Small bugs

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Archive 2009 · Small bugs

LordV
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p.1 #1 · Small bugs

Some recent small bug shots. All MPE-65 shots

Brian v.

Two springtail chums - Vertagopus arborea (large one) and Proisotoma minuta. The latter is 0.42mm long

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Bark fly watching TV about 2.6mm body length

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A rather pregnant barkfly about 1.9mm body length

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Breakfast crunchies

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Small beetle about 3mm foot cleaning

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Small plant bug about 2.5mm body length

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Nov 14, 2009 at 10:36 AM

lauriek
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p.1 #2 · Small bugs

Nice work Brian!

.42mm is that a new forum record? I don't think I've shot anything that small!

Nov 14, 2009 at 12:39 PM

michael kilner
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p.1 #3 · Small bugs

v.nice,like them all

Nov 14, 2009 at 12:43 PM

LordV
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p.1 #4 · Small bugs

Thanks Laurie and Michael for looking and commenting

Laurie- think the smallest bugs I've shot are the mites on this wasp - they work out at 0.15mm long

Brian v.

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Nov 14, 2009 at 01:33 PM

TheBat
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p.1 #5 · Small bugs

Obviously a question from the uninitiated . . . . how do you know it is .42mm and not .48 or .50mm?
And how do you find the bloody things in the first place. . . .

Nov 14, 2009 at 01:37 PM

LordV
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p.1 #6 · Small bugs

TheBat wrote:

Obviously a question from the uninitiated . . . . how do you know it is .42mm and not .48 or .50mm?
And how do you find the bloody things in the first place. . . .

As long as you know the magnification pretty accurately (the MPE-65 magnification scale on the barrel is accurate) you work out bug lengths on photographs (assuming they are straight on) by ratioing the bug size to the frame size - I actually use a ruler on the PC screen to do this.

eg 17cm frame width, bug length 2.3 cm mag at 5:1 fullframe.
The bug actual length= (2.3/17) * (36/5) mm = 0.97 mm.

You just get good at spotting small bugs- especially if they are on plane surfaces. I often can't tell what they are until I actually see them in viewfinder and fairly frequently zoom in on small insect poos

Brian v.

Nov 14, 2009 at 02:06 PM

GillR
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p.1 #7 · Small bugs

LordV wrote:
I often can't tell what they are until I actually see them in viewfinder and fairly frequently zoom in on small insect poos

Brian v.

The joys of a macro photographer, eh? Great shots, Brian - I'm beginning to get quite the crush on those little springtail cuties!

Nov 14, 2009 at 06:48 PM

Goldenorfe
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p.1 #8 · Small bugs

cool shots Brian, love the pregy bark fly

phil

Nov 14, 2009 at 07:07 PM

LordV
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p.1 #9 · Small bugs

Thanks for the comments Gill and Phil - appreciated
Phil - I was rather worried that barkfly might explode any minute

Brian v.

Nov 15, 2009 at 09:41 AM

Dalantech
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p.1 #10 · Small bugs

Excellent set Brian -looks like the springtail was com-poo-sting

Nov 16, 2009 at 01:39 PM

Kenj8246
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p.1 #11 · Small bugs

Dalantech wrote:
Excellent set Brian -looks like the springtail was com-poo-sting

Nov 16, 2009 at 02:45 PM

LordV
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p.1 #12 · Small bugs

Thanks John and Kenny for the comments - certainy was dropping a few things- the areas where these feed get like minefields by the end of Winter

Brian v.

Nov 16, 2009 at 03:20 PM

Matt_3D
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p.1 #13 · Small bugs

0.15mm...is that the best you've got? I think you need to add some extension tubes to your MPE

(Has anyone tried that?)

Nov 17, 2009 at 02:48 AM

LordV
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p.1 #14 · Small bugs

Matt_3D wrote:
0.15mm...is that the best you've got? I think you need to add some extension tubes to your MPE

(Has anyone tried that?)

Thanks Matt

Ext tubes on an MPE-65 don't actually do much - a full set only takes it from 5:1 to 6.5:1 - a TC is more effective.
Brian v.

Nov 17, 2009 at 06:24 AM


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