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Archive 2014 · Aliens!

  
 
e6filmuser
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Aliens!


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 is now a bit clouded and smelly and the insect fauna has changed. This is the first time I have 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.

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 Kiron 105mm at f16.

The third and fourth images are of inverted larvae. I decided that their extreme highlights added to the 'alien' effect but have processed to show some structures.

Yes, you can see small mosquito larvae. There are also bloodworms, which are not shown.

harold



© Harold Gough 2014





© Harold Gough 2014





© Harold Gough 2014





© Harold Gough 2014




Jul 27, 2014 at 02:10 AM
coder
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Aliens!


Woah, interesting subject, Harold, I like the first best of the set. Aliens! is an appropriate title.


Jul 30, 2014 at 07:14 PM
e6filmuser
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Aliens!


coder wrote:
Woah, interesting subject, Harold, I like the first best of the set. Aliens! is an appropriate title.


Thanks, Coder.

I was tempted to post just the first one, whose inner structures show through in much the same way as an aphidophagus one:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=85797

I have to admit that I was expecting them to be less colourful.

Harold



Jul 31, 2014 at 12:54 AM
Dalantech
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Aliens!


Definitely a great title and I agree with Daryl. Very nicely done


Jul 31, 2014 at 01:03 AM
e6filmuser
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Aliens!


Dalantech wrote:
Definitely a great title and I agree with Daryl. Very nicely done


Thanks. I thought it had a fun element.

Actually, if someone says the image stink I would take it as a complement, as the subject certainly did.

Harold




Jul 31, 2014 at 01:13 AM
e6filmuser
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Aliens!


Some technical comments may be helpful.

The water tank is made of black plastic, which, with the flash used, gives a pleasing black background. A less-contrasty effect might be obtained in a natural pool or an aquarium.

There was no point in trying to photograph these larvae unless they were at, or very close to, the surface. This is because the water had a lot of suspended matter from decaying wood. There would have been a lot of reflection/diffraction off that material.

When larvae actually touched the surface they distorted the surface film, often with one or more meniscus at the interface, usually forming bright highlights around the larva. This would have been problematic for daylight shots but the flash seems to have overcome this effect.

If you disturb a larva, such that it decends into the depths, it may not come up for quite a while, although it will need to breathe air at some stage.

Harold



Jul 31, 2014 at 02:42 AM
adc14
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Aliens!


I love hover flies. Great beneficials and had no idea this is what the maggots looked like. What time of day was this?


Jul 31, 2014 at 08:29 AM
e6filmuser
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Aliens!


adc14 wrote:
I love hover flies. Great beneficials and had no idea this is what the maggots looked like. What time of day was this?


Only some of them are aquatic or live in damp rotting organic matter.

The ones of horticultural and agricultural interest (ca 40% of British species) live on, but do not damage, the plants inhabitated by their aphid prey.

Other species live in ants nest, where thy mostly prey on root aphids tended by the ants, but some feed on the ants' brood. Most of the large Volucella live in the nests of wasps or bees, mosly scavenging but some feeding on the brood.

Another group feed on various parts of plants.

For many specis the biology is unknown.

These were shot in the early afternoon on a hot day.

Harold



Jul 31, 2014 at 10:14 AM





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