Gasteruption jaculator On Goldenrod (Male Images Added)

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

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Harold Gough
Posts: 5786
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:17 am
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England

Gasteruption jaculator On Goldenrod (Male Images Added)

Post by Harold Gough »

This wasp was photographed at about life size on the sensor and images cropped, the first by 75%, the others by 50%.

The wasp was slow flying and stayed on each inflorecence for long enough to frame and focus. It seemed oblivious to my presence. It is a parasite of Hylaeus bees in plant stems. The white tip to the ovipositor is diagnostic.

Here it comes. The pixelated highlight was present beofre sharpening:

Image


The family Gasterupteridae is recognisable:

Image


The species is recognisable, even if the head is hidden:

Image

Here it is in full view, not as sharp as I thought:

Image

All with E-P2, Tamron 90mm f2.5 SP macro, Marumi +3 (superfluous but on for higher magnifications). f8 1/250/ 1/160 (f11?), 1/320, 1/250 at 400 ISO, hand held.

Harold
Last edited by Harold Gough on Sun Feb 09, 2014 11:52 am, edited 3 times in total.
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

DQE
Posts: 1653
Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:33 pm
Location: near Portland, Maine, USA

Post by DQE »

Remarkable ovipositor!

The photos themselves are enjoyable in many ways, of course, but I have to admit my attention was captured by its anatomy!
-Phil

"Diffraction never sleeps"

Harold Gough
Posts: 5786
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:17 am
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England

Post by Harold Gough »

Even more remarkable when in flight, curved downwards and forwards.

I should have said that this was all one individual, seen for the first time today.

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

Harold Gough
Posts: 5786
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:17 am
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England

Post by Harold Gough »

Harold Gough wrote:Even more remarkable when in flight, curved downwards and forwards.

I should have said that this was all one individual, seen for the first time today.
I didn't find that to be the case when I saw a (smaller?) female yesterday. Some fine detail is shown:

Image


I then found a very small individual, with no white spot, and I had to go back to x3 magnification. The lack of ovipositor makes it a male:

Image

Image

The images of the male are not as sharp as I would like. If he returns today I may get better ones but this very slender insect, without the white spot to follow, is very difficult to see in flight and to locate when landed. These shots are into the sun and I need some with the sun behind me.

All the above images are cropped by about 50%.

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

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