Last post for a bit

[acherontia]

Off to the 'ospital tomorrow so won't be around for a while.

Some images from last Thursday -

ISO200, f8, 1/80sec hand held auto focus No flash (it woz sunny) and camera steadied on my knees - IS in the camera body as per Sony - which is useful.
That's ragwort but does anyone know what the fly is? I'm pretty clueless on insects.
His back reminds me of Jeff Goldblum's when it started to sprout in 'The Fly'

What d'you think?

Acher





Cropped in a bit

[Kayleigh]

Sorry to here that acherontia hope you get well soon and make a speedy recovery back to WAB..

lovely set of shots that last pic is amazing love the detail.

[ChrisR]

Hope you get well soon!

The fly is a Siphona (a tachinid fly) - from the long, hinged proboscis, and general colour and shape. They are fairly common at this time of year. Species-wise it is a lot trickier because Siphona is probably the most difficult tachinid genus to identify - even with a specimen - but the commonest species by far is S.geniculata (a parasitoid of crane-fly larvae) and this one fits the bill with it's strong margin bristles on tergite* 1+2

* tergites are the dorsal plates that make up the abdomen and the nearest to the thorax is called 1+2

[PMG]

Hurry back and be in good health - you will be missed - there's not that many of us holding the Lancashire banner!! See you back here soon

Pauline

[dickybird]

all the best for a speedy recovery.
take your camera with you-you never know what 'wildlife' you might get to see!


dickybird

[loripo]

Yes - very best wishes and be back soon

[acherontia]

Aaaw..thanks all I'm feeling a bit nervous but I'm sure all will be well. nice to get some well wishes too - it makes me feel tons better.

Chris - that site of yours is great. OH is very interested in parasitoids and insects in general as photographic subjects. He's collecting a few at the moment for very detailed image studies involving 30 - 40 image stacks . Not quite microscope work yet but between 10mm and 60mm on bellows and focus rack etc.

Cheers all!

Acher

[ChrisR]

Originally Posted by acherontia

Chris - that site of yours is great. OH is very interested in parasitoids and insects in general as photographic subjects. He's collecting a few at the moment for very detailed image studies involving 30 - 40 image stacks . Not quite microscope work yet but between 10mm and 60mm on bellows and focus rack etc.

Thanks for those kind words

The insect stacking photos sound great - I have seen some absolutely stunning examples of beetles and flies that almost appear to leap out of the screen at you, they are so '3D' in appearance Some of the best I have seen are by TonyT on diptera.info - see here (not his best example but you get the idea).

Chris R.

[Merrow]

Good luck with it and get well soon (((hugs)))

[loripo]

Just so you know when you login again, I'm sure I wont be alone in thinkimg about you today