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Macrothylacia heralding metamorphosis…
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| Photo Information |
Copyright: Goran Ogen (sgo)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 137 W: 32 N: 239]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif) (718) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2006-07-23 |
| Categories: Insects |
| Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20 |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2007-03-24 22:42 |
| Viewed: 593 |
| Points: 10 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Macrothylacia rubi belonging to the Family of Lasiocampidae from Fleeting Memories From Summer -06.
Fox Moth larvae presented more than one challenge to me last summer: first trying to shoot the long and narrow creature crawling on a thin blade of grass swaying diagonally on a bright summer day! After a couple of trials I remembered the trick to turn the camera diagonally in line with the object, lock focus and redirect it horizontally and shoot! This worked magic and I finally got a couple of decent shots with me back home but with no idea whatsoever what this little thing could be (I have watched larvae with eyes wide shut hitherto). So I put it in my archive hoping the enigma would be solved some day… This was July 23. About two months later I encountered a little larva traversing my asphalted path to reach the lawn on the opposite side. I stood watching it, pondering what adventures it had suffered thus far, and admired its endurance (in Sw. it’s called "Gräsulv" = "Grass Wolf"). Camera work wasn't as hard here so I was happy to bring home yet another larva to my archive, my interest in larvae growing with every new shot. To my untrained eyes the two larvae didn't lool alike at first but, by a stroke of serendipity, I found a photo of a larva in one of my insect books that reminded me of the one from July, so I pursued this track and with the invaluable assistance of the pictorial and textual sources mentioned below I succeeded not only in identifying the first larva but also the second one as belonging to the same species as the first one after having matured into the appearence it reaches before entering hibernation in fall. Believe me, this experience has whetted my interest for larvae. So this coming season I will keep my eyes wide open for them and all material I can gather about them, also trusting in the benign assistance from TN friends for id!
The larva feeds on Rubus "Bramble" above all – hence its epithet rubi "of Bramble", cf. "Bombyx de la Ronce" and "Brombeerspinner" – Vaccinium myrtillum "Bilberry", Calluna "Heather". It is often found on open ground in coastal habitats before hibernation (like mine from Sept.). Then it emerges shortly in early spring to bask in the sun before the process of metamorphosis sets in.
For imagos, wingspan measures from 35-72 mm are given in the references! Males are reddish-brown with two medial cross lines on the forewings, whereas females are slightly larger and greyer to greyish-brown but with similar markings as the male.
The Fox Moth, found all over Europe, flies from April to August; the males fly in late sunny afternoons with a swift flight which makes them difficult to identify with certainty in the field; the females are strictly nocturnal.
References:
http://www.lepidoptera.pl/start.php?lang=UK
http://ukmoths.org.uk/
http://www.habitas.org.uk |
pvs, anel, Maite, cedryk has marked this note useful
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HI GORAN,
nice comipaltion of the shots depicting the early & late stage. bothe the shots are sharp with good details, nice natural colour tones,
tfs & regards
pankaj
- pvs
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1168 W: 261 N: 3035]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(13835) - [2007-03-25 1:44]
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Hi Göran,
A nice compilation,which clearly shows the different stages of this caterpilllar,well presented and a great note,well done and TFS
Paul
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- anel
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1733 W: 0 N: 3953]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(15852) - [2007-03-25 14:25]
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Hallo Goran,
Nochmals einen kleinen Besuch, diesmal bei deinen Raupen. Ist wirklich interessant zwei Fotos zu zeigen, die die Raupe in verschiedenen Entwicklungsstadien zeigt.Sehr hübsch ist die obere auf einem Halm jonglierende, die untere ist schon ein wenig zerzaust und sehr haarig!
Nächsten Sommer werde ich auch den Raupen mehr Beachtung schenken. Herzlichen Dank für diese interessanten Bilder.
Anne
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- Maite
(5195)
- [2007-03-26 10:09]
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What a casual and interesting finding! I would have never said that they were the same kind looking so different. I had always thought that larvae where too disgusting and untrustworthy -remembering some annoying experiences at my childhood-, but lately they are recovering interest to me too. They are fascinating animals with astonishing changes.
You did a wonderful job with these two excellent shots.
Congratulations and TFS.
Maite
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- cedryk
(5184)
- [2007-03-30 8:07]
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Hello Goran,
I like this presentation. It show well an age polyrmophism in larvae that species. Also it's a beautiful caterpillar anyway :-)
Best greetings,
Michal
