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Birch Shieldbug with Parasite Eggs
e6filmuser
Registered Users Posts: 3,378 Major grins
I had just given up finding macro subjects, with light rain just starting, when I glanced down at a plant. I saw what looked like a rather small individual of the common Green Shield-bug. But it was very small (ca 10mm) and had reddish markings. It also had some white blobs on its thorax.
It was a Birch Shieldbug Elasmostethus interstinctus, carrying five eggs of a tachinid fly parasite. The parasite is likely to be a Phasia species.
Although I was aware that most insects have their parasites, I did not know of this relationship, or that the eggs would be placed so prominently, and I was slow to realise what the white objects were as I kept taking photographs.
It was fairly active, constantly walking around, often on the bottom of a leaf. Finally, it climbed up a very whippy grass stem, which moved around a great deal in the slight breeze, such that focusing was very tricky. Anyway, it gave me a nice ventral view.
The stereo is crosseye.
http://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/phasia-hemiptera
Olympus EM-1, Kiron 105mm at f16, twin RC TTL flash, hand-held.
Harold
It was a Birch Shieldbug Elasmostethus interstinctus, carrying five eggs of a tachinid fly parasite. The parasite is likely to be a Phasia species.
Although I was aware that most insects have their parasites, I did not know of this relationship, or that the eggs would be placed so prominently, and I was slow to realise what the white objects were as I kept taking photographs.
It was fairly active, constantly walking around, often on the bottom of a leaf. Finally, it climbed up a very whippy grass stem, which moved around a great deal in the slight breeze, such that focusing was very tricky. Anyway, it gave me a nice ventral view.
The stereo is crosseye.
http://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/phasia-hemiptera
Olympus EM-1, Kiron 105mm at f16, twin RC TTL flash, hand-held.
Harold
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Brian v.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/
http://www.lordv.smugmug.com/
Thanks, Gents.
I have seen lots of shield-bugs, over many years but this is the first and what a first! :ivar
I may have equalled the record of five eggs, judging from a quick Google search.
It was one of the more active of the shield-bugs I have photographed. Maybe it had something on its mind.
The next task is to check back on the developing bug (genus?) eggs I have been photographing, most already black yesterday.
Harold
Paul.
Link to my personal website: http://www.pauliddon.co.uk
Thanks, Paul.
At first glance I though the white blobs were pattern markings.
Harold
I have a few things Brian hasn't seen, reflecting the great variety and richness out there and my backround with the tiny wingless ones, mushrooms, etc. Likewise, Brian finds things I do not.
All my images, including RAW files, are backed up in two removable, external disk drives. Some older images may be revisited, now that I have Camera RAW with this version of Photoshop.
The better images are currently uploaded on three independent websites, leaving three chances of retrieval if I lose originals.
Harold