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I'LL BE A BEETLE SOON!


I'LL BE A BEETLE SOON!
Photo Information
Copyright: Radomir Jaskula (cicindela) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1307 W: 0 N: 2925] (8635)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-07-03
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon Coolpix 5400, 35-105 mm 1:4,5-5,6, @ ISO 100
Exposure: f/5.6
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Insects around the world, Insects' World, Insect larvae, Insects (Insecta) [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-06-27 12:48
Viewed: 1203
Points: 56
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Dear Friends!
Today I would like to show you another young stage of insect, this time it is a larva of beetle Melolontha melolontha (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), presented as the adult here.
Looks a little different? I think so! ;>
But you can ask why!? And the answer is very simple - insects are the creatures which in their life cycles have metamorphosis. A lot of interesting details were written about this phenomenon here on TN, so there is no reason to repeat them.
On the other hand let me write a few words more about the insect larvae :)

First at all please note that different insects have different larvae. There are many clasifications but I think that the most important is this made on the basis of body characters. So let's start from the beginning! ;>

Apoid larvae - this group includes larvae with no legs, and with reduced head, thanks to that they look worm like. Very often the name maggot is used for this type of larvae, and it is present mainly in flies (Diptera) and bees and wasps (Hypenoptera: Apidae, Vespidae). Such larva looks like this (photo thanks to Gaetan Lemaitre).

Oligopod larvae group larvae with 3 pairs of legs placed on thorax (like in adult insects), but without any abdominal legs. This is a very common type of larva in insects except butterflies and moths - Lepidoptera, scorpionflies - Mecoptera, fleas Siphonaptera, and Strepsiptera. Such larvae can be watched here (picture thanks to Oz Ben Yehuda) or here.

In some cases it is named as:
- campodeal larva: in beetles suborder Adephaga (e.g. Carabidae, Cicindelidae, Dytiscidae), caddflies - Trichoptera,

- nymph - present in Odonata, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Orthoptera, Blattodea, Hemiptera - larvae are very similar in shape to adults (but without wings of course),

- grub - seen here on the picture, known in e.g. some beetle families like Scarabaeidae, Chrysomelidae and Cerambycidae.

Polypod larvae - with cylindrical bodies and with short thoracic legs (3 pairs) and moreover with abdominal prolegs (=pseudolegs). Very often the name caterpillar is given to this larval type. It is present in Lepidoptera, but also in Mecoptera, and one group of Hymenoptera - Symphyta. These larvae are usually phytophagous.



And this picture is my last photo presented on TN before I leave Lodz for two weeks. I hope that after this time I would be able to show you some new pictures, who knows, maybe another type of insect larva? ;>
Thank you in advance for your time and I wish you many nice moments with your cameras!!!
gracious, saguzar, ridvan, eqshannon, jeanpaul, Matt-Bird, jcoowanitwong, gannu, JORAPAVI, Kaszek, IulianGherghel, alguazul, marhowie, jmp, meyerd, Alex99, loot, jlbrthnn, extramundi, rkailas has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Radomir,
perfect sharpness with so much details involved in this excellent captured of yours!
what a amazing view it is!
thanks for sharing and useful note
have a wonderful time in Lodz
cheers
Tony

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1899 W: 36 N: 5579] (18518)
  • [2007-06-27 14:08]

Hi Radomir,
Splendid shot of this larva. Immaculate sharpness and clear details. The focus is spot-on and superb exposure. I like your top POV and the BG. Very very educative note and a wonderful presentation. Have a nice time and hope to see even more amazing shots on your return.
TFS.
Sumon

Hi Radomir,
Interesting picture, very similar to one that took last summer and in the same rolled position, soon available in the web in my future website...:)
Details and sharpness are superb. Maybe not colourful and spectacular insect when young but nice to learn about this species.
Regards
Hernán

  • Great 
  • demeve Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 604 W: 11 N: 1631] (5995)
  • [2007-06-27 15:35]

Hello Radomir, congratulations! fine picture. Great POV and composition, the larvae have fantastic color and it is very sharp..well done

  • Great 
  • ridvan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 555 W: 0 N: 1134] (5196)
  • [2007-06-27 15:52]

selam radomir; excellent macro shot of this insect,good details presented ,nice POV well captured with splendid colours TFS
regards
ridvan

Now that is a MACRO. He looks as though he is in the fetal position...of course this is the way of life eh?

Very good quality capture for the book and such..Nice jog.

Hi Radomir,
Good shot of this larva, you have captured alot of fine detail in this photo.Good composition,
regards
Matt.

Hello Radomir,
Perfect picture of a larva. Beautiful and sharp focus. Enjoy reading your informative note. Have a nice trip and bring back beautiful photos.
JC

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 4 N: 3262] (14691)
  • [2007-06-28 4:22]

Radomir, Nice details and excellent composition. Lovely pov and focus. Ganesh

  • Great 
  • edal Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 376 W: 50 N: 412] (1849)
  • [2007-06-28 4:56]

Hello Radomir!
This is a rare capture - for most uneducated people most larvae look one and the same to peole like me. So, your professional attitude is very educative.
Pozdrawiam!
Anton

Hola Radomir,
Excelente la luz y nitidez con mucho detalle de esta especie que presentas, como siempre muy bien documentadea, TFS. Saludos
José Ramón

Czesc Radek!
Jaka tlusta klucha :)
Bardzo dobra ostrosc i kompozycja. Moze troche tylko przepalona jest przednia czesc larwy.
Udanego wyjazdu!
Pozdrawiam
Kaszek

Bonjour Radomir
Elle est superbe cette prise de vue de ce superbe insecte Trčs belle composition avec de belles couleurs et de jolies détails.
Félicitations et merci pour l'envoie.....JP
Les sourires demain

Czesc Radomir!
Super fota:ostrosc i kolorystyka.Zapraszam do mnie!!!!!!!!!!! :D

Pozdrawiam Adrian

Very good DOF, sharp and detailed. I like the contrast of textures between the larva and ground.

Hi Rodomir,
Very nice portrait of this Melolontha larvae.
Beautiful and very sharpness focus, pov and colors.
Well done!
Fiendly regards,
Iulian

Hi Radomir,
Nice sharp detail seen in this larval stage, with just the right DOF to blur the BG well..And a most excellent & informative note as well :)
I got some shots last year of this same larva in my flower bed, but never discovered what it was. Thank You!
Howard

Superbe macro, beaucoup de détails.
Bravo
Marie

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1740 W: 95 N: 2273] (8411)
  • [2007-07-01 9:51]

Hi Radomir,
Great details and excellent exposure. Metamorphosis is one of the more astonishing phenomenon in Nature that fascinated me since my childhood!
Thank for sharing this image.
José M.

  • Great 
  • meyerd Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 519 W: 68 N: 1696] (5366)
  • [2007-07-01 11:30]

Dear Radomir,
this is an amazingly sharp picture of the beetle grub, yet the background is blurred as it should. Well done, instructive, and as usual, extensive notes that go with it. I did'nt dare to show a picture of a grub so far, but you convince me that it can be done.
Greetings to you, Radomir,
Dietrich

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3585 W: 143 N: 5669] (18533)
  • [2007-07-03 2:26]

Hi Radomir.
Superb reproduction of this (not favorite for me) creature. DOF is precise as well as the light. Colour are rich and wonderful. Refined work. My compliments and kind regards.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5451 W: 594 N: 3650] (10031)
  • [2007-07-04 11:02]
  • [2]

Hi Radomir

As a child I have seen many of these types of "fat worms" when digging in the ground, but I never knew that it was the larval stage of a beetle. Only ±2 years ago I gained that knowledge here on TN. These grubs are excellent for fishing though.

Great instructive notes (coming from the teacher) accompanied with a fine shot of this beetle grub. The sharpness of the details are splendid and the exposure was spot-on.

Great work as a total presentation and TFS.
Regards
Loot

Hello Rodomir,
Great shot on this curious larva. A great definition, a lot of deatils. Very interesting, your note too. Congratulations
Cordially
Joël

Lovely exposure, beutiful colours and perfect details are shown here. The quality of lighting is amazing, looks like a studio shot. Very good magnification too.
I like to discover the scientific names, some of them are really cool :)
Thanks and best regards, Felipe.

Hi Radomir, splendid macro with amazing details and great sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1351 W: 0 N: 5494] (16522)
  • [2007-07-12 14:08]

Hi Radomir

I missed this one! A wonderful photograph - perfect in fact - it almost make me like the larva - almost ;)

James

  • Great 
  • ddg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 855 W: 23 N: 942] (5111)
  • [2007-09-25 0:31]

Bonjour Radomir, razor sharp details with this larva of Melolontha melolontha. Here is the adult in flight!! http://www.treknature.com/gallery/Europe/France/photo53239.htm. Congratulations for your post, Didier.

Hey awesome shot, I've caught his cousin in the Philippines, in my garden. It looks like I have a lot of them just while digging a small hole to plant some flowers, I found 3 of them.

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