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"Garderners Plague"


Photo Information
Copyright: Paul van Slooten (pvs) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1159 W: 255 N: 2639] (11925)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-10-01
Categories: Molluscs
Camera: Sony Alfa dSLR A100, Sony 70-200 F2.8 G, Digital RAW 100, UV Filter
Exposure: f/8, 1/10 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-10-01 9:20
Viewed: 422
Points: 20
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Here is my wifes nightmare,destructor of garden,luckely the pest in our garden has this year been succesfully concerred by my wife,I found this one in the forest on a fungi

Arion lusitanicus
Arion lusitanicus Mabille 1868 is considered a major slug pest of European agriculture. This pest originated in south-western Europe at the Iberian peninsula. It has now spread as far north as Scandinavia. In Denmark the first specimen was found in 1991. In the United States it has not spread yet, but it was found at Cornell University in October 1998 and has been reported as far away as the Falkland Islands. The slug is not specific in its food requirements but is considered a pest of a wide range of vegetable crops in Europe - including the potato as the natural insecticide 'solanine' is not effective against the snail.

The Latin name "Arion lusitanicus" is still the name used in English speaking countries, which are not yet plagued, but in continental Europe it has even nicknames. In Denmark:"Iberisk skovsnegl", "Iberiaskovsnegl", "Den spanske skovsnegl", "Drćbersnegl". In Sweden: "Den Spanska skogsnigeln", "Mördarsnigeln". In Norway: "Iberiaskogsnegl", "Mordersnegl". In Holland: "Spaanse wegslak". In Germany: "Kapuzinerschnecke", "Die Spanische Wegschnecke".

Arion lusitanicus is a night slug - hiding under vegetation, in dark and moist places, during the day. It is most easily observed in the twilight. The colour is everything from dark brown over reddish to yellowish colours. It is a naked snail and looks like its black cousin 'Arion ater' and the red 'Arion rufus', from which it cannot be distinguished without microscopy. Length: 7-15 cm; Crawling speed: 5-9 m/h. Occurrence: Unto fifty snails per square meter. In plagued gardens 20 to 100 snails may be collected per day. If a reddish brown snail is observed in large numbers most probably Arion lusitanicus is at work.
Necipp, fartash, Jamesp, red45, Alex99, cataclysta, uleko has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Paul nice work you managed to make a gardeners nightmare into a beautifull shot excellent photography technically well achieved with good lighting and exposure tfs rgds Necip

Hello Paul
Very intersting spiece to shoot,
your wife doesn't think so :o)
Perfect details,DOF and lighting,
Superb shot,Welldone.

Good Luck
Fartash

  • Great 
  • Dave Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 527 W: 47 N: 674] (2171)
  • [2007-10-01 14:41]

Very nice closeup Paul!
I learned a gardening tip long ago. If you put some beer in a bowl and set it in the garden. The beer will attract the slugs, and they will drink it, get drunk, and drown. It is an easy way to collect them out of the garden.
Beautiful composition for such an ugly creature. I'm curious as to whether or not anything useful can be attributed to the slug.

A pesar del enfoque algo justo has consegudo destacar bien los detalles. Buena composición y colores.
Saludos Paul.

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1330 W: 0 N: 5286] (15770)
  • [2007-10-02 0:04]

Hi Paul

A great shot - I agree with Necip. you have managed to make something I normally do not like much, look wonderful. The exposure is really good and the textures you have captured are excellent also.

James

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2840 W: 75 N: 8085] (27387)
  • [2007-10-02 0:11]

Hi Paul!

I don't know why exactly, but I like pictures of slugs and snails :-) This one is no exception. Very sharp and cleat, with perfect exposure. Composition with fungus is also very nice. I like it very much!

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3233 W: 154 N: 4939] (15899)
  • [2007-10-03 4:04]

Hi Paul.
I am amazed with your superb lens work. Brilliant details and sharpness, wonderful colours and amazing bokeh. POV is extremely perfect too. MY best wishes and TFS.
Alexei.

Hi Paul
Very interesting peaceful scene with slug. Delicate green in buckground, delicate pink (I think that it is pink :-)
I like it very much
Best wishes
Krzysztof

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2678 W: 173 N: 8282] (26095)
  • [2007-10-03 9:33]

Hello Paul,
Excellent capture of this nasty creature that hasn't yet reached out garden! I doubt whether beer works for these monsters, they may need a Gin or something stronger to knock them out!! Great capture, very sharp and the mushrooms make a brilliant background.
Many thanks and cheers, Ulla

Hello Paul,

Great capture, very sharp. The mushrooms make a brilliant BG. The POV is great, but the DOF is a bit out of focus on the leftside snail. Natural colors. Interesting notes. Is a wonderful composition. Well done. Regards and TFS Bob

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