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Beauty and the Beast


Beauty and the Beast
Photo Information
Copyright: Catherine Dijon (CatherineD) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 861 W: 57 N: 4006] (14097)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-04-09
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon EOS 40 D, Canon EF 100 mm F2.8 Macro USM
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/1000 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Wild Orchids of Lesvos Island (Greece), Dipterans (except Hover flies) of Europe-2 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-04-22 13:03
Viewed: 4376
Points: 32
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This robber fly was waiting for a prey hidden in the Orchid.

An Asilidae, maybe a Dysmachus sp. ?

Insects in the Diptera family Asilidae are commonly called robber flies. The family Asilidae contains about 7,100 described species worldwide. All robber flies have stout, spiny legs, a dense moustache of bristles on the face (mystax), and 3 simple eyes (ocelli) in a characteristic depression between their two large compound eyes.
The short, strong proboscis is used to stab and inject victims with saliva containing neurotoxic and proteolytic enzymes which paralyze and digest the insides; the fly then sucks the liquefied meal through the proboscis. (Wikipedia)
Info about the flower below.
Close-up on the robber fly in the WS.
---------------------------------------------------------
Il s’agit d’un Diptère, de la famille des Asilidae. Peut-être un Dysmachus sp. ?
Les Asilidae, ou mouches à toison, sont des insectes prédateurs, munis d'une trompe rigide et pointue leur permettant de transpercer leurs victimes et d'y injecter leur salive pour en aspirer le contenu prédigéré.
Les différentes espèces possèdent également de longues pattes ravisseuses, munies d'épines et formant une cage pour enfermer les insectes. (Wikipedia)
Info sur la fleur ci-dessous.
Gros-plan sur l’insecte dans le WS.
****************************************************
Serapias vomeracea (N.L. Burman) Briquet, 1770

Long-lipped Serapias. Tubers 2, ovoid, stalkless. Stem (5-)10-55 cm, with green, unspotted basal sheaths. Spike 2- to 10- flowered; bracts pale red, with darker veins. Flowers 15v30 mm; perianth-segments sub-equal, pale red, with darker veins, the outer lanceolate, acuminate, free at apex, the inner ovate-lanceolate. Labellum about 3 times as long as the other segments, with two dark purple parallel ridges at base; lateral lobes of labellum rounded, red or purplish, partly hidden by galea; epichile as wide as hypochile, cordate, acuminate, hairy, pale to deep yellow, rarely orange.
This species is widely distributed in Mediterranean, from France to Cyprus, from Bulgaria to Algeria.
Ref: University of Reading
---------------------------------------------------------
Le sérapias à labelle long est une plante herbacée vivace à port dressé mesurant de 20 à 60 centimètres de hauteur, munie d'un tubercule globuleux ou ovoïde. Il croît dans les prairies, les pelouses rases, les clairières, les garrigues, généralement en pleine lumière ou à mi-ombre et sur sols calcaires ou du moins peu acides. Par endroit, il forme des colonies importantes.
L'inflorescence est un épi lâche, allongé (laxiflore), portant de 3 à 12 fleurs. La fleur possède des bractées très longues et pointues rouge/bordeaux dont la face extérieure, plus grisâtre, présente des nervures bien visibles. Le labelle, purpuracé, long, parfois recourbé en arrière, présente un étranglement. La partie supérieure est nommée hypochile tandis que la partie inférieure est nommée épichile. Le labelle possède une pilosité blanchâtre abondante qui s'étend sur une partie de l'épichile.
Floraison : selon les régions et expositions, de mars à juillet.
Espère largement répandue dans les pays méditerranéens, de la France à Chypre, de la Bulgarie à l’Algérie.
Réf. : Krissnature.net
nglen, techranger, bullybeef53, matatur, boreocypriensis, roges, Miss_Piggy, fiyo, anel has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2009-04-22 13:26]

Hi Catherine. This is a first class close up of the Robber fly.
You have taken it with fine detail and sharp focusing. A good eye level POV with bright colours. well done TFS.
Nick..

Excellent capture and I love the title Catherine. Great detail and DOF with very nice POV. TFS. :)

Larry

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2009-04-22 13:44]

Hello Catherine,
Great photo in excellent sharp details and beautiful natural colours. Good POV, DOF and blurred BG.
Regards,
Peter

nice capture of robber, Catherine!
perfect sharpness and definition

greetings sERGIO

Ciao Catherine, beautiful beast on a lobely beauty, superb macro with fine details and splendid sharpness, wonderful composition, very well done my friend, ciao Silvio

Catherine,
Fantastic color and sharp macro shot with an educational note.
Jim

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2009-04-22 14:27]

Salut Catherine,et bien la qualite' de ta photo a fait devenir belle aussi la bete..eheh..je crois que sois impossible faire mieux,des details et une nettete' impressionante....une tres belle composition artisitque! Mes compliments et bon Jeudi,Luciano

Being on the receiver side of many robber fly bites, I'm astonished how your excellent vertical composition shows it so lovely, well, yes, also a little sinister, on that orchid Catherine, thank you indeed for such a well balanced mixture of floral and faunal elements from the best possible vantage point!
Kindest regards,
Mehmet

One photo and two beautiful species with good information below...
TFS.

Hi Friend Catherine, a stunningly perfect macro capture of a Asilus sp. perched on a orchid with nice POV/DOF, neat details and nice composition.
TFS and cheers,
Bayram

  • Great 
  • roges Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 957 W: 0 N: 1329] (6264)
  • [2009-04-23 1:35]

Bonjour Catherine !
Nice catch!
Une excellente photo de lecture.
Les couleurs sont belles. Un très joli contraste.
Très intéressante description des données fournies.
Have a nice day,
Adrian

Hallo Catherine
Great title to a great image. Details of both the robberfly and the plant captured is really eye-catching and beautifully displayed. Image is crisp and clear and presented in a most favourable manner. Lovely blurred background with specs of lively colours in between. Thanks for sharing this super image. Best regards.
Anna

kalimera katerina!
what a beautiful shot!
all the details were captured perfect...really great work! congratulations
filika
georgia

hello Catherine
great macro picture
beautiful colours and very sharpness
good details
i like this one
great shot
greeting lou

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1053 W: 5 N: 3475] (15161)
  • [2009-04-23 10:45]

Merhaba Catherine,
Harika detayları ve netliği ile çok süper bir makro fotoğraf olmuş. Tebrik ederim, iyi akşamlar.

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 3053 W: 3 N: 8715] (40574)
  • [2009-04-24 2:01]

Bonjour Catherine,
Une image originale et un titre qui fait sourire. Il est vrai que ces diptères poilus ont l'air et sont très féroces(il m'est arrivé de les observer longuement). Ce qui me plaît spécialement ici, ce sont les merveilleuses couleurs que contient cette image. Excellente netteté, comme d'habitude.
Une belle journée
Anne

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