It is a Christmas Beetle (Anoplognathus) that I discovered yesterday morning. I had not seen a more magnificent example, so I decided to keep it with me in the studio as it slept through the heat of the day (32°C).
I noticed that it would remain motionless for a considerable period of time if left undisturbed; so, in the evening, I decided to attempt a stack; initially taking a couple of quick test shots to see how the speedlights and diffuser were playing with the mirror-like reflective qualities of the beetle. Image 1 is an example of one test shot.
I then began the stack using a time-lapse sequence; but about 20 shots into the process the beetle decided it was time to go...must have been on a mission... That was very early in the stack, which explains why the images displayed are not in focus.
Obviously (or one possible conclusion is), the onset of evening and the stimulation of the speedlights triggered its internal clock.
I did not attempt a second stack. Later in the evening, I returned the beetle to where I had found it so that it could continue its journey...
Image sequence left to right; 20 secs between shots. (screen capture from RAW workflow software).
Craig
