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Garden chafer


Garden chafer
Photo Information
Copyright: didier garnier (ddg) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 867 W: 24 N: 1008] (5507)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-05-19
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon EOS 300 D, 100mm f/2.8MacroØ58
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/500 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): images en vol [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-06-04 5:57
Viewed: 3772
Points: 22
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [French]
It's my second shot of this bug. I was surprised to see how was hairy the body of this insect!! I show you!!
Biology
The Garden chafer has one generation per year. At the end of May, when adults leave their pupae it takes some days before they are fully coloured and hardened. They surface and flight activity starts, depending on the weather. The adults fly between 10.00 and 12.00 a.m., only in sunny weather. The flight period is from the end of May until the second or third week of June, depending on the weather conditions.
The biology of the females has two phases. In phase one females crawl up through the soil and surface. At this moment males are present in high numbers and mate as soon as a female surfaces. After mating the female digs in the soil and starts laying eggs.
Eggs are laid in groups of 2-6 eggs at a depth of about 10cm. The number of eggs varies between 10 and 50. After the females have deposited 70% of the eggs the second phase starts. The females crawl up again. They start a short feeding period on trees and shrubs, preferably on broad leaved trees. From there they fly away in a straight line to find another suitable place for egg-laying. The direction of this flight is at random and can be several kilometers. In the English literature this is known as "bee-liners". This behaviour could be an explanation for the local distribution in the field. The ecological impact of phase one is to maintain the local population and phase two is responsible for spreading of the population and gene-flow.
Eggs have a developing time of four weeks which means that the first larvae can be expected in the beginning of July. The small grubs start feeding at hair roots. The second and third instar feed on the thicker roots of the grass.
After completion the third instar empties its gut contents and digs deeper in the soil in order to hibernate. This grub is recognizable for its creamy white color. The first diapauze larvae can be found in the second week of October, the last ones in the middle of November.
blakitan, dew77, Ken52, marhowie has marked this note useful
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To blakitan: the best angleddg 1 06-04 07:22
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • GLEM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 540 W: 87 N: 750] (10)
  • [2007-06-04 6:03]

salut Didier,
je suis admiratif de ta technique, c'est du bon travail. Très belles couleurs du BG qui donnent un côté frais. Belle lumière qui illumine bien le corps de l'insect.

gl

Wonderful shot! . Beautiful nature photo. Good work!!

Bonjour Didier,
I know it is difficult to capture a flying insect. This is very nicely focused, but unfortuinately it was captured not from its best angle.
Technically, this a superb shot!

BL

great capture because it is not easy to do how many did you have to take to get one decent one? good notes.

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4432 W: 248 N: 4028] (13270)
  • [2007-06-04 12:08]

Hello Didier,
Beautiful capture.POV,colors and visual impact are excellent.Have a great week!
TFS..:-)

  • Great 
  • Ken52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 636 W: 93 N: 1243] (4195)
  • [2007-06-04 14:06]

Hello Didier,
Another excellent inflight shot of insect. Good focus and very nice background.
Ken

Magnifique leçon de photo : le flou du fond est parfait, la netteté de la bête également ...

Mais en même temps, les ailes ont ce petit flou qui donne l'impression de vitesse.

La classe ! Parfait !

Es impresionante ver como coges los insectos en pleno vuelo. Enhorabuena

Bonjour Didier,
Cest une magnificque macro!
I like so much the frozen flight of this insect, we can see plenty of details on it, not only in the hairy body, but also on the textures wings.
I don't know how did you manage to take this dinamic picture with tripod, but the result is pretty amazing.
I found so appealing the intensityand gradations of the colours got at the background.
Felicitacions et merci du partager.
Mes amities,
JM

bonjour didier
c'est une sacrée serie de photos de coleopteres en vol que vous nous avez presentées,moi c'est toujours l'echec,a chaque fois la photo est vide d'insecte!!
bravo.
laurent

Excellent impression of movement Didier, I like it. An excellent composition with great inflight detail, and the BG is just fabulous :)
Another great image in your series.
Howard

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