sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

The Egyptians build the pyramids and their temples with what is believed to be primitive tools from huge stones however at least they had arms with hands and opposable thumbs.

Imagine being a tiny worm picking up fine grains of sand and muck with your mouth and using your spital as a binding agent and building a tube to live in for protection. That's what Sand Mason Tube Worms do and this is a magnified view of one of one of those efforts.

Thanks goes out to Bill for sending a few of these very small and delicate castings for staging and sharing with all.

As always, thanks in advance to all who view and for your comments, suggestions, questions and critique.

(Download)

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

I don't have enought spit for that, sippy.

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

Very good! These are odd animals. Marine worms that build sand castles.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

newtoyou Loc: Eastport

Gary. Sorry, but no cigar.
This is an example of convergent evolution, where Ms. Nature uses a viable concept and recycles it.
This is a cadisfly shelter. It is held together with silk.
From clean fresh water streams with a good flow. Some build very intricate structures, one even looks like a snail or snails bound together.
I even saw one with flecks of gold in the tube. That would have been an interesting necklace.
I have seen signs of coming spring. Tree buds, wild garlic, violets greening up.
The leaf mimics are now an inch + long. They look more and more like the rose leaves. Next cleaning and food change will post pictures.
New tripod add on. Cantilevered arm and a 1-1/4 ball head and a flash bracket. Convergent evolution? See Mark's post of his rig.
This will expedite shooting the fruits of my 'sugaring' this spring.
Cold here today. Good excuse to stay in.
Carpe diem, "thas Latin darlin", to quote 'Doc' Holiday. Kilmer should have an award for that performance.
Bill

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Oh, that makes this even more fantastic..! Silk is a lot more interesting than spital for sure and it make your gift of it much more special in my collection now.

And...I agree with your assessment of Val Kilmer's performance in as Doc Holiday.

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

All well and good. The cases of caddisflies are a wonder to behold. The ones that form a snail-shaped case are especially impressive. Many years ago in a 'former life' I would collect these from a stream in Arizona. Many other species, but those were my favorites. Each sand grain precisely fitted together to make a surprisingly gapless sculpture and smooth surface. No human bricklayer to do better.

Good luck with your 'boom' arm, Bill! I almost dragged mine out over this winter weekend to try to focus stack a cellar spider I have my eye on, but work was pressing and I had to resist the urge.

JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles

Fascinating and well photographed.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Thanks for viewing. I've since learned that this is made by a caddisfly and that they use their silk to bind the grains of sand into a tube to house themselves. To the normal eye the tube looks to be smooth. The hole is the diameter of a toothpick so when viewed under magnification is was quite a surprize.