Yasuni national park part VIII

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

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pbertner
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Yasuni national park part VIII

Post by pbertner »

On location: Sunrise over the Amazon:

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Lichen camouflaged longhorn beetle:

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Orbweaver spider (Argiope sp.):

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Stinging flannel moth caterpillar (Megalopyge sp.) a.k.a. the Donald Trump caterpillar

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Weevil with cordyceps fungus (Ophiocordyceps cucurlionidae):

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Mushroom:

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The bend in the bow - An oxbow lake from a drone's eye perspective.
The formation of an oxbow lake is a long process that requires first the erosion (and deposition on the opposite side) of the river banks, gradually forming the iconic sinuous curves termed 'meanders'. These meanders over time become more and more curved, until they essentially form a loop. During a flood or time of high water flow, the river can cut off the loop and once again proceed in a straighter, more efficient water course. What was the loop, now forms a horseshoe or oxbow lake as the river gradually recedes away from it.

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Thanks for looking and commenting,
Paul

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Really liked every single one of these from the lichen beetle to the bracket fungi . I thought the caterpillar was pretty cool also, reminded me of a Monkey slug but the presidential resemblance was quite an amusement. Cordyceps, something that I find so fascinating but seldom see much of any more except for a few weathered and wrinkled ant specimens clinging to the stem of a shrub here and there, I also find to be most interesting and intriguing. The overview of the area, the environment in which these tings were found is quite interesting as well as beautiful. Sometimes I think we get so lost in the subject itself that we are photographing close up, that we totally fail or forget to identify with where it resides at. It is good at times to sit back and take a good hard look at the local environment so that we may appreciate more the wonder and splendor of that which we have so enjoyed.

mawyatt
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Post by mawyatt »

Hi Paul,

Stunningly beautiful images!!

Love the Trump caterpillar :lol:

Best,

Mike
Research is like a treasure hunt, you don't know where to look or what you'll find!
~Mike

pbertner
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Post by pbertner »

Thanks for your impressions Ken. Indeed I really like providing at least one shot on location to illustrate the environment. I think it can set a wonderful tone, and enhance appreciation of the macro or other types of photography which subsequently follow. Yasuni was particular rich in non-ant cordyceps hosts, ranging from grubs, to moths, to grasshoppers and even a single tarantula specimen I unearthed. If you're curious you can see a selection here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rainfores ... 5926469875

Thanks Mike, much appreciated.

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

pbertner wrote:Thanks for your impressions Ken. Indeed I really like providing at least one shot on location to illustrate the environment. I think it can set a wonderful tone, and enhance appreciation of the macro or other types of photography which subsequently follow. Yasuni was particular rich in non-ant cordyceps hosts, ranging from grubs, to moths, to grasshoppers and even a single tarantula specimen I unearthed. If you're curious you can see a selection here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rainfores ... 5926469875

Thanks Mike, much appreciated.
Excellent images! I think what fascinates me the most besides the mind altering effects that the fungus has on its victim, is its diversity in appearance. As diverse as is its victims, no single cordyceps infection is identical to another. Every single insect is affected in a different way but the outcome is pretty much all the same of course. I would pray that this thing never mutates to include humanity, though there are times that I think it would not hurt to thin things out a bit. :wink:

JW
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Post by JW »

Sunrise over the Amazon is one of the best landscape images I've seen in a long time. Very difficult to get, I imagine, as the "magic moment" only lasts a few minutes. Capturing the pair of birds in flight really sets the mood for the image. (And all of the critter pics are wonderful, also).
It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see - Henry David Thoreau

pbertner
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Post by pbertner »

Thanks for the kind words JW.

Ken - each host species is infected by a separate cordyceps species, so I would expect some differences on account of that, but there are some pretty wonderful and rather amazing variations, especially considering that the job of spore dissemination has some variants depending on the host, though not as many as the variety of forms would suggest.

razashaikh
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Post by razashaikh »

That's what you call a perfect combination of landscape and macro shots. Keep up the great work.

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