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Archive 2015 · Blood Sucker Or Just A Sucker?

  
 
e6filmuser
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Blood Sucker Or Just A Sucker?


I recently tried to get shots of midges with spectacular antennae. They hide down amongst the leaves of my balm plants. I had decided that these were males of non-biting midges, Chironomidae.

In yet another attempt, I saw something which surprised me. One individual seemed bloated with blood but in the thorax, not in the abdomen. So, were these biting midges after all, and females? And why would the blood meal be in the thorax, These insects are so small that this could be determined only by a high magnification image.

So, armed with my EM-1, with reversed Schneider HM 40mm at f16 , with a TC and extension behind it, I used a FOV 6mm wide and the usual twin flash.

I didn't get quite the quality of images I wanted but the mystery was cleared up. The red/pink mass was outside the thorax, comprised of numerous mites which I conclude must be Prostigmata, possibly Pyemotidae.

These phoretic (travelling) mites has hitched a lift on this "sucker". This individual seems to have lost most of the filaments from its antennae.

Harold



© Harold Gough 2015




Jul 09, 2015 at 12:26 AM
LordV
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Blood Sucker Or Just A Sucker?


Interesting find and info Harold
Brian V.



Jul 09, 2015 at 12:36 AM
e6filmuser
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Blood Sucker Or Just A Sucker?


LordV wrote:
Interesting find and info Harold
Brian V.


Thanks, Brian.

Yesterday one of these (no mites, intact antennae) settled on my car. It was a chance for a perfect shot but it flew off before I could frame and focus. So, they are out in the open at times.

Harold



Jul 09, 2015 at 01:19 AM
surfnron
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Blood Sucker Or Just A Sucker?


Neat stuff Harold ~ Ron


Jul 09, 2015 at 07:02 AM
e6filmuser
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Blood Sucker Or Just A Sucker?


surfnron wrote:
Neat stuff Harold ~ Ron


Thanks, Ron.

Harold



Jul 10, 2015 at 02:12 AM
e6filmuser
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Blood Sucker Or Just A Sucker?


I shot a much better series this morning. I will post them when I have edited them.

Harold



Jul 11, 2015 at 05:00 AM





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