Tekforums
Chat => Photography => Topic started by: zpyder on June 05, 2008, 18:52:22 PM
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You can think me sad all you want, but I really find invertebrates interesting (marine or terrestrial hehe)
So much so that I can tolerate the mind numbing work involved in processing all the pitfall traps that Im setting and collecting at Arne.
One of the things that keeps you (or at least me) going is that its like christmas when something interesting turns up in the pitfall traps. Im sure I saw a minotaur beetle in one of the traps I collected the other day. But anyway...Im taking photos as I process the traps, of anything that looks better than normal in terms of strangeness or coolness. Ill update this thread as and when I have more to share. The page Im putting them on is available here:http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/index.html
The pitfall traps were using are pretty much plastic cups half filled with a solution of Propylene glycol to reduce surface tension (interesting fact: Prop. Glycol is also a sexual lube among other things...). The traps are left out for 3 weeks and then collected and reset (replaced with fresh ones). The old trap fluid+contents are sieved and washed before going through using a microscope and picking out and recording all fauna. The data on invertebrate assemblages at different sites around Arne can be used to determine the "health" of the habitats (different groups/species indicate different factors going on). The work is part of an RSPB project on the impact of Sika Deer grazing on the heathland.
Were getting loads of ticks and mites. In one trap, over a 3 week period, a total of 94 ticks fell into a small plastic cup :| This was a particularly evil looking one. Despite the abundance of ticks, I have yet to be ticked whilst out there, despite the fact Im going through dense vegetation!
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/acari_1.jpg)
Cool looking spiders...
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/araneae_1.jpg)
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/araneae_2.jpg)
Ok, technically not microscope stuff, but it was too big. We get a lot of different and cool looking metallic carabid beetles turning up. So much so Im about to start to breed some funky looking tropical beetles at home.
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/coleoptera_1.jpg)
Small beetle...
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/coleoptera_2.jpg)
(true) Bugs come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. This one was a bit difficult due to contrast and its a crap picture, but its Elytra or wings were really funky looking. I dont think there was any membrane there, just the hard venation going on:
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/hemiptera_2.jpg)
A fairly common bug with cool patterning:
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/hemiptera_3.jpg)
Getting a few caterpillas too. This is some kind of bagworm I think, making a camoflaged tube:
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/lepidoptera_1.jpg)
And this is another one I pulled out of its "home" - funky patterning, none of us have seen that colouration on the harder parts:
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/lepidoptera_3.jpg)
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19:38 June 5th - Our outpost has discovered a new breed of caterpillar.
19:40 June 5th - A series of alarms have gone of at the outpost - No response from our team.
20:00 June 5th - OH GOD, JESUS, CHRIST NO!! NO!!! *KSSSSSSSSUURRCH*
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^ lol
cool pics :)
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19:38 June 5th - Our outpost has discovered a new breed of caterpillar.
19:40 June 5th - A series of alarms have gone of at the outpost - No response from our team.
20:00 June 5th - OH GOD, JESUS, CHRIST NO!! NO!!! *KSSSSSSSSUURRCH*
:rofl:
zpyder - I have to say I absolutely love the shot of the beetle (the one below the trantula-like spider). I would have submitted this one in the macro section. -)
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(http://www.zpyder.co.uk/forums/lizard.jpg)
Female sand lizard (I think(uber rare in the UK)) Was totally cool with me being really close to take this photo on my phone!
And yeah, I was "At work" today so it counts. I was out at Arne from 8:30AM to 6PM trudging around surveying the vegetation and counting deer crap.
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False scorpions *shudders*
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/pseudoscorpionida_1.jpg)
more funkeh beetles:
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/coleoptera_3.jpg)
And a better pic of the uber bug:
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/hemiptera_4.jpg)
These were taken on my phone, seems having a smaller lens is better even if its not as good a quality...
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False scorpions *shudders*
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/pseudoscorpionida_1.jpg)
Nuke it from orbit..
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can I post some things I see at work ?
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:nana: its a dead cow lying in a carpark :nana:
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:( You can see me while I work.
http://www.plus.net/webcams/
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can I post some things I see at work ?
One knighty had earlier... :D
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:( You can see me while I work.
http://www.plus.net/webcams/
I say we arrange to have you dance in front of one of the cameras for a few seconds at an arranged time!
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Not much interesting this time even though I got through sh*tloads of samples yesterday
Bug:
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/hemiptera_6.jpg)
Another bug, albeit smaller and in technicolour:
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/hemiptera_5.jpg)
Weevil/beetle
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/coleoptera_4.jpg)
Still using my phone camera as, though the images are grainier, overall the smaller lens I think takes a better/easier picture.
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is that last one hairy, or is that just the colouring of it ?
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I think its hairy. Makes me think of a beetle wearing a pullover knitted using some wool with metallic bits in ><
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Not much of interest today except these...a juvenile cockroach and its adult counterpart...
Baby:
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/dictyoptera_1.jpg)
Adult:
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/dictyoptera_2.jpg)
Some kind of ladybird beetle:
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/coleoptera_5.jpg)
And this is why Millipedes are cool, but you dont mess with Centipedes :shrug: (My needlepoint tweezers are in the lower left for scale...)
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/chilopoda_1.jpg)
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Now have my Olympus 1030SW. The deeply inset lens makes microscope photography a bit harder :(
Interesting things (mix of cameraphone and 1030sw photos):
2 flower spiders
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/araneae_3.jpg)
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/araneae_4.jpg)
More carabid beetles - The colours are just wicked for something commonly found in the uk!
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/coleoptera_8.jpg)
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/coleoptera_9.jpg)
A cool ant or wasp (Hymenoptera)
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/hymenoptera_1.jpg)
Dragonfly out at Arne (Taken on cameraphone, the fella didnt move even though I had to get pretty close to take the pic)
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/odonata_1.jpg)
And another Unknown critter in the last sample of the current batch. At first glance you think "Woodlouse" till you turn it over, and find it only has 3 pairs of legs.
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/unknown_6.jpg)
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/unknown_7.jpg)
It keys out as a beetle larvae, and it could well be one, but Im not 100%...
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:ptu: cheers for posting these
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Some photos of what I see when Im not stuck in the lab...
A white deer! Shame it wasnt winter as they are more white then...
(http://zpyder.co.uk/forums/photos/white_deer.jpg)
Silver studded blues (I think) which are pretty rare in the UK, Arne is a stronghold for em:
(http://zpyder.co.uk/forums/photos/ssb.jpg)
And lots and lots of Sundews. Before anyone asks, no, I didnt feed the butterfly in the above pic to the sundew in the pic below:
(http://zpyder.co.uk/forums/photos/ssbdint.jpg)
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Silver studded blues going at it like rabbits:
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/x_silverstudded.jpg)
Dung beetle, Geotrupes vernalis
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/x_dung.jpg)
Emperor moth caterpillar:
(http://www.yupyup.co.uk/photos/microscope/images/x_cat2.jpg)
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And lots and lots of Sundews. Before anyone asks, no, I didnt feed the butterfly in the above pic to the sundew in the pic below:
We dont believe you :P :D
Good photos, but why couldnt you have been a window cleaner with a bevvy of beauties on your route? 8-)
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Whats wrong with the bevvy of beauties Im taking photos of at the moment? :P hehe
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You have a really cool Job Zypder. :)
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Sea lavender,Limonium vulgare whilst out doing salt marsh vegetation surveys
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3295/2724923322_c2b39cb8d3.jpg)
More carnivorous plants hehe, Drosera intermedia
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3284/2724923796_d20d597697.jpg)
Horse fly, Chrysops relictus
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/2724924586_4249c6ed95.jpg)
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Has been a while. Not really seen much new or interesting, but to fill the gap, some microscope photos of interesting-ish beetles and gubbins...
2 Beetles
(http://www.zpyder.co.uk/images/morfeoshow/microscope_p-4815/big/beetle%205.jpg)
(http://www.zpyder.co.uk/images/morfeoshow/microscope_p-4815/big/beetle.jpg)
Bryophyte/moss/lichen flower stem thingymajig
(http://www.zpyder.co.uk/images/morfeoshow/microscope_p-4815/big/P8110621.jpg)
Cool hymenopteran...
(http://www.zpyder.co.uk/images/morfeoshow/microscope_p-4815/big/P8110620.jpg)
Woodlouse...
(http://www.zpyder.co.uk/images/morfeoshow/microscope_p-4815/big/malacostraca.jpg)
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More nice photies.
BTW Last time I was in Tescos they had some 5megapixel digital cameras for about £35, difference with these being they were supplied with an underwater case - allegedly capable of 15 metres depth. Might be of interest to you.
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Hehe, thanks, but I still have my 40m pentax, though chances are itll flood next time!
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More shizzle:
One more example of why Hymenopterans rock!
(http://www.zpyder.co.uk/images/morfeoshow/microscope_p-4815/big/hymenoptera%203.jpg)
Better false scorpion pic, just because I dont think the first one showed off their true fugliness:
(http://www.zpyder.co.uk/images/morfeoshow/microscope_p-4815/big/pseudo.jpg)
And why I think weevils are some of the coolest Beetles around!:
(http://www.zpyder.co.uk/images/morfeoshow/microscope_p-4815/big/weevil.jpg)
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These all through microscopes?
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Yup. Well, mostly except the ones that arent :D
nuther metallic Beetle:
(http://www.zpyder.co.uk/images/morfeoshow/microscope_p-4815/big/coleoptera.jpg)
Bug:
(http://www.zpyder.co.uk/images/morfeoshow/microscope_p-4815/big/hemiptera.jpg)
Looking back through these pages, is it me or have I slightly improved in getting a better picture through the microscope?
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New year, new contract.
Tis only a short contract, sorting the fauna from sediment samples taken from around the surf reef area in Boscombe, next to sod all in them, but a few things have been "worthy"...
Starting with the least fugly...an amphipod, couple of mm big...
(http://www.zpyder.co.uk/reef/amphipod.jpg)
Some molluscs of some variety, about 0.5 - 1mm big each
(http://www.zpyder.co.uk/reef/minimolluscs.jpg)
Straying into the fugly realm, a polychaete worm with some of its guts extended I think...
(http://www.zpyder.co.uk/reef/worm.jpg)
And now going into the realm of nuke from orbit, a Pycnogonid, or Sea Spider. Not IDd the species yet but theres a slight chance of it being rare, in which case it poses an interesting question for the permission for this artificial surf reef theyve put on top of the site...
(http://www.zpyder.co.uk/reef/seaspider_top.jpg)
Its only got 3 legs left sadly, so its a bit hard to make out, but these things freak me out almost as much as ticks and mites...
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Thought Id revive this thread with the current picks of the pics from my current job:
Peacock butterfly today
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3438/3771693679_1a3fbe99cb.jpg)
Rhododendron leaf hopper yesterday
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2484/3761711605_6b76da9fc4.jpg)
Another emperor moth caterpillar last week
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2468/3748193629_800e95a54b.jpg)
Golden-Ringed Dragonfly a few weeks back
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2526/3709313407_e94065e66e.jpg)
Marbled white butterfly few weeks back too
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2639/3710122444_25eed4b1ef.jpg)
Couple days ago I also saw a few adders. Nearly trod on one of them, and it refused to move. Until I got the camera out and turned it on, and then it vanished into the moor grass. I really want to get a decent photo of an adder this summer, but itll be tricky without going around pissing them off by lifting their hiding holes etc. I want to get one naturally in the open, whichll be difficult!
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great pictures. nice one.
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very nice Zpyder, what lens are you using for close ups these days? got a proper macro yet or is this an uncommonly good long zoom with "macro" option?
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Neither :D
All but the top one (Peacock Butterfly) were taken with my Olympus Mju 1030SW rugged jobby. Its got a super macro mode that is pretty good, and focuses from up to about 10cm away from things. Obviously Ive just been a bit jammy in terms of sneaking up on these critters in the field. Im pretty lucky I guess as generally the camera is in my pocket and so I just get on with work until something lands next to me etc!
The peacock photo was taken with my antique 3.1MP pentax optio 330rs, unlike the Olympus it actually has a zoom which doesnt effect pic quality (even though the olympus has optical zoom, at the high end, quality is so bad to make it pointless to even try). Im just waiting for the verdict from Olympus on whether they will repair the screen (line of dead pixels or something) under warranty, it was bought 13 months ago and they have a standard 2 year warranty. It being fairly old I couldnt find proof of purchase but included a print out of the play.com order history which clearly shows the date, camera and order reference number.
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(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2541/3785608010_ea894800ec.jpg)
Sand Lizard today, wasnt too fussed about me, though it also helped having the Pentax with the zoom!
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How about some Toad in the Hole?
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3457/3791796059_89617f41a5.jpg)
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Another raft spider, I think Ive put one of these up before, UKs largest native species of spider.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2543/3897152736_ba6be27e05.jpg)
Technically not at work, but still funky. Four-Spot Orb Weaver.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2579/3882000476_4ea642d133.jpg)
This one was at "work". underwater shot of the bladders on a species of Utricularia (most likely U. australis) - an aquatic species of carnivorous plant. The bladders are under vacuum and have a small trap door fringed with tiny hairs. When small things like nematodes and larvae swim past and touch the hairs, the trap door opens, sucking in the critter and the surrounding water.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2560/3896373895_66bf9a0eff.jpg)
Best thing about bladderworts is that their flowers are very funky and orchid-like:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3501/3881999446_d2e49dc77d.jpg)
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Nice pics Zpyder, you live up to yer nic :)
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once again some awesome photos :)
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One more for today:
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2658/3901005606_92618b7273_b.jpg)
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That looks remarkably like the human-maintenance droid thing in the Matrix...... :shock:
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(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3491/3923496514_7929e6ea56.jpg)
Spooky deserted house. So many horror stories have started with something like this.
Unlike how it was a week or so ago, THE DOOR IS OPEN
(Kudos points for knowing the reference to a certain internet hyperfiction).
Always gives me the creeps walking past it.
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What was the last insect you posted, another dragonfly?
Great shots these, Ive tried taking pictures of butterflies before now and they never hold still long enough for me.
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What was the last insect you posted, another dragonfly?
Great shots these, Ive tried taking pictures of butterflies before now and they never hold still long enough for me.
Yeah I have that problem - they always fly off at the last second: nearly there, nearly there, just need to press the bu..... ARGH YOU LITTLE BASTARD!!
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What was the last insect you posted, another dragonfly?
Great shots these, Ive tried taking pictures of butterflies before now and they never hold still long enough for me.
Aye, another dragonfly.
I think my photos come down to where I work, loads fly off and around, but as Im in the middle of their habitat its inevitable that some land near me and dont really give a toss how close I get. Most of the macros have been taken on super macro mode only 2-3 inches away from the subject.
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(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2449/3940983731_4b881219f8.jpg)
An adder. Caught this one out basking on a gravel track. As per usual there was a fairly long moment of staring at it with it not moving before digging out the camera, at which point it proceeded to leg it, full zoom on my compact olympus tough so the shot is pretty terrible, but given the fact it was in full escape mode, and that its the first one Ive managed to get on camera, Im not too unhappy with it :D
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An adder. Caught this one out basking on a gravel track.
Ive seen quite a few, usually they dont bother moving providing you dont physically disturb them. Quite common in the Cheviot hills.
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Youre pretty lucky/unlucky then :P With the exception of the time I nearly trod on one, thats pretty much the only time Ive seen one in the open. I have however seen/heard lots of rustlings which are likely adders, but theyre masters of getting hidden quickly. Theres a reason why the majority of adder bites each year are on peoples hands...
I guess also that as I generally am in tall waist high vegetation Im not going to see many out and about basking on the nice flat clear gravel paths :P
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Not only on gravel paths but the few tarmac roads in the area, On one occasion in the Cheviots there were dozens of them lined alongside the edge of the road. They didnt come far on but the tarmac warms up quite readily in sunlight providing an ideal basking site for the snakes.
Almost all of the ones Ive seen were pretty small, probably that years hatch and not savvy to people yet.
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Ok, times nearly trodden on Adders is now 3 ><
Was so not cool today. Wet heath, tussock jumping, and twice it was a case of falling into the ditches when I spotted an adder basking on the tussock I was just about to put my foot on. Worst place too, in terms of access. Wouldnt be able to get airlifted due to being under Electricity pylons and 200m away from any form of track, across tussocks about 1m high :|
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2429/3992792373_40da4b54c9.jpg)
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Adders are highly unlikely to kill you.
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/331/7527/1244
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The problem is access. Get bitten on the ankle and what do you do? Within a few minutes the ankle will be swelling and extremely painful to walk on, and itd take a good 5-10 mins on a normal day to get to a track given the location. There is also the issue of until you get bitten, how do you know you wont get an anaphalactic reaction to the venom? Theres a reason why most (RE:all) sources still say to seek medical attention ASAP when bitten, even if more people are killed by Bee-stings each year!
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Anaphalactic shock doesnt happen first time, you get a severe allergic reaction instead, second time it might happen, by which time you should be carrying an adrenaline injection. You should also be carrying a way of contacting the emergency services.
Less that 15% of the population have a potential for such a severe reaction, some areas as low as 1%, of which 1% might die through it. Usually this happens because of insect stings or bites, foods or drugs. If you are worried wear strong knee high hobnail boots and make sure you stand on its head. Then you can cook it and have some dinner :q
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Thats good to know. I get 1 "get out of serious reaction free" card if I am allergic ><
Of course I have a means of contacting the emergency services. As I said though, I dont have the foggiest how they would get to me. No way to airlift, given the powercables and dense wood either side. No way for an ambulance, and I doubt a stretcher or anything could be carried across the terrain *shrugs*
At the end of the day though, regardless of how life threatening a bite may be, given the sharp pain and long term effects etc they cause, Id imagine its a fair assumption that no one actually wants to get bitten by these slippery customers.
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Of course I have a means of contacting the emergency services. As I said though, I dont have the foggiest how they would get to me. No way to airlift, given the powercables and dense wood either side. No way for an ambulance, and I doubt a stretcher or anything could be carried across the terrain *shrugs*
At the end of the day though, regardless of how life threatening a bite may be, given the sharp pain and long term effects etc they cause, Id imagine its a fair assumption that no one actually wants to get bitten by these slippery customers.
If it were that serious and it would take too long for the paramedics to physically walk to you air sea rescue would just winch someone down to a spot in the wood near to you and winch you up again.
Remember only a dozen or so people have died from adder bites in the last 100 years. They just arent a big problem and their venom can be fairly mild for many.
I remember my younger brother picking one up by the tail when we were kids. "Look mum, a stick that moves!" Cue screams of horror from parents, grandparents and just about anyone else in the vicinity.
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Thats good to know. I get 1 "get out of serious reaction free" card if I am allergic ><
More like one get out of extreme almost instantaneous reaction free. It affects the local area first so you would have quite a little time with an ankle site, it would be a lot quicker with a neck one. As Chris poined out there have been very few deaths, so few they dont bother with an anti-venom.
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I read that a lot of the *relatively* recent deaths/bad reactions were actually caused by the anti-venom (wrong doses/not as developed as it is now). Note the term relatively, Im talking back in the 70s etc.
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Thats good to know. I get 1 "get out of serious reaction free" card if I am allergic ><
More like one get out of extreme almost instantaneous reaction free. It affects the local area first so you would have quite a little time with an ankle site, it would be a lot quicker with a neck one. As Chris poined out there have been very few deaths, so few they dont bother with an anti-venom.
so the really important thing is never, ever attempt to nut an adder.
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So its that time of the year when I poke my head out of the den and venture forth to survey the lands, and take photos of things that flutter and scurry by...
Battered Peacock butterfly
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3303/4619402472_1c4b6fc5cb_b.jpg)
Spotted heath orchid, bit early for flowers
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/4618786653_c27fd36b07.jpg)
These longhorn beetles kept landing on me
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3331/4618784747_503ac2b070_o.jpg)
And a dragonfly Ive not encountered yet, so no idea what species it is!
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3597/4619401578_a610afbf82_b.jpg)
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Time for another update methinks.
A slow worm was out today, first time Ive managed to sneak up on one :D Given I only have my compact with me whilst in the field, I was only about 6" away from it :D
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4748740319_95572f5813_b.jpg)
nother raft spider, this one carrying eggs
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4748429592_3919cb785f_b.jpg)
Large skipper butterfly (I think)
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4748428514_e45ac67a3c_b.jpg)
Very dead, and very mangled, sand lizard
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4748748285_30f8b64274_b.jpg)
Another horse fly trying to eat my clipboard:
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4742995790_5430b4f958_b.jpg)
Orchids by the bucketload at the last site:
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4706941748_b147f81c79_b.jpg)
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Isnt slow worm the Afrikaans for snake?
I saw a big furry spider on my windowledge earlier and forgot to take a snap to be identified. It could have been a mouse spider.
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What was the last insect you posted, another dragonfly?
Great shots these, Ive tried taking pictures of butterflies before now and they never hold still long enough for me.
Yeah I have that problem - they always fly off at the last second: nearly there, nearly there, just need to press the bu..... ARGH YOU LITTLE BASTARD!!
and like many of natures creatures, they seem to have the ability to determine the maximum effective range of any camera/lens combination on sight, then land just outside it. It doesnt seem to matter if I have my SLR + 90mm macro with 2x converter fitted (range for a butterfly, about 1.5meters), or my Panasonic compact (range about 6 inches) they wait until Im just pressing the button before flying off.
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Zpyder those Raft Spiders look mightily concerning, is it just clever photography or are they freeking massive?
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Theyre the UKs largest native species of spider, so yeah, theyre pretty big :D
Which I find odd considering the number of times people comment on finding house spiders that are "way big" (like people say hand sized etc). The biggest raft spider Ive seen was maybe 2.5"/50mm across, their body length gets up to maybe 1" for reference, but they have long legs...Im guessing these massive spiders people are seeing around the house are sure, big, but not *that* big...kinda like fishermen saying it was "thiiiiiiiiiiis big" etc.
Im not a spider lover (ironic I know) but I do quite like these guys. They sit on the water surface and wait for insects to fall in the water, or in some cases will grab small fish that swim past under them.
The first time I saw one Id mis-stepped in a bog and was shin deep and sinking when I looked for purchase and saw a good sized one near by. Id never seen them before and wondered if it was an exotic escapee. I managed to get a shot as I was slowly sinking though haha, Ended up just over knee deep but it was worth it :D
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I measured one of those long legged cellar spiders once with a laser theodolite. She turned out to be rather smaller than I would have estimated, IIRC about 50mm across the legs when my slightly edgy "its dark in here look at all the spiders" brain was saying more like 75.
Im usually quite good at distances, but Its amazing what the dark will do to your perceptions.
Must remember not to tell my fiancee about raft spiders though, its hard enough to get her to go for a nice walk as it is!
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I think partly its not just the dark, but people see the legs and they make them look bigger.
Wouldnt worry too much about raft spiders, theyre quite local to Southern England, I think Dorset and the New Forest is pretty much their stronghold in this country, and you need to be somewhere pretty wet and boggy.
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(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3491/3923496514_7929e6ea56.jpg)
Spooky deserted house. So many horror stories have started with something like this.
Unlike how it was a week or so ago, THE DOOR IS OPEN
(Kudos points for knowing the reference to a certain internet hyperfiction).
Always gives me the creeps walking past it.
Man thats creepy, someone must own it right!? :gag:
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I dunno. I keep meaning to ask the Forestry Commission rangers every time I see them what they know about it, I mean, its quite interesting as well as spooky. Itd be hellishly freaky though if they say "what house? Theres no house there!" and I go back and its just empty...
Also did make me wonder, if its empty, and no one cares about it, doesnt that mean it might be potentially cheap accommodation, depending on why the last occupants left (or did they leave?)
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Looks like Binary and I should have gone to where I was today rather than where we went on Sat! Kept getting sidetracked by these guys whilst surveying the site. It doesnt help when they land within reach, and thus within range of my super macro mode...
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4764463635_6afe1451fa.jpg)
Small red damselfly, quite rare.
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4764467415_2eeb16b142.jpg)
Golden-ringed dragonfly
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4765094314_a2a61abe5c.jpg)
female emerald damselfly
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4080/4765108876_011cf43f52_b.jpg)
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I dunno. I keep meaning to ask the Forestry Commission rangers every time I see them what they know about it, I mean, its quite interesting as well as spooky. Itd be hellishly freaky though if they say "what house? Theres no house there!" and I go back and its just empty...
Also did make me wonder, if its empty, and no one cares about it, doesnt that mean it might be potentially cheap accommodation, depending on why the last occupants left (or did they leave?)
Squatters rights? get your own falloutesque shack :lol:
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Great shots, i could use a decent macro lens/camera, i have to be frikkin miles away with the SLR to get it to focus
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I dunno. I keep meaning to ask the Forestry Commission rangers every time I see them what they know about it, I mean, its quite interesting as well as spooky. Itd be hellishly freaky though if they say "what house? Theres no house there!" and I go back and its just empty...
Also did make me wonder, if its empty, and no one cares about it, doesnt that mean it might be potentially cheap accommodation, depending on why the last occupants left (or did they leave?)
Squatters rights? get your own falloutesque shack :lol:
That thought had actually crossed my mind :D
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(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4771929693_1084e2fc02_b.jpg)
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4772566846_00a4c22d68_b.jpg)
And suddenly they dont seem so beautiful any more...this Golden-Ringed Dragonfly is devouring a bumble bee...video coming ><
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4771938817_72cc9e53c3_b.jpg)
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Very cool! Awesome shots
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Those raft spiders...theyre breeding...
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/4840780884_0c973d65f4_b.jpg)
Dragonfly eating a bumblebee video:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zpyder/4772005725/
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wow..... bees are a lot more chewy that than look :o