Green Lacewing And "Presents" - Update Friday
Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau
Green Lacewing And "Presents" - Update Friday
Nuthin fancy as usual. While walking into the house Tuesday night this little gaffer tried flying into my ear. Not wanting to waste an opportunity I captured the rascal to shoot in the morning. (snap at 1x, 3 image handheld stack).
I noticed something funny on the lid of the petri dish which I louped at 10x, hhmmm... (image 4.5x, 18 steps at 90µm)
"She" left me a couple of dozen presents (image at 10x, 82 steps at 10µm).
Momma was anxious to get back to freedom. Having shot numerous lacewings over the years and spotting a mirror nearby, ah what the heck, a lame picture for the kids... hers. (single snap 1x)
With my luck, I'll probably miss each "birth", but I'll keep my eye out.
Last edited by AlP on Fri Sep 09, 2022 10:37 am, edited 5 times in total.
Re: Green Lacewing And "Presents"
Not sure if I am doing this right. Anyway, an updated snap of one of the eggs. Eggs were laid August 31st. Now four days later and I can see little feet and maybe the eyes. 5x (heavy crop), 14 steps at 80µm with the Canon MPE 65mm. I am not going the microscope objective route as the depth of field is waaaay to shallow and I want to be able to scan all the eggs freely and with luck have a larva emerge from the egg sac in a single shot
.Re: Green Lacewing And "Presents"
Great shots, make first one normal macro of exiting larvae, I hope you get lucky.
Re: Green Lacewing And "Presents" - Update Hatchlings
Several hatchlings this morning, five days after the eggs were laid. Single shots at 5x with the Canon MPE 65mm.
Re: Green Lacewing And "Presents" - Update Hatchlings
Wow! Excellent series, most enjoyable in special the last one showing a happy end.
Being ferocious aphid predators, would be nice seeing these larvae in action.
Being ferocious aphid predators, would be nice seeing these larvae in action.
Pau
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Re: Green Lacewing And "Presents" - Update Hatchlings
Success! This has been a great thread to follow. Oh, and nice images, too.
Re: Green Lacewing And "Presents" - Update Hatchlings
Excellent work. Maybe they will eat their eggshells? Many insects do.
Re: Green Lacewing And "Presents" - Update Hatchlings
Thanx for the comments. Anyway... the carnage begins. It took the first one about 10 minutes to figure out how to "get an aphid". These images were taken at 11 am. I just looked now (10:17 PM) through the microscope and they seem to have got the predator and prey figured out. Single image at 3x.
A little closer view at 11 am at 5x single shot. Larvae just under 2mm. Interesting note, I saw one of the larva actually drink some of the honey dew that was secreted by a nearby aphid (things you see when you don't have a camera).- rjlittlefield
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Re: Green Lacewing And "Presents" - Update Feeding
Very nice -- lovely behavioural stuff!
The mandibles of these beasts are interesting, see https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... hp?t=27780 for a study of those.
(Lots of stereo there -- perhaps another use for your 3D theatre system.)
--Rik
The mandibles of these beasts are interesting, see https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... hp?t=27780 for a study of those.
(Lots of stereo there -- perhaps another use for your 3D theatre system.)
--Rik
Re: Green Lacewing And "Presents" - Update Feeding
All wonderful photos, especially of the emergence!
Re: Green Lacewing And "Presents" - Update Feeding
Whoo-hoo, can never have enough 3D! I'll be sure to look at these tonight, thanx.rjlittlefield wrote: ↑Mon Sep 05, 2022 7:42 amVery nice -- lovely behavioural stuff!
The mandibles of these beasts are interesting, see https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... hp?t=27780 for a study of those.
(Lots of stereo there -- perhaps another use for your 3D theatre system.)
--Rik
Re: Green Lacewing And "Presents" - Update Feeding
Hhmmm, not sure why 3 larvae had to gorge on the same aphid, plenty around. Single image at 3x this morning Monday.
Interestingly, I found this "Jabba The Hut" aphid, queen perhaps. It is 1mm. 4x, 30 steps at 100µm.
As much of a front view as I could get, 4x, 20 steps at 100µm. Prior to this image today (Monday) it was surrounded by numerous aphids.- rjlittlefield
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Re: Green Lacewing And "Presents" - Update Monday
Aphids are commonly afflicted with parasitic wasps, which eventually expand and harden the host aphid to create a "mummy" from which the wasp eventually emerges.
Your "Jabba The Hut" aphid looks to me like it may be nearing the end of that path.
--Rik
Your "Jabba The Hut" aphid looks to me like it may be nearing the end of that path.
--Rik
Re: Green Lacewing And "Presents" - Update Monday
Too funny. After I just posted my last update I got an e-mail from an entomologist who stated "The bloated aphid may be parasitised. It is common for a parasitised aphid to become enlarged and the exoskeleton to become greyish and paper-like. Look for a clean round hole in the upper back when the parasitoid wasp emerges. If the hole is ragged, then it had a hyper-parasite (a wasp that parasitises the wasp in the host aphid)." Dang, something else to keep an eye on.rjlittlefield wrote: ↑Mon Sep 05, 2022 11:22 amAphids are commonly afflicted with parasitic wasps, which eventually expand and harden the host aphid to create a "mummy" from which the wasp eventually emerges.
Your "Jabba The Hut" aphid looks to me like it may be nearing the end of that path.
--Rik
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Re: Green Lacewing And "Presents" - Update Monday
Very cool -- I did not know the part about a ragged hole indicating a hyper-parasite.
--Rik
--Rik