had changed. This is the first time I had seen Rat-Tailed Maggots in there. These are larvae of Eristalis hoverflies such a E. tenax the Drone-Fly. They have a telescopic snorkel, so that they can vary its length. They can browse with the tip of the snorkel breaking the surface film or dive much deeper.
Most published images of these larvae will have been taken through the glass of a small aquarium. Not having an immersible lens, I had to wait for them to twist and turn at the surface (with its reflection problems). I used twin flash on my EM-1 (manual mode) with my Kiron 105mm at f16. Hand-held.
Yes, you can see small mosquito larvae. There are also bloodworms, which are not shown.
I tried to get similar shots on other days but the results were disappointing.
Harold
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Did you use poloriser ?
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Thanks.
No. I have used polarizers with daylight exposure but with flash is not one of my skills.
Getting highlights (daylight or flash) where the larva touches the surface film can be a hazard.
Harold
Brian v.
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A combination of luck and a very long session (at least half an hour and one of several).