Little Worm...

Images of undisturbed subjects in their natural environment. All subject types.

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Ken Ramos
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Little Worm...

Post by Ken Ramos »

No not me...this! :lol:

Image

T'was a lazy Saturday, spring morning. Clouds rolling in from the west promising rain and adding a slight overcast light though there was still a measure of morning sun. This was in partial shade and I just happened to come across it. I was looking intently for subjects but still just luck that I noticed this little creature. :D

Canon EOS 20D
Manual mode, hand held
1/60 sec. @ f/6.3 ISO 100
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Canon 430EX Speedlite ETTL @ -1, off camera
PP: Photo Impact 6 :D

jmlphoto
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Post by jmlphoto »

great shot ken, caught him in the act. just wondering why its has that black shadow on the back.
Jordan L. photo southern california.

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Jordan asked:
just wondering why its has that black shadow on the back.
Could be the due to the translucent skin of the worm being viewed edge on. :-k

Thanks Jordan :D

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

Is this flashed from the upper right? If so, maybe a flash shadow. :?

--Rik

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Rik asked:
Is this flashed from the upper right? If so, maybe a flash shadow.
The flash was centered up and over the lens and pointed slightly downwards on this one. :D

acerola
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Post by acerola »

I think that dark outline is come from the two different light source. There is an ambient light you capture with 1/60 s and the flash. If you take this picture without the flash, the worm will be dark. The camera close by cast a shadow to the worm.
So the dark outline is this darker worm. The camera moved a little to the right (if it was second curtain) and at the end the flash freeze a second more sharper image.
I use this two light source technique very much, but I like the under exposition of the ambient light with 2 EV. I then get a darker background (I did mot like black very much). It is emphasize the subject and this dark outline is almost not visible.
Last edited by acerola on Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
Péter

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Well, I guess that answers that! :lol: I did not know, thanks Péter :D

Harold Gough
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Post by Harold Gough »

It looks like a sawfly larva.

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

I Googled "sawfly larvae" there Harold, appears that you are right. Thanks for the ID. :D

Harold Gough
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Post by Harold Gough »

Watch out for some species doing this kind of thing when alarmed by your approach (scroll down to first post):

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forum ... llars.html

I find one such species on rose leaves in my garden.

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Couldn't find out much about this "defense mechanism." Seems to be often referred to as "easy bleeding," a secretion of hemolymph. Must be quite distasteful to predators, unlike the strong alkaloid secretions of other caterpillars which are irritants or harassing agents I believe. :-k

Thanks Harold :D

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

I'm confused. I thought the article was talking about tails-in-the-air posture. Didn't notice anything in there about secretions, maybe I overlooked it? :?

I haven't seen many sawfly larvae, but I've had a soft spot in my heart for them ever since they were one of my great "Oops!" experiences. I found a batch, assumed they were moth larvae, and spent quite a long time trying to run them through the identification keys......before happening to back up and try it from the beginning. Then I discovered that I had failed to notice the prolegs...too many and too soon! Oops! But a memorable experience. :lol:

I notice this one is solitary. The others I've seen came in bunches. Were there more of these around?

--Rik

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

Peter, thanks for that explanation. It took me several readings, but finally I caught on. The explanation is very clear, by the way -- purely a case of my head running slow, and in the wrong direction! :lol:

--Rik

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Rik asked:
I notice this one is solitary. The others I've seen came in bunches. Were there more of these around?
Nope, this little feller was all by his lonesome. I never considered that though, you're right. All the reference images I came across showed them aggragated. :-k

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