Springtail reflections

LordV · Post by **LordV** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 1:01 am

Globular springtails around 1.7mm body length walking on a small puddle with a flower placed behind them to reflect back into the water. Taken at 5:1 FF focus stacked and cropped a bit.

Brian v.

Aynia · Post by **Aynia** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 1:46 am

Super shots. I really love these little fellas. Have trouble seeing them though!!

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 3:01 am

Enchanting, the reflections add a lot. The background colour in the top one's a bit strong though?
I've seen a few springtails. I know they were springtails because they sprang away as soon as I got within arm's length. I reckon you speak arthropod!

l2oBiN · Post by **l2oBiN** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 6:47 am

#2 is my fav. Lovely captures.

rovebeetle · Post by **rovebeetle** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 7:00 am

Great! With those background colors it looks fairly psychedelic.

Cheers

Planapo · Post by **Planapo** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 7:11 am

Wonderful, Brian!

Is that one and the same springtail that you transferred to another background setting? I wonder that the big water drop seems to be in exactly the same position on the back of the animal(s) in both photographs.

--Betty

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:36 am

You've rumbled him Betty!
That's not water it's standing in, it's that sugar solution and the poor thing's GLUED there!

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:45 pm

Very nice! In the first one, I like how the flower in the background matches the color of the stripes on the springtail.

--Rik

LordV · Post by **LordV** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 3:38 pm

Thanks for the comments everyone- appreciated.

Betty - it probably is the same springtail - there were actually a few of them walking on this puddle- all I did was change the flower behind them to get a different reflection.
Brian v.

l2oBiN · Post by **l2oBiN** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 3:49 pm

Do they actually walk on the surface of water? Sometimes for the tiny stuff its hard to tell the scale. It would be quite interesting if you could capture a series going from say 1:1 with something in reference to it like a match stick and then down to 5-1 =P. thats my Request for you Brian =P. These buggers are very "cute".

LordV · Post by **LordV** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 1:39 am

l2oBiN wrote:Do they actually walk on the surface of water? Sometimes for the tiny stuff its hard to tell the scale. It would be quite interesting if you could capture a series going from say 1:1 with something in reference to it like a match stick and then down to 5-1 =P. thats my Request for you Brian =P. These buggers are very "cute".

Yes they do and can walk on water - may springtail species actually live on water surfaces. Not sure if the pic below will help to scale them - they are on a water barrel lid about 18" in diameter and the raised mouldings (the reflective stripes) are 10mm long.There's around 50 springtails in this photo

Brian v.

Harold Gough · Post by **Harold Gough** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 4:45 am

LordV wrote:Yes they do and can walk on water - many springtail species actually live on water surfaces.

Cave species, in particular, also some pond/bog species as their normal habitat. Many species are to be found on the surface of water at times.

Great shots.

Harold

l2oBiN · Post by **l2oBiN** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 5:18 am

Yes they do and can walk on water - may springtail species actually live on water surfaces. Not sure if the pic below will help to scale them - they are on a water barrel lid about 18" in diameter and the raised mouldings (the reflective stripes) are 10mm long.There's around 50 springtails in this photo

Brian v.

Cool! How did you attract them to the lid? Do they just turn up?

LordV · Post by **LordV** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 5:36 am

Thanks for the comment and further info Harold

l2oBiN - The only thing I have done with this water barrel is place some filter matting in the middle of the lid on top of which is an upturned clay pot. This actually to attract a couple of other species of springtail. These coloured globulars seem to need a damp place to hide (I suspect under the lid) and then a damp grazing surface that some detritus /algae growing on it. You will actually find the same springtails on the underside of damp fallen leaves (as well as many other small bugs).
They are one of the things that once you have spotted them you find start seeing them all over the place - damp wood surfaces are also a good place.

Brian v.

dmillard · Post by **dmillard** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 4:59 pm

Congratulations Brian - these are breathtaking images!

Regards,
David