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Robber Fly


Robber Fly
Photo Information
Copyright: Ram Thakur (ramthakur) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3297 W: 167 N: 9918] (32174)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-08-10
Categories: Insects
Camera: Sony DSC-P200
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-09-18 14:08
Viewed: 674
Points: 18
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I shot this Robber Fly at Shimla, India. Shimla is a hill station in the sub Himalayan region. It was the summer capital of the former British empire in India.
Now it is the capital of the state of Himachal Pradesh.

ROBBER FLY

Flies in the Diptera family Asilidae are commonly known as robber flies. The family Asilidae contains about 7,100 described species worldwide. All robber flies have stout, spiny legs, a dense moustache of bristles on the face (mystax), and 3 simple eyes (ocelli) in a characteristic depression between their two large compound eyes. The mystax helps protect the head and face when the fly encounters prey bent on defense. The antennae are short, 3-segmented, sometimes with a bristle-like structure called an arista. The short, strong proboscis is used to stab and inject victims with saliva containing neurotoxic and proteolytic enzymes which paralyze and digest the insides; the fly then sucks the liquefied meal through the proboscis. Many species have long, tapering abdomens, sometimes with a sword-like ovipositor. Others are fat-bodied bumble bee mimics. Adult robber flies attack other flies, beetles, butterflies and moths, various bees, dragon and damselflies, ichneumon wasps, grasshoppers, and some spiders.

Source: WIKIPEDIA

Thanks for looking.
dew77, magal, loot, wallhalla15, jmp, jcoowanitwong, pablominto, scottevers7 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2006-09-18 14:10]

Hello Ram,
Wonderful close up.POV,cross framing,sharpness,clear details and composition are excellent.
TFS...:-)

  • Great 
  • magal Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 224 W: 0 N: 313] (1241)
  • [2006-09-18 14:50]

Hi Ram,
Beautiful shot with nice vertical POV and brilliant colours. Sharpness could be better I think - Hope you're not experiencing the focussing problems you had earlier this year!
Thanks also for the very informative note.
TFS
Mark

Hi Ram,
Great macro.Nice composition and amazing soft colours. Congratulations,

hAyAti

Great macro Ram. Good composition with very good sharpness and very good details. Very good job. Well done. Thank you for posting.
Gr.
Heinz

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5452 W: 594 N: 3651] (10033)
  • [2006-09-18 15:31]

Hi Ram
This is an excellent top view of the robber fly. The soft lime green colour of the leaf as background assisted in highlighting the outer details of the insect’s body very well.
The composition is great and the colours are fine. The details could maybe benefit by a little more USM (only a minor nit) and the exposure was on the button. The combination of sunlight and the use of the fill-in flash were very well handled and this is evident by the control over the reflective light from the shiny leaf, the soft shadow of the insect, and the amount of detail visible on the darkish fly.
Very well done my friend and TFS.
Regards
Loot
PS. I loved your informative note as well.

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1740 W: 95 N: 2273] (8411)
  • [2006-09-18 17:36]

Hi Ram,
A perfect capture, with very good pov, details and compostion. Good note too.
TFS, José M.

Hello Ram,
A nice specimen that you are showing here. Sharp and crystal clear picture. Overall techniques are good. Very well done and TFS.
JC

Hello Ram,
A most pleasing composition!
The fly really stand out on that bright green leaf, and it is captured in a nice pose and with great details!
The flash provides good lighting resulting in bright colours in insect and background!
Greetings,
Pablo -

Hi Ram,
An excellent top view on this Robber Fly. The finelt detail green leaf makes a great backround to better show detail. Your fill flash exposure looks good here. Well done!
Scott

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