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My 1st surviving fly


My 1st surviving fly
Photo Information
Copyright: Japie Venter (japie) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-09-29
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Tamron 28-300XR, Skylight
Exposure: f/22, 1/200 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Flies - Moscas - Mouches, Insects and Spiders of Southern Africa [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2004-09-29 13:19
Viewed: 1207
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Look guys and gals, I got a fly!!!! It is due to the posts on this sight that this fly did not get swatted, but photographed.

I worked from home today and while taking a break (with my camera in the hand) I took this fly Musca Domestica, I hope, sitting on the flower of a bohemia tree. Thanks to Gerhard for assisting telephonically to ID this one.

This one survived my presence, but I still have the urge to swat them.

I did the crop in this manner to show not only the fly, but also the beauty of the Bohemia flower. Hopefully there is enough detail in it to fullfill a duel function.

Thanks to the internet for the info below:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Muscidae
Genus: Musca
Size: Length - 8mm

Status

Very common and widespread .

Description

The house fly is, perhaps, the most common and widespread animal in the world. It is a serious pest, which spreads many disease-causing pathogens including Salmonella, anthrax and polio.

It is greyish in colour with four dark stripes along the back. Like all flies it has one pair of membranous 'true' wings; the second pair of wings are modified into drumstick-like appendages known as 'halteres', which are used in balance.

The sponge-like mouthparts are adapted for feeding on liquids, and the reddish compound eyes are large.

Range

This species is ubiquitous throughout Britain and is found in many parts of the world.

Habitat

Occurs in a wide range of habitats, and is often associated with human activities; tends to breed in manure and decomposing material.

Biology

House flies contaminate food, and in developing countries are responsible for millions of infant deaths per year as a result of dehydration caused by diarrhoea.

House flies undergo 'complete metamorphosis '; the larvae (maggots) progress through three stages known as 'instars' before a pupal stage develops in which complex changes take place as the body of the maggot re-organises into the adult fly.

Adults feed on rotting plant and animal matter and sugary liquids. They repeatedly salivate on food, ingest it and regurgitate it in order to pre-digest the food.

Threats

This species is not threatened. It is subject to control measures in some areas as it can be a serious pest.

Conservation

Kill the bugger!!!
AndyB, PDP, Signal-Womb, carper, extramundi, ellis49, RAP, gerhardt, milloup, marhowie, kikvel, Esox, Lourens has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1592 W: 32 N: 1361] (3978)
  • [2004-09-29 13:38]

Very good and well presented work.
Nice colours and detail.
Excellent note too,very well done.

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2964 W: 366 N: 3848] (11751)
  • [2004-09-29 13:48]

Good for you, and what a beautiful job you did! Nice diptych, excellent colours and compositon in both, well done Japie. Shoot don't swat :-)

Thats a very artistic presentation this time Japie and I just love it. Great details and colour. Excellent post.

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2167 W: 124 N: 2567] (8208)
  • [2004-09-29 14:18]

Very nice one Japie,
very good colours, good composition, very nice fly portrait. great note, good job.

Now with this atmosphere and this background and composition how can say that flyes are not beautiful?
Veru well presented work, Japie, and good note. Thanks.

Very nice Japie.
Great colors, good compo. and very good details.
A great note too , as always.
Very good job.
Well done.

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2004-09-29 15:24]

Que hermosa composicion Japie... Bravo!.
El colorido de esa flor y todos sus detalles, sumada a la pequeña mosca tan bien capturada.
Tu relato es excelente.
Felicitaciones por una gran entrega.

That beautiful composition Japie... Bravo.
Colorful of that flower and all its details, added the small fly so well captured.
Your story is excellent.
Congratulations by a great post.

Very well done on the frame layout. Nice double layered and not obstrusive. The pinks from the flower add a soft presence too it. Nice work. Artistic as they said indeed.

Well you could of found a spider to feed it to.
Good double image Japie , and good notes too.

Your choice of F-22 worked very well here, keeping also the details of the flower within DOF range. Colours are good, too. Enjoy your flies, ours will soon be gone for this year ;-))

Jaap, Like what you did with this fly swatting material! Seems almost hypocritical that with one hand we swat & the other we shoot!! You've dressed it up nicely. Like the effect in the WA shot with the deep blue backdrop. I think this guy should thank you - he never looked so good! :-)))

Japie:

Nice catch of this fly.
Notes...fantastic!

K.

  • Great 
  • Esox Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 287 W: 27 N: 352] (948)
  • [2004-09-30 14:19]

Superb composition.
I like the colours and the details.
A good note too.
Good work.

I must commend you on your resistance not to swat. I probably would have if it entered my kitchen.
Great close up especially on the flower. I know how hard it is to shoot these little things, as they take off just when you focus.

Lovely images, Japie. Baie mooi. Ek dink net die insek het die verkeerde naam gekry - nl 'n vlieg. Hy moes eerder 'n "sit" genoem word want hy sit altyd waar hy nie moet sit nie!!

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