Chironomid Midge

lauriek · Post by **lauriek** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 11:33 am

Chironomid midge of some kind - a biggie I think, body around 10mm long. Still quite a small head though...

81 images shot with Nikon 10x/0.30 CF Plan objective stacked with Zerene stacker (Pmax).

Planapo · Post by **Planapo** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 12:47 pm

Am I having a déjà vu right now!

Now seriously, very good, Laurie! And it's nice to get a little closer.

--Betty

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 1:15 pm

I look forward to being able to repeat this sincerest form of flattery!

Even at 10mm long, there's not a lot of body to pin. Is that what you did, or is it a mass of super-glue back there?

lauriek · Post by **lauriek** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 1:32 pm

Thanks!

This thread was nearly titled 'ode to Charles' or something similar!

To be honest there aren't many angles from which you can see the interestingness of the front of the face with these beasties (The antennae are so big and feathery they just get in the way from any other angle I tried!)

Chris the subject is 'mounted' on a piece of sandpaper about 2cm by 1cm, folded in half and allowed to spring back open a bit (say very roughly 45 degrees), then one end is stuck up between the subjects wings and body. Hope that makes sense, let me know if not! (I initially used a piece of white card but could not achieve a decent exposure with that so close to the subject, this is still a little 'hot' in the bottom corners..)

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 2:00 pm

So it's just resting there, hooked up on its wing-pits, as it were?

I'm surprised the sandpaper didn't unfold it out of shot during the stack!

Aynia · Post by **Aynia** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 2:01 pm

Great compostition Laurie.

Looks like someone with stripey tights or leggings and big shoes dancing on some kind of big round bouncy kids' toy!!!!

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 2:08 pm

You what Aynia?

Eh?

Oh I see what you mean!!

lauriek · Post by **lauriek** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 4:23 pm

Chris yes it's just resting on it's 'armpits'! I thought the same thing about 'drift' so I folded and flattened the sandpaper a few times to reduce any memory effect then left the bug sat on it for 1/2 hour before I started stacking...

Aynia like Chris I was confused for a moment then I saw it!

AndrewC · Post by **AndrewC** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 12:12 am

Aynia wrote:Great compostition Laurie.

Looks like someone with stripey tights or leggings and big shoes dancing on some kind of big round bouncy kids' toy!!!!

We need a competition for the nuttiest "well, this what I saw in the image ..."

Andrew

AndrewC · Post by **AndrewC** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:29 am

ChrisR wrote:I look forward to being able to repeat this sincerest form of flattery!

Even at 10mm long, there's not a lot of body to pin. Is that what you did, or is it a mass of super-glue back there?

I tried with supergluing midges a couple of times - it seemed to gunk up the antennae as it fumed.

Andrew