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Cigariers


Cigariers
Photo Information
Copyright: Monika MvJ (thistle) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1317 W: 77 N: 3012] (9272)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-05
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon Coolpix 4200, Nikkor ED 38-114 F/2.8-4.8
Exposure: f/2.8
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Weevils [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-03-20 3:55
Viewed: 992
Points: 33
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Another shot from my archives. This is quite old picture, taken last Spring. Somehow I didn't post it ealier, but I think it's quite interesting so here it is today.

This, quite colourful couple, is a pair of mating leaf roller weevils.

As for more exact ID, I'm quite sure they belong to the Byctiscus species. Now, there are two probable identifications: Byctiscus populi and Byctiscus betulae. From the things I read I would say the second one is right, but I'm not 100% sure.

Anyway, both species are leaf roller weevils sometimes called Cigariers.

Why that name?

Weevils appear around May and feed on the developing leaves before commencing to construct a kind of coccon for their larves. The female weevil punctures the petiole of leaf causing it to wither. Then it constructs neat, cigar-like leaf rolls into which 1-4 pearly white eggs are deposited on the innermost edge.
The eggs hatch after about a week and the creamy white larvae begin to feed in earnest on the decaying leaf. At some point during the larval development the roll falls to the ground, the larva continues to feed before burrowing beneath the soil to pupate.

I must say I find these beetles quite hard to photograph. First of all because of their size which is about 5mm. The second thing is the fact that they are very shy. When you get too close they just play dead. If they sit on a leaf this usually mean they just fall off the leaf and it's almost imposible to find them later. This is the main reason I have very few pictures of these fellows. I always try to get as close as I can to get a good close-up and before I take a picture the beetle is gone.
aido, dew77, scottevers7, wkshelton, saguzar, wallhalla15, liquidsunshine, anavazao, AndyB, red45, peter_stoeckl has marked this note useful
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To romuszka: Dereniethistle 1 03-22 14:09
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • aido Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 1044 W: 156 N: 1218] (4046)
  • [2006-03-20 4:25]

Hi Monika,
Somebody posted a picture of something that looked very much like this last night. A nice shot, great colours throughout and a strong composition, the extreme DOF works very well. An interesting note too, I've learned something new today and it's only just gone 9am!
Regards,
Adrian

Nice image and an excellent note as always Monika. Always a pleasure to view your work.

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2006-03-20 4:59]

Hello Monika!
Very nice capture.I liked simple BG,POV,framing and composition a lot.TFS...:-)

  • Great 
  • ddg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 855 W: 23 N: 942] (5111)
  • [2006-03-20 5:15]

Hello Monika, good shot and good blurred BG. These two bugs are on toboggan!!! Very well done, TFS, Didier.

Hi Monika,
The colors in this are very well saturated and beautiful. The metallic sheen on the weevils really looks great. I like the overall composition.
Scott

Hello Monika,
Great closup. Very colorful, great details, DOV, Great cature and composure, TFS Kyle

Hi Monika,

Excellent shot and well done on the composition. Beautiful.

Mike

Hi Monika,
An old picture!! I posted some of the ´90 and 2000 sometimes.
The composition is superb, with this green BG.
Excelent capture, details and macro very good
Cheers
Hernán

Very nice macro shot Monika, great sharpness, details and clarity, nice DOF too! Thanks for sharing. Thank you for sharing.
Gr.
Heinz

Hi Monika,
Interesting capture, difficult to be either sweet or lovely ;)
The moment captured is perfect ;) excellent detail, colours and sharpness.
Well composed and nicely exposed. Thanks for posting, have a good week.

wow,
great macro with great colours and details!
Nice green color !!!!
Good note!
Good week!
Thanks Ana:)

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1391 W: 32 N: 1350] (3982)
  • [2006-03-21 12:52]

Hello Monika,
A very good shot of these tiny weevils.
Nice vivid colours,a good diagonal composition and very good DOF.
Good work.

TFS

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2006-03-21 13:40]

Yiiiiiihaaaaaaaa!!! ;-) Hi Monika! Are we in Texas? Rodeo time? Yeah, I'm going mad, but don't blame me, blame winter! So fresh greens and so shinny armours. Great as always!

  • Great 
  • thor68 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 792 W: 138 N: 1312] (5642)
  • [2006-03-21 18:14]

hehe, going for a ride. *g*
excellent macro, monika! :-)
the 2 metallic bugs against the blurred green
bg look really great.
take care & photos, thor.

  • Good 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2009 W: 122 N: 2581] (8424)
  • [2006-03-22 12:59]

Okee monika,
the sot is in a nice composition it is a little oversharped I thin so, the pov is nice and the dof is good, well nice job anyway.

Hej Monika!
Jak zrozumiałam, moge szukac tych chrzaszczy w dereniach? A mam takie miejsce, bo co raku robie nalewki dereniowe (sa super! Jak bedziesz chciala sluze receptura). Jednak daty zrobienia fotki bardzo sie przydaja. W maju bede tego szukala. Fotka super, kolorki, kadr i akcja, tym bardziej, ze to takie malenstwa jak piszesz. Gratuluje

Ah yes Bug-a-sutra. I've tried that one before, ...I mean getting that kind of a shot. A really cute shot Monika. :)

Hello Monika,
very well composed picture.
Colours are delightful.
Very good point of view.
Interesting, unusually colourful species of that family.
Shiny round little beetles are difficult take.
You did it very well.
Thanks and best regards.
Peter

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