Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

[art frames]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Another from the summer in France


Geranium Bronze - Cacyreus marshalli - France by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

A tiny and lovely butterfly - the Geranium Bronze is spreading north from Africa with Geraniums as a food plant. Some examples have been carried with plants that have been imported.

This was on a Geranium in a window box outside of a busy restaurant. they all thought I was taking pictures of the restaurant and people - as if!

[art frames]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

And this is an example of pretty effective camouflage and also not bad subject isolation at f5.6

The butterfly is a Great Banded Grayling. We don't get them in the UK but I saw hundreds in France. Usually I am excited to see one or two. So an exceptional year.


Great Banded Grayling - Brintesia circe - France by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

[Harold Gough]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Excellent addition to the previous set. Very close and all hand-held. A great success. I am just at the planting stage of a new garden. Lot's more places to try out macro work - next year.

Peter,

Thanks.

For insects to photograph, I recommend Wild Carrot and Goldenrod, both in sunny positions.

Harold

[Harold Gough]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Woodland Dor Beetle

Towards the end of a recent fungus foray, a lot of these were seen on the ground. Unfortunately, I was unfamiliar with the extensive forest and had to keep up with the group. I would like to have experimented with angles of lighting but had little time. These beetles are very shiny and have a purple sheen in daylight. This one was quite active but paused to allow a few shots.

It seems that you have to examine the underside to confirm the species. However, this seems to be the only British one mainly found in woodland so I am fairly sure it is the Woodland Dor Anoplotrupes stercorosus.

EM-1, Kiron 105, f16, twin TTL flash, hand-held.

Harold

[bredman]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Pete, A nice set.



Perhaps a Long-winged Conehead?

Harold

Thanks Harold, yes, there's a healthy colony on a nearby reserve.


Some recent darter shots

Partial Obelisk Pose Common Darter

A Beautiful Summer's Evening*


Mono Dragon*


Double Barbed Wire Darter*

[Harold Gough]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Red Velvet Mite

These mites are seen occasionally on plants or on concrete, brick, etc. in sunshine. They are red/orange. Being very active, it is usually difficult to get good images.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombidium_holosericeum

I had two separate encounters this month, with one on a twig and with another on a leaf.

These two were a little less active than some and I even managed a crosseye stereo.

EM-1, Schneider HM40 plus iron x1.4, f16, twin TTL flash, hand-held.

Harold

[art frames]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Thanks Harold, yes, there's a healthy colony on a nearby reserve.


Some recent darter shots

Partial Obelisk Pose Common Darter

A Beautiful Summer's Evening*


Mono Dragon*


Double Barbed Wire Darter*

Well done with these Pete. As always you bring light and a feeling of life with the images.

I have seen there are a lot about this year, unfortunately have been tied to the house for three weeks but hope the sun shines next week and will try my luck on the last of the dragons.

I am sure you have a thing about barbed wire!

[art frames]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Red Velvet Mite

These mites are seen occasionally on plants or on concrete, brick, etc. in sunshine. They are red/orange. Being very active, it is usually difficult to get good images.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombidium_holosericeum

I had two separate encounters this month, with one on a twig and with another on a leaf.

These two were a little less active than some and I even managed a crosseye stereo.

EM-1, Kiron 105, f16, twin TTL flash, hand-held.

Harold

Very nice. Lovely velvet texture and detail on these Harold and I am impressed with the size as they are such tiny things.

[Harold Gough]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Very nice. Lovely velvet texture and detail on these Harold and I am impressed with the size as they are such tiny things.

Thanks, Peter.

I have just corrected my lens data, before the price of Kiron 105s goes through the roof!

Harold

[bredman]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Well done with these Pete. As always you bring light and a feeling of life with the images.

I have seen there are a lot about this year, unfortunately have been tied to the house for three weeks but hope the sun shines next week and will try my luck on the last of the dragons.

I am sure you have a thing about barbed wire!

Thanks Peter. It was a poor start for them round these parts. Another cool start to summer halted emergence i suspect, then suddenly about a month ago the place filled with common darters, i even had a couple land on my hands and head while standing around shooting them in sun traps -- better than last year at least. They seemed to like basking on the warm barbs as it got late.

Here's another

Common Darter On Seed Head

[David M]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Thanks Peter. It was a poor start for them round these parts. Another cool start to summer halted emergence i suspect, then suddenly about a month ago the place filled with common darters, i even had a couple land on my hands and head while standing around shooting them in sun traps -- better than last year at least. They seemed to like basking on the warm barbs as it got late.

Here's another

Common Darter On Seed Head

Nice light and background on that.

We had lots of dragonflies about in the late spring and then had a hot, dry summer and they all disappeared. I've started seeing the odd one recently after some rain and cooler temperatures.

[Harold Gough]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Under-Bark Spider Amaurobius sp

This morning I was looking for slime moulds and overturned a large piece of dry, well-rotted apple tree bark to find this, almost black male spider. The bark had been on the ground. The spider had some token threads of silk over it and its body and head together were about 1cm long.

I am far from sure as to the genus but nothing else fits and the habitat is exactly right.

EM-1, Kiron 105 at f16, twinf TTL flash, hand-held, with some substrate support.

Harold

[ye_moc]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Arachnid food

I'm not sure what kind spider is. I belive is a jumper spider, in lunch time.

I took it with 75 plus extension tubes

by Arturo, en Flickr

by Arturo, en Flickr

[Harold Gough]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Cranefly: Female Tipula paludosa

I am surprised that I got a good series of images of this individual. The wind often gusted strongly and my approach from the side caused my lower body to press against the currant bush and move the stems.

I am fairly confident in naming this species. It lacks and significant patterns or colours and the wings are shorter than the abdomen. It is a common and widespread species.

The stereos are crosseye.

EM-1, Kiron 105m f16, twin TTL flash, hand-held.

Harold

[Harold Gough]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Arachnid food

I'm not sure what kind spider is. I belive is a jumper spider, in lunch time.

I took it with 75 plus extension tubes

It is a jumper. Very nice work on the first image.

I assume you meant 75mm

Harold