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LIVE FAST - DIE YOUNG


LIVE FAST - DIE YOUNG
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: 2006-07-04
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon Coolpix 5400, 35-105 mm 1:4,5-5,6, @ ISO 50
Exposure: f/6.6
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Insects around the world, Insects' World, Insects (Insecta) [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-03-18 12:27
Viewed: 1339
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 68
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
As a zoologist and nature lover I really like to observe the great diversity of creatures occurring all around. So today I would like to show you a member of another "strange" insect group ;>

We all know the famous sentence "live fast, die young" but I belive nobody serious think like that...

But in the insect world there are another rules, and the members of the order mayflies clearly proove it...

The latin name of mayflies - Ephemeroptera (from Greek ephemeros = short lived) suggests that these insects live according to this sentence.
Well, of course you can say that many different insect species, not only mayflies, have short lifes. And you are right. But really mayflies are the champions! Most of them live (as the adults) maximum for a few days, many other only about 1 day. There are also some species which spend in adult stage only a few hours!!! So they really die young...
During this time they have to survive a confrontation with fish species (Ephemeroptera as fresh aquatic in their larval stage are favourite food of many of them), find mating partner and copulate.

But short and intensive life is not the only reason why mayflies are interesting insects. Ephemeroptera is the only insect order in which a subimago stage can be observed in life cycle. But what is that?
Well, we have to start from the beginning...

Generally insects can be divided into two main groups: these which have a pupa stage, and where metamorphosis is complete (homometabolous insects like e.g. Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Diptera), and these which do not have it and have incomplete metamorphosis (hemimetabolous insects e.g. Odonata, Plecoptera, Dermaptera, Orthoptera, Mantodea, Heteroptera, and Ephemeroptera).
The "role" of pupa is to rebuild insect's body (from larva to imago). Ephemeroptera do not have it so such role belongs to subimago. But in oposition to pupa in holometabolous insects, subimago is very mobile stage, has wings and can fly. Moreover, it is almost identical in shape as imago. The only exceptions are that imago has transparent wings while in subimago wings are very often dull, and of course subimagines can not mate because they are not mature.

So as you can easy guess here on the photo is a subimago specimen of Ephemeroptera. This is male of Heptagenia flava (Heptageniidae), photographed at night in "Spala Landscape Park", C Poland. The ID was possible thanks to Dietrich (meyerd) :>

If you are interested in Ephemeroptera order, please feel free to look also here :>
nglen, Argus, GLEM, cedryk, methos, vizion, uleko, delic, goutham_ramesh, fartash, phlr, Nephrotome2, manyee, anel, SkyF, jmp, horia, marhowie, Alex99, star74, irimi, meyerd, thistle, Janice, extramundi, Oz1, haraprasan has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To meyerd: IDcicindela 1 04-11 05:40
To meyerd: determinationcicindela 2 04-11 05:23
To irimi: short lifecicindela 1 04-06 09:29
To Alex99: mayfly ;)cicindela 1 03-21 14:19
To methos: mayflycicindela 1 03-18 15:00
To Argus: short life...cicindela 1 03-18 14:45
To nglen: mayflycicindela 1 03-18 14:42
To AnimalExplorer: mayflycicindela 1 03-18 14:40
To batu: short-lived insects :)cicindela 1 03-18 14:38
To cedryk: jetka :)cicindela 1 03-18 14:35
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2909 W: 34 N: 8636] (32186)
  • [2007-03-18 12:34]
  • [+]

Hi Radomir. You have take a very good picture, fantastic colour ,with great detail and very sharp, + compostion. Great notes Thanks. well done..
Nick

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3819 W: 190 N: 11368] (35041)
  • [2007-03-18 12:42]
  • [+]

Hello Radek,
This is an excellent capture of a sub-imago Mayfly, the flash helping with the sharpness and detail.
This is also a fine contribution to the biodiversity of TN.
Great title, summarizing the character of mayflies!
TFS and best wishes, Ivan

Great contol of the fill flash the colors throughout the subject are fantastic. Very crisp focus on the subject. Very nice Radomir. :)

  • Great 
  • batu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1059 W: 290 N: 3946] (13342)
  • [2007-03-18 13:08]
  • [+]

Hello Radomir,
the light-green wings against the black background look beautiful. Details of the wing venation, the body and the legs of the mayfly are great ... an eye-catching picture by which you immortalized the otherwise schort-lived specimen.
Best wishes, Peter

  • Great 
  • GLEM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 526 W: 87 N: 697] (6115)
  • [2007-03-18 13:14]

hi Radomir,
fantastique image, les détails sont géniaux, la lumière excellente. Très bon travail.

tfs

Hej,
To chyba jedno z Twoich najlepszych dotychczasowych zdjec. Detale i kolory sa powalajace, zwlaszcza w kontrascie z czarnym tlem. Nie ma sie do czego przyczepic :-)
Michal

Hi Radomir,
I love this post.
The details are so crisp and the presentation exquisit.
Useful note and appropriate title!
TFS!!!

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2993 W: 162 N: 961] (2823)
  • [2007-03-18 13:27]

Hello Radomir,
I think this is an example of where the flash works really well and is necessary. You've brought out the colours and details in this Mayfly so well, the crispy look of the wings is amazing and details are razor sharp. Excellent composition too!
Many thanks and best wishes, Ulla

  • Great 
  • delic Gold Star Critiquer [C: 449 W: 6 N: 310] (898)
  • [2007-03-18 13:34]

Hello Radomir,
Your lecture notes are a pleasure to read. The photo shows remarkable detail and perfect exposure. Couldn't do any better than this really.
Best wishes,
Hakan

Hi,
Your mastery over your subject and your photographic skills are amazing, i like the way that this picture has been comnposed, great lighting ( flash control )
TFS
Goutham R

Hello Radomir
What agreat shot from this mayfly,
I've not seen them here,Great composition
and BG, Fantastic colors, Welldone.

Regards
Fartash

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2262 W: 10 N: 2630] (15567)
  • [2007-03-18 16:03]

Hola Radomir,
Magnífica macro, nitidez excelente,
colores agradables, agradable iluminación...
bello trabajo, saludos

wow.... this is axcellent picture. great sharpness and detail. well done
Royanto

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3067 W: 231 N: 6160] (21052)
  • [2007-03-19 3:17]

What a beautiful capture of this mayfly, Radomir.
The focus and exposure are perfect, resulting in gorgeous details and colors and light in this shot. The POV is fantastic too.
The insect is beautifully profiled against the dark BF.
TFS. : )

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1723 W: 0 N: 3919] (15742)
  • [2007-03-19 3:38]

Hello Radomir,
Interesting and beautiful picture of this mayfly with superbly coloured wings (not dull at all).I didn't know about subimago. Leaving near a river, we have sometimes quite a lot of these mayflies in our appartment.
Thank's for this interesting post
Best regards
Anne

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2233 W: 188 N: 1929] (8127)
  • [2007-03-19 7:26]

Hello Radomir,
excellent macro, amazing sharpness and great details. POV and colors are excellent. Beautiful composition the black BG does work very well.
Sky

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1740 W: 95 N: 2273] (8411)
  • [2007-03-19 13:08]

Hi Radomir,
Wonderful pose, light, black background and details. But note is most interesting for me here!
TFS, José M.

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2173 W: 219 N: 4384] (14904)
  • [2007-03-19 14:01]

Hi Radomir

I really like mayflies and i MUST photograph some this year!!!
I hoped t odo it last summer but i didn't get any great photos...i only found some flying and the rather slow AF of my camera didn't really help :(

Anyway, this is a SPLENDID photo! I really really like it!
I also love the note and to see this interesting form - the subimago.
Besides that, the super sharp details everywhere on the mayfly, the colors are terrific and vivid and the contrast with the BG is outstanding!
The flash management is also exceptional and the DOF is great. Lovely framing and composition as well.
Don't they all have 3 "spikes" on the tail?

Anyway a big BRAVO and TFS
horia

Great macro shot Radomir,
Excellent use of the flash to show sharp details. These are very small so no easy task..
Well composed, excellent POV. The jet black Bg works very well here, nice colors as well.
Very well done.
PS - I have shot of a not-so-colorful mayfly HERE

Bonjour,
Forme extraordinaire pour cet insecte !
Bonne journée.
clnaef

Beautiful capture excellent composition and sharpness

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3585 W: 143 N: 5669] (18533)
  • [2007-03-21 12:49]
  • [+]

Hi Radomir.
Very interesting specimen and amazing picture. I like great illumination of the insect (excellent work with flash), razor sharpness of the image and perfect parameters of the exposure. Perfect done close-up picture. My compliments and best wishes.
Alexei.

Hi Radomir,
Magnific shot, shows a primitive and colourful insect perfectly. I never see one of them but I´ve read and watched some pictures about them. Excellent note.
Regards
Hernán

Hi Radomir,
Very nice picture. Details are crisp clear. Informative note that I enjoy reading. TFS this fine image.
JC

Hi Radomir,
Great macro shot,
Colors,details and sharpness are perfect,
I like dark background alot,
Well done

  • Great 
  • irimi Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 35 W: 2 N: 48] (262)
  • [2007-04-06 9:18]
  • [+]

Hello Radomir,
I really liked the composition against black background. Makes the vivid colors pop. Excellent sharpness and DoF. Well exposed photo. Well done. I have one question though. If they are living so short how and when do they mate?

Greetings,
Ahmet

Ps: I replied your comment on the crane fly and I would be happy if you looked.

Hi Radomir,
I come back to this SUPERB subimago, my first ever. I entirely approve of the pitchblack background. Thank you for presenting the pic.

For determination I used: D. Studenmann et al. 1992. Insecta Helvetica: Ephemeroptera. Schweiz. Entomol. Gesellschaft Neuchâtel.

And I came up with Heptageniidae: Heptagenia flava, male Subimago. They have indeed two cerci, not three.

My best regards to you,
Dietrich

Witaj,
Musze przyznac za to zdjecie wyjatkowo przyciaga uwage. Kontrast miedzy dosc jaskrawym owadem a ciemnym tlem jest super. Technicznie tez wszystko gra. Jetki wygladaja bardzo interesujaco i nie pokazuja sie za czesto na TN wiec naprawde fajnie jest widziec taka dobra fotke.

Pozdrowienia!
Monika

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
  • [2007-04-19 22:35]

Hi Radomir, the Mayfly stands out nice and sharply, with bright colours and good clarity too. You show it off well, especially the catch-light in his eye.
I don't think we have them in NZ - at least, not in May!!
Janice

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 226 N: 6845] (24727)
  • [2007-05-06 13:04]

Hi Radomir,
this is a brilliant shot of this translucent Mayfly.
Great POV and composition.
Well done,
Joey

Hello Radomir.
You made a remarcable use of flash here, the textures and colours on the subject are soft but very precise, showing excellent details and subtle highlights.
I have never seen this specie here, it is very beautiful.
Best regards, MF. Hope you follow well.
Regards, Flipe.

  • Great 
  • Oz1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 76 W: 2 N: 173] (994)
  • [2007-10-25 5:19]

Hi Radomir,
Another great shot from you. details and colors are absolutly perfect and the image as a whole is stunning!
With best wishes
Oz

Hi Radek,
A nice capture of this green colored mayfly. Very well composed and nice use of flash. Very good details and a very good POV. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hi Radomir,
woooow - this one is wonderful, I love those green wings and the dark eyes.
Excellent work, I have to keep my eyes open for such young ones next May.
Thanks and greetings
Sabine - wishnugaruda

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