Beetle - What's On Its Neck?
Dec 26, 2018 10:56:00 #
Staged one of my Bess Beetles for a photo session last night and when I looked at it I noticed some type of "white things" on its neck which I found to be quite strange. Can someone tell me what these are? I suspect that if the beetle had a choice it would prefer not to have them.
The image may look a bit strange but it really does have all of its legs. The second one of the far side is aligned with the one in the front the way it was posed.
Thanks in advance for viewing and all comments, recommendations and critique are always highly appreciated.
The image may look a bit strange but it really does have all of its legs. The second one of the far side is aligned with the one in the front the way it was posed.
Thanks in advance for viewing and all comments, recommendations and critique are always highly appreciated.
Dec 26, 2018 11:00:25 #
Dec 26, 2018 11:26:22 #
Many insects have this problem. Remember how little fleas have littler fleas upon there backs to bite them- - -??
They are mites. Scarabs, Cerambicids and others have them. Sometimes they are hitching a ride (phoresy). Daddy long legs, bees, flies, beetles and others are used. On the daddy longlegs they are seen as a large red object on the legs. Others are parasitic, as here. They puncture the membrane and drink body fluids. I had a specimen of Monochamus titillator that had the whole pronotum covered with mites. Gave it a confusing pebbly appearance. They were attached by a short silk tether.
I had a book, Mites of Moths and Butterflies by Asher Treat. More strangeness. An example: in some moth species, the ears are in the femurs of one pair of legs. Mites will somehow NOT get in both ears. To do so would deprive the moth of the ability to avoid a hungry bat's echolocation.
The more you read, the stranger this all seems.
They are mites. Scarabs, Cerambicids and others have them. Sometimes they are hitching a ride (phoresy). Daddy long legs, bees, flies, beetles and others are used. On the daddy longlegs they are seen as a large red object on the legs. Others are parasitic, as here. They puncture the membrane and drink body fluids. I had a specimen of Monochamus titillator that had the whole pronotum covered with mites. Gave it a confusing pebbly appearance. They were attached by a short silk tether.
I had a book, Mites of Moths and Butterflies by Asher Treat. More strangeness. An example: in some moth species, the ears are in the femurs of one pair of legs. Mites will somehow NOT get in both ears. To do so would deprive the moth of the ability to avoid a hungry bat's echolocation.
The more you read, the stranger this all seems.
Dec 26, 2018 12:46:40 #
not only are you getting the hang of stacking, your now creating wall hangers too...............well done
Dec 26, 2018 13:12:05 #
Napabob, thanks ever so much. The feedback from the regulars here truly means a lot to me. Seldom a day goes by that I don't experiment with something as I try to improve my images. Many of them stay on the 'cutting-room floor' and a few make it to posting so it's nice to hear that I'm making progress through the experienced eyes of others.
Dec 26, 2018 13:45:39 #
sippyjug104 wrote:
Napabob, thanks ever so much. The feedback from the regulars here truly means a lot to me. Seldom a day goes by that I don't experiment with something as I try to improve my images. Many of them stay on the 'cutting-room floor' and a few make it to posting so it's nice to hear that I'm making progress through the experienced eyes of others.
i agree,beautiful stack!
Dec 26, 2018 17:29:34 #
A beautifully clean and focused stack. You have become very skilled at this very quickly, well done.
Dec 26, 2018 18:06:45 #
Thanks, Brenda. You have been one of the regulars here that have given me advice and encouragement when I first started my venture into macro photography this year and it has been a long and sometimes twisty road however with patience and practice I'm inching my way down it. At least the heat, humidity and mosquitoes aren't getting to me during my indoor winter sessions.
Dec 26, 2018 23:20:28 #
This... may be your finest effort yet. It is simply beautiful, and I can't think of a thing to do different. You are there, my friend!
As newtoyou says, they should be mites. I cannot resolve the legs, etc., but that is what they most likely are. Other possibilities are eggs of a parasitic fly, or fruiting bodies of a fungus that emerged post-mortem.
As newtoyou says, they should be mites. I cannot resolve the legs, etc., but that is what they most likely are. Other possibilities are eggs of a parasitic fly, or fruiting bodies of a fungus that emerged post-mortem.
Dec 27, 2018 09:27:50 #
That is an amazing shot! Hard to believe insects are "infested" with even smaller insects. WOW!
Dec 27, 2018 13:15:11 #
Dec 29, 2018 04:04:36 #
Jan 4, 2019 19:11:00 #
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