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Palmar moves northward!


Palmar moves northward!
Photo Information
Copyright: Dietrich Meyer (meyerd) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 519 W: 68 N: 1688] (5336)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-07-05
Categories: Insects
Camera: Konika Minolta Dynax 7D, Minolta AF 100 Macro & Kenko tube
Exposure: f/18.0, 1/125 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-07-06 3:21
Viewed: 656
Points: 20
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Surprise backyard visitor:

This is my only shot of an unexpected visitor in my backyard: a Juniper jewel beetle (Coleoptera; Buprestidae; Palmar (=Lampra) festiva; Wachholder-Prachtkäfer) known from Northern Africa and the Mediterraneïs.

Entomologists in Allschwil and Neuchâtel discovered in 2005 that not only this beetle appeared more and more North of the Alps in warm regions but it attacked young Thuja occidentalis trees and Chamaecyparis sp., no longer exclusively Juniper. Thuja is planted in Europe in great numbers to form hedges. The beetle lays eggs on the surface of small tree trunks. The developing larvae live under the bark where they dig elliptic channels in the cambium, thereby killing the tree. After two year's development the adults hatch.

I learned from the Centre cartographique de la faune in Neuchâtel that the beetle has been reported since 1998 for the Canton Fribourg, and is well established in Switzerland on the slopes of the Jura mountains and in Valais. Its progression northwards may have something to do with climatic change or else with host change.
sandpiper2, uleko, darwin, red45, Alex99, peter_stoeckl has marked this note useful
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To peter_stoeckl: Peter wieder auf Sendung!meyerd 2 07-15 13:39
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Dietrich

An interesting note. Certainly an attractive beetle to have in your backyard.
Superb sharpness and comosition. Excellent DOF and perfect exposure avoiding lens flare on the shinny carapase.
Great work.

Chris

Hi Dietrich,

Lovely bug, great metalic colors and shining reflections. Good DOF and details.

cheers
Adrian

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2989 W: 162 N: 941] (2769)
  • [2008-07-06 5:27]

Hello Dietrich,
This is a very beautiful Beetle but I wouldn't like it in my garden with several Thuja hedges that provide the green throughout winter and keeps our garden a bit private! Brilliant capture though showing the details and impressive metallic colours very nicely. Well composed too. I expect we'll see more aliens here too in the future!
TFS and regards, Ulla

Hi Dietrich
Wonderful capture of this beetle with fantastic metallic color and superb detail
tfs jon

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2907 W: 34 N: 8619] (32124)
  • [2008-07-06 8:49]

Hello Dietrich. This was a great find for you in your garden. And you did not miss your turn at getting the colourful one. You have captured it with good detail and colours. It has a real shine to its shell which you show well. TFS. Interesting notes too.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2008-07-06 23:10]

Hello Dietrich!

Looks like you've made big discovery :-) Very colorfull and nice looking invader. Metallic shinning body looks great.

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3584 W: 143 N: 5669] (18531)
  • [2008-07-08 23:31]

Hi Dietrich.
Brilliant image of this emerald beetle. Simply great DOF and terrific refection of all attractive details and features of the insect and leaf. Well done (as always) and my compliments.
Alexei.

Hi Dietrich, splendid bug with fantastic metallic colors, good details and excellent sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

Los Buprestidae tienen una belleza especial y este no es una excepción. También tienen mucha dificultad en ocasiones para ser plasmados con la cámara por sus texturas y brillos. Bien resuelto en conjunto.
Abrazo Dietrich: Josep Ignasi Tejedor.

Lieber Dieter,
ein vermutlich winzig kleines Juwel, das Du uns hier in gewohnter Präzision sehr detailreich und gestochen scharf präsentierst. Interessant ist auch Dein Text von der Ausbreitung aus dem Mediterranen nach Norden. Die Alpen werden offenbar mehr und mehr ein Gebirge der mediterranen Zone, das prophezeite der Klimatologe Constantin von Regel schon vor über 50 Jahren in seinem Büchlein "Die Klimaänderung der Gegenwart".
Dass der Wacholderprachtkäfer sich nun auch auf die öden Thujenhecken unserer biederen Vorgärten stürzt, erfüllt mich mit Freude. Hoffentlich kommt er bald auch nach Österreich.
Mit Dank und herzlichen Grüßen,
Peter

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