Male Scorpionfly Panorpa communis
e6filmuser
Registered Users Posts: 3,379 Major grins
The Scorpionfly could be described as being on my “bucket list”, a long-held ambition to photograph one well.
I have had some previous encounters, usually with the insect being so evasive that I was unable to frame it. Last year I did get some images of one on a woodland floor but it kept moving away when I tried to get some more-aesthetic images.
These are possibly the most difficult of British flying insects to photograph. They fly away as soon as they detect your approach. This was what happened the previous day, when I found one on pre-flowering goldenrod. Some report that they will drop to the ground but I have not seen this.
This one, on culinary currant bushes, kept flying away to a nearby leaf but each time I got in a shot or two.
The stinger-like tail organ is harmless, bearing the external genitalia, but a captured male will use it to mimic a sting, striking at its captor, if it is captured.
I have called this species P. communis but cannot be sure that it is not P. germanica, the species being difficult to identify.
EM-1, Kiron 105mm f16, twin flash, 1/250 ISO 800.
Harold
I have had some previous encounters, usually with the insect being so evasive that I was unable to frame it. Last year I did get some images of one on a woodland floor but it kept moving away when I tried to get some more-aesthetic images.
These are possibly the most difficult of British flying insects to photograph. They fly away as soon as they detect your approach. This was what happened the previous day, when I found one on pre-flowering goldenrod. Some report that they will drop to the ground but I have not seen this.
This one, on culinary currant bushes, kept flying away to a nearby leaf but each time I got in a shot or two.
The stinger-like tail organ is harmless, bearing the external genitalia, but a captured male will use it to mimic a sting, striking at its captor, if it is captured.
I have called this species P. communis but cannot be sure that it is not P. germanica, the species being difficult to identify.
EM-1, Kiron 105mm f16, twin flash, 1/250 ISO 800.
Harold
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Comments
Brian V.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/
http://www.lordv.smugmug.com/
Thanks, Brian.
Unfortunately, the head-on shots were just OOF so I couldn't use them. Today is another day and I have something to look forward to. I suppose I should try for a stereo pair too. This individual (plus maybe others) seems to be resident.
Harold
Thanks. Your suggestion could have come sooner and saved me a lot of trouble!
Harold
Mission accomplished. I have the head shots & stereo, possibly of a different species. To be posted this week.
Harold