Tenthredo Meets The Wrong Lens

e6filmusere6filmuser Registered Users Posts: 3,376 Major grins
edited June 30, 2015 in Holy Macro
Several days ago, I saw a variegated (black with white or yellow markings) fly or wasp flying near my Lemon Balm plants. I went and fetched my camera, with my Kiron, which does up to 1:1 as I judged that actual FOV at 1:1 would be too small a frame (so, no Printing Nikkor this time). That turned out to be correct, but for the Snipe Fly I found (posted recently), the wasp no longer to be seen.

This time, I had been photographing a tiny plant bug with the 6mm FOV of my reversed Schneider FM 40mm. When I did see some black and yellow insect hiding among the leaves I knew I needed a wider FOV. Anyway, I took a couple of shots, the results being the first two images, shown uncropped. The second image shows that the pale steak across the face in the first image was the tarsus of a front leg.

There being no more to be gained from the attached lens, I fetched my Kiron 105mm from the house and continued. The wasp wanted to remain out of the sun, remaining quite deep in the foliage. Trying to get a view, I disturbed it and it flew away. I managed to see which way it flew, which was towards the neighbouring balm plant.

After much waiting and looking, I finally found the wasp, again deep among the leaves and stems. I had considerable trouble getting the wasp frames but finally succeeded.

I believe the species is in the Tentredo notha group of similar species, difficult to separate from photographs. The larvae feed on clover.

The images are cropped for composition, although the scope for this was limited.

All images were taken with twin TTL RC flash in camera manual mode, hand-held.

Harold


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