Ladybird Larva Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata
e6filmuser
Registered Users Posts: 3,378 Major grins
This apecies is sometimes found under Thea 22-punctata. It feeds on mildew.
The main purpose of this post is to show this unusual larva. However, it includes an account of a modification of one of my macro setups and the first uploaded image from it..
I first saw one in our garden yesterday (having occasionally seen adults in recent years). It was walking quickly around a tree stump. The cut surface was just above my head and there was a fair amount of clambering to get anywhere close to a shooting position. At no time was the head raised from this down position.
Yesterdayis morning, before the sun had reached them, I was looking for subjects on the Goldenrod which grows extensively around the base of the tree stump. I saw a parasitic wasp and decided that my Printing Nikkor setup, with FOV 17mm, would be perfect. I also took my Kiron 105mm.
By the time I got back with camera and lens the wasp had gone. However, a few minutes later, I framed what I thought was a plant hopper. It was another of these yellow and black larvae.
Sometime earlier yesterday I did something I had delayed doing. I inserted a 40-85mm helicoid into the extension. Giving me a FOV down to about 8mm. Having taken some frames with the Kiron 105mm, I swapped it for the fully-extended version of the Printing Nikkor 105mm macro setup, giving a frame FOV of about 8mm. For reasons in need not go into, involving various mounts, this at, maximum extension, allows my tripod mount and associated fill flash to move 55mm further from the camera, closer to the subject.
It was early in the morning and my hands were not as steady as they could have been, so I used a stout cane as a monopod to support my front hand. There was no wind but I still found it very challenging to obtain and maintain focus. The only frame I am content to upload it’s the one here. I am sure the images with this extended setup can be improved with practice.
This larva had an amazing trick. It is not unusual to see an insect you are photographing suddenly dive around the edge of the leaf or petal. This one did it several times, always instantly, with no movement seen. Once it did this, disappering from the middle of the upper surface of the leaf and appearing, facing the other way, in the middle of the under surface.
The images of the larva on the leaf (second image Kiron 105mm, third image extended Printing Nikkor 105mm setup, FOV 8mm) have not been cropped. The one on the tree trunk (Kiron) has.
Harold
The main purpose of this post is to show this unusual larva. However, it includes an account of a modification of one of my macro setups and the first uploaded image from it..
I first saw one in our garden yesterday (having occasionally seen adults in recent years). It was walking quickly around a tree stump. The cut surface was just above my head and there was a fair amount of clambering to get anywhere close to a shooting position. At no time was the head raised from this down position.
Yesterdayis morning, before the sun had reached them, I was looking for subjects on the Goldenrod which grows extensively around the base of the tree stump. I saw a parasitic wasp and decided that my Printing Nikkor setup, with FOV 17mm, would be perfect. I also took my Kiron 105mm.
By the time I got back with camera and lens the wasp had gone. However, a few minutes later, I framed what I thought was a plant hopper. It was another of these yellow and black larvae.
Sometime earlier yesterday I did something I had delayed doing. I inserted a 40-85mm helicoid into the extension. Giving me a FOV down to about 8mm. Having taken some frames with the Kiron 105mm, I swapped it for the fully-extended version of the Printing Nikkor 105mm macro setup, giving a frame FOV of about 8mm. For reasons in need not go into, involving various mounts, this at, maximum extension, allows my tripod mount and associated fill flash to move 55mm further from the camera, closer to the subject.
It was early in the morning and my hands were not as steady as they could have been, so I used a stout cane as a monopod to support my front hand. There was no wind but I still found it very challenging to obtain and maintain focus. The only frame I am content to upload it’s the one here. I am sure the images with this extended setup can be improved with practice.
This larva had an amazing trick. It is not unusual to see an insect you are photographing suddenly dive around the edge of the leaf or petal. This one did it several times, always instantly, with no movement seen. Once it did this, disappering from the middle of the upper surface of the leaf and appearing, facing the other way, in the middle of the under surface.
The images of the larva on the leaf (second image Kiron 105mm, third image extended Printing Nikkor 105mm setup, FOV 8mm) have not been cropped. The one on the tree trunk (Kiron) has.
Harold
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Comments
Brian v.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/
http://www.lordv.smugmug.com/
Thanks, Brian.
It has you doubting your own powers of observation.
Harold
They now seem to be finding me.
The part of the garden furthest from the house is managed to encourage wildlife and we don't use pesticides in any part of the garden.
Harold