Some recent ladybird shots

Brian V.

Harlequin ladybirds









2-spot ladybird



Designer, 10-spot variable ladybird

I like the underside views in the first two, makes a change. Great detail as always.

Adrian

agree with adrian, the first two are really intereting angles. great series.

Lovely shots, great focus.

Mark

Great shots Brian, esp like 3 and 4

Wonderful series, Brian. Especially like fourth and last frames.

Kenny

Thanks for looking and commenting everybody - much appreciated.
I'm amazed how many colour schemes the 10-spots come in.
Brian v.

Wonderful set Brian!

Great shots again Brian! sharpness is extreme and the light looks excellent also.I like the fourth and last one best.Very good work!
Regards,
Remy

Terrific shots, excellent images. Paul

Great series Brian my fav is the second shot unusaul angle
Pete

Beautiful and beautifully detailed photos!

I have noticed many articles in the popular press this year about the alleged danger of the Harlequin ladybird. Some accounts claim that it will soon overwhelm most other species that are native to the UK due to its superior annual reproductive cycle, as best I could follow the argument.

Do you tend to agree with this concern?

Love the first 4. well done

Thanks for the comments everybody- much appreciated

DQE - can only say I'm not certain, I'm still seeing the same numbers of native species in the garden and i certainly do not kill the harlequins as some people have suggested I should do. The only difference I have noticed is that I'm seeing the harlequins earlier in the year now- when I first spotted them it was always in the Autumn.

Brian V.

Wonderful series Brian, superb angles and light, especially like the first two.

Adrian

Adrian Jones wrote:
Wonderful series Brian, superb angles and light, especially like the first two.

Adrian

Thanks Adrian
Brian V.

The first couple of images are wonderful Brian. Beautiful definition and colors as usual!!

Regarding this lens: obviously it's magnification capabilities are top shelf! I know the magnification can go up to 5x but it's not terribly bright and you must be very close, correct? I am just trying to figure out if my typical subject matter would even allow me to be this close if I considered buying this setup (Canon body and the MP-E 65mm macro lens).

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Regards,
Marc

Very nice Brian, not seen many lady birds this year in my garden perhaps its a bad year for them?

Carl

Thanks marc and Carl for the comments

Marc- not sure what your typical subjects are ? but you get very practiced at being able to get close to insects without disturbing them when using this lens. Focus distances vary from 4 inches max in front of the lens to 1.5 ". This has both pros and cons, for example it does allow you to use the hold plant rest camera lens on hand method of shooting which you can't easily do with longer focal length macro lenses. Yes the viewfinder can get quite dim at high mags but you either get used to it or some people rig up LED torch arrangements to throw a bit more light on the subject.

Carl , like many insects think the numbers of ladybirds can vary quite wildly year to year - I'm seeing the same numbers this year as I have seen for the last few years. Mind you I do sometimes farm them - as I don't use insectacides, if I get a serious outbreak of aphids on a plant I often move ladybird adults/larvae to that plant to deal with it

Brian V.

Wow, i wish i had;nt posted mine now, awesome Pictures there
Josh

Doc_uk wrote:
Wow, i wish i had;nt posted mine now, awesome Pictures there
Josh

Thanks Josh,
Perfectly right to post your own - I've probably had a lot more practice than you but still make lots of mistakes.- best way of learning
Brian v.

Lovely shots Brian.

great shots Brian
never seen a harlequin, but last week at whixall saw loads of ladybird lavae that were about 10-12mm long,very pale in larger sizes. could they be harlequins?

phil

Thanks Gary and Phil for the comments

Phil - doesn't sound like harlequin ladybird larvae - they are black with bright orange/creme spiky bits- see below

Brian V.