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To Heaven - II.


To Heaven - II.
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter Stoeckl (peter_stoeckl) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1629 W: 287 N: 3646] (10219)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-05-20
Categories: Insects
Camera: Sony Cybershot DSC-H5
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/1000 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-10-29 8:00
Viewed: 1156
Points: 78
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
To Heaven - II.


The victim:

Nymphalis urticae (Linnaeus, 1758),
Small Tortoiseshell
Kleiner Fuchs

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera / Rhopalocera
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Genus: Nymphalis


The killer:

Misumena vatia (Clerck, 1757)
Goldenrod crab spider
Veränderliche Krabbenspinne

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Family: Thomisidae
Genus: Misumena

Amazing to realize the enormous speed of the spider’s attack and the instant effects of its venom. Here the victim’s size and weight significantly exceed the predator’s, and that particular butterfly is a powerful flyer that would easily lift off in the moment of contact and also drag the aggressor with it within fractals of a second. The effects of the venom seem to be a total paralyzation of all muscles within a shorter time than the victim's speed of reaction. The ultimate level of paralyzation can be judged here from the victim's motionless opened wings, its dangling head and antennae, its flabby body that is kept in position on the flower by nothing but the spider's powerful grab.

„Misumena vatia is a species of crab spider with holarctic distribution. (...) Females can grow up to 10mm (without legs), males reach 5mm at most. (...) These spiders may be yellow or white, depending on the flower in which they are hunting. Especially younger females, which may hunt on a variety of flowers such as daisies and sunflowers, may change color "at will" (aggressive mimicry). Older females require large amounts of relatively large prey to produce the best possible clutch of eggs.“

„The color change is made possible by secreting a liquid yellow pigment into the outer cell layer of the body. On a white base, this pigment is transported into lower layers, so that inner glands, filled with white guanine, become visible. If the spider dwells longer on a white plant, the yellow pigment is often excreted. It will then take the spider much longer to change to yellow, because it will have to produce the yellow pigment first. The color change is induced by visual feedback; spiders with painted eyes were found to have lost this ability. The color change from white to yellow takes between 10 to 25 days, the reverse about six days. The yellow pigments have been identified as kynurenine and 3-hydroxykynurenine[1]“

Reference: Misumena vatia. (2007, October 6). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 06:12, October 26, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Misumena_vatia&oldid=162690679


The stage:

Knautia arvensis (L.) Coult.
Field Scabious
Acker-Witwenblume

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Division: Magnoliophyta
Order: Dipsacales
Family: Dipsacaceae
Genus: Knautia


The camera:

SONY DSC-H5, 3072 x 2304 pixel, sRGB, 11mm macro (= 66mm at 35mm SLR), F/5.6, 1/1000sec., ISO-125; no tripod, no flash; 20.05.2007, 15:32.

Postwork: Photoshop Elements. Sligtly cropped, downsized to web, resharpened. Levels slightly adjusted.


Thank you for also visiting „To Heaven“.


Thank you for looking.
Have a very good day.
Dillinger, PaulH, earthtraveler, Maite, tiklod, XOTAELE, Alex99, jrobertop, mirceax, cicindela, anel, lgfoto, angybone, vanderschelden, kjpweb, pilonm, gracious, nirmalroberts, wallhalla15, TheMystic, Jamesp, MMM, JoseMiguel, TAZ, jmp, marhowie, calexica has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Dillinger: ... dramatic story unfoldingpeter_stoeckl 1 07-30 05:46
To calexica: Danke, Natascha.peter_stoeckl 1 02-26 11:16
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • batu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1060 W: 290 N: 3953] (13364)
  • [2007-10-29 8:12]

Guten Tag Peter,
großartige Tiefenschärfe. Alle Beteiligten sind klar und scharf abgebildet. Farben und Licht sind perfekt. Die 3D-Struktur der Blüte gefällt mir besonders!
Schöne Grüße, Peter

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1112 W: 23 N: 3660] (13089)
  • [2007-10-29 8:13]

Hi Peter, a slightly disturbing yet beautiful moment you have found and caught so well, much like the rest of nature. Great detail and excellent lighting, very well done.
Paul

Hi Peter,
The sharp deatails, color, and light of this image are relly fine.
Great capture of the victim and killer.
TFS
Richard

Ciao Peter,
questa foto è di una nitidezza eccezionale.
Questo esalta e rende ancora più drammatica l'immagine.
Complimenti,
Marcello

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1007 W: 64 N: 1266] (5195)
  • [2007-10-29 8:41]

Wow! Really bloodcurling!
This little spider didn't chose the better flower for its mimicry, yet it didn't hinder its success, as we see in this excellent sharp and clean image.
A wonderful job, as well as the previous "To heaven" which I had missed.
My compliments and best regards
Maite

Hi Peter,
for the poor Butterfly the choice between life and death is in the same flower, difficult one indeed!!
Gr8 documentation & welldone!!
TFS
CoolNik

Hi Peter,
AMAZING moment of life and death! Very sharp details. Charming colours. Excellent DOF.
Regards,

Claude

Una macro espectacular Peter.
Genial la nitidez y el encuadre elegido.
Buena nota.
Un saludo, JL.

bonjour peter
sur celle-ci on voit nettement plus l'araignée,la scene est tout aussi cruelle par parfaitement realisée.
bravo.
laurent

Hello Peter
This is an astonishing picture..You like the spider have hunted down your picture and then captured it perfectly. The colours are so varied and reproduced very well indeed.
Best Regards and tfs
Paul

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3586 W: 143 N: 5690] (18601)
  • [2007-10-29 9:53]

Hi, dear Peter.
I did not know that butterfly could be victim of a spider. How a little I know. But I know exactly that this picture is superb by subject and quality. I am impressed with DOF and perfect sharpness of all objects. The details of the butterfly, spider and flower are the best. The subject (first of all I mean stem and flower) is fine. The main scene is so dramatic but reflected excellently too. Peter's POV is fantastic as usual. Colours are clean, very pleasant for look as well as the perfect lights. My best wishes and BRAVO.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3824 W: 190 N: 11393] (35107)
  • [2007-10-29 10:00]

Hello Peter,
Excellent capture of a yellow crab spider with a grip on its prey, both of which you have captured sharply.
Superb composition with the scabious flower in a POV that has become your trademark, the sky making a fine BG.
Well done and TFS!
Ivan

Hello Peter.
Wonderful shot!
Register of a sensational moment!
Beautiful colors; excellent sharpness and magnificent POV.
Congratulations for the wealth of details.
Well done!
Best regards,
José Roberto

Hello Peter,
Excellent capture of this crab spider with the prey.Beautiful details and colours.Perfect DOF and composition.
TFS.

Mircea

Dear Peter!
Lovely presentation even if a creaul too. I like a lot clear and sharp details of this photo and delicate BG. Contrast between species and sky is really nice and allow to present the "story" in really perfect way.
As always note is educational and interesting.
My best greetings from Lodz,
Radomir

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1726 W: 0 N: 3927] (15770)
  • [2007-10-29 12:58]

hallo Peter,
Geschmunzelt habe ich schon ein wenig, warst Du doch heute wieder fast mein Nachbar, allerdings mit einem Quack,Quack dazwischen!
Zum Bild, ich hatte mir die Wirklichkeit noch ein wenig sanfter vorgestellt. Welch ein Biss..armer Schmetterling. Hervorragend und dramatisch fotografiert.
Mit herzlichem Dank und noch Guet Nacht
Anne

  • Great 
  • lgfoto Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 194 W: 13 N: 279] (1536)
  • [2007-10-29 13:33]

Thanks for great note Peter. Very sharp and technically high quality shot. Good timing and composition, TFS.

I don't even know what to say about your work...it's just perfect!!! What a moment you captured...sad but part of life.

Amazing sharpness...wonderful light...just perfect!

Hola Peter, es realmente impresionante esta toma por la limpieza , fuerza y contraste de los colores. El enfoque y la profundidad están muy conseguidos que junto a la excelente luz y buena composición dan como resultado una fotografía muy realista y atractiva.

Un saludo: J. Ignasi

Hello Peter,
Always outstanding images but this one is even a bit more extraordinary.
Wow!
Congrats!
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1899 W: 36 N: 5579] (18518)
  • [2007-10-30 5:43]

Hi Peter,
Splendid action shot. These small spiders can be very dangerous and are very strong. Very sharp image with lovely colours. The lighting, exposure and DOF are superb. I like the sky as BG presenting a soft base. Excellent POV and very nicely composed. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Wow Peter, was fuer ein dramatisches Bild. Grosse Tiefenschaerfe und fast 3 dimensionale Wirkung. Fanrtastisch!

Bravo
Cheers, Klaus

Hello Peter!

WOW!!! What an impressing picture of this natural drama... You got a great POV and had the first seat to assist that natural event... More than this, the image mixed beauty and brutality and a wonderful way! Colors here are impressing!!! The speed of the venom is awesome also: the butterfly got no chance at all! The square frame works excellently here!!!

Congratulations for this impressive picture!

Michel

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1978 W: 6 N: 5527] (19673)
  • [2007-10-30 13:39]

woow Peter..we are waiting the next pic of this series...who will win? spider or butterfly? thanks for share,Luciano

Hello my friend Peter,
I loved you compositions so much on the butterfly because the posting size is always in large format as if the butterfly and flower is real in front of us, the most important is the perfect sharpness, vivid colour and very details always against the blue sky that makes it so natural and beautiful!
my special compliment towards your outstanding works of nature!
thanks for sharing
best wishes always
Tony

Hi Peter,
Great picture of the killer and its kill. TFS.
- Nirmal

Hallo Peter,
ein erstklassiges dramatisches Foto zeigst Du uns hier. Super Bildaufbau, sehr gute Schärfe, tadellos ausgeleuchtet - ein perfektes Makro. Wenn ich bedenke wie dieses Foto aus sehr niedriger Aufnahmeposition der Kamera entstanden ist, zumal die H5 keinen ausklappbaren LCD-Monitor hat, kann ich nur sagen: Peter das ist eine super Arbeit! Wie üblich sind Deine Bemerkungen hervorragend.
Gruß
Heinz

Hello Peter: Greetings from Canada!
A great drama in astonishing macro with wonderful sharpness and detail, perfect dof. Amazing colors!
Cheers
Otto

  • Great 
  • rdfoto Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 372 W: 0 N: 719] (3295)
  • [2007-10-31 14:05]

Bonjour Peter
Une prise de vue dramatique mais de grande qualité photographique, excellente.
Amicalement Robi

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1351 W: 0 N: 5494] (16524)
  • [2007-10-31 23:37]

Hi Peter

Superb shot with excellent datail and colour - well obseved.

James

Hi Peter,
A wonderful presentation in the best of your style!
The explicit POV, excellent illumination and sharp details are always a pleasure to look at.
You did it great in the timing to get this moment, with those colorful victim and killer in action.
My compliments and thanks for post it.
Kind regards,
JM

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2007-11-02 4:03]

Hello dear Peter,
Superb close-up for this dramatic scene... It remembers me my photo with the same spider and flower ;-)
The "+++" : composition, 2 subjects, pose, POV, sharpness, DOF, colors, exposure, sky in BG, very useful complementary note...
The "-" : nothing...
Bravo my friend and thanks for sharing,
Christian

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 921 W: 0 N: 1985] (8905)
  • [2007-11-02 10:43]

Hi Peter
What a beautiful composition.Excellent POV and very sharp image whit lovely colors.Details are outstanding.I really like that beautiful blue sky as a BG.
TFS and congradulation Michel

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2264 W: 10 N: 2633] (15577)
  • [2007-11-03 1:46]

Hola Peter,
preciosa macro,
bello trabajo, un poco triste... :(
(la muerte acecha en cualquier lado)
colores y compo.
magníficos,
saludos

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1740 W: 95 N: 2273] (8411)
  • [2007-11-06 13:46]

Hi Peter,
An impressive capture for its perfection and the moment you captured. Great details, pov and moment. Colours on flower, spider and butterfly.
I visited the previous post in the link and complements this document showing the butterfly from the best pov.
TFS and best regards, José M.

  • Great 
  • sela Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 45 W: 0 N: 39] (704)
  • [2007-11-13 8:01]

Sensationell! Glückwunsch, solch einen Moment einzufangen! Klasse!
Lieben Gruß Rose

Very nice work again Peter, your practice of shooting high, with sky BG works famously..
Great POV of the "capture", excellent all-round :)
Howard

Hallo Peter,
Ein großartiges Foto von exzellenter Qualität (obwohl ich ganz ehrlich zugeben muss, dass mir der Schmetterling irgendwie leid tut ;-) ). Wirklich ein hervorragendes Foto mit sehr guter Schärfe und lebendigen Farben.
LG
Natascha

I really like this composition. Like its companion photo (To Heaven), the vibrant and soft colors blend very well. Excellent focus -- and such a dramatic story unfolding in this scene!

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