Lotus plants are adapted to grow in the flood plains of slow-moving rivers and delta areas. Stands of lotus drop hundreds of thousands of seeds every year to the bottom of the pond. While some sprout immediately, and most are eaten by wildlife, the remaining seeds can remain dormant for an extensive period of time as the pond silts in and dries out. During flood conditions, sediments containing these seeds are broken open, and the dormant seeds rehydrate and begin a new lotus colony.

It has a very wide native distribution, ranging from India and Sri Lanka (at altitudes up to 1,400 m or 4,600 ft in the southern Himalayas), through northern Indochina and East Asia (north to the Amur region, with isolated locations at the Caspian Sea, as well as virtually all of Island Southeast Asia, New Guinea and northern and eastern Australia. (Wikipedia)

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The Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve is heavily populated with these beautiful flowers, which provided an excellent background for many of my bird photos.

Fogg Dam, Northern Territory, Australia. October 2022.

Eagle-Eye Tours - Tropical Australia.

....ARRRRGGGGGggg...CINDERS! Give her some privacy! Stop peeking!

55/366

Dark orange & yellow crocosmia

plant.Crocosmia

Crocosmia, or Montbretias as they are colloquially known, are really valuable for adding warm red and orange tones into the summer border, a contrast in shape and form to the wealth of summer daisies in flower at that time. Given conditions where they are happy they can be rewarding and long lived. They retreat each winter to a corm – a swollen stem – each year producing new bulb like structure. Over the years these annual corms can pile up to form lengthy strings with the older corms having some role in providing nutrition to the youngest active corm. It is on account of this that the old practice of annual lifting of corms can be detrimental. Also old wisdom had you lift and replant corms late in the year, a practice that didn’t give the corms enough time to settle before winter.

Crocosmia are relatively easy to grow and it might seem that all Crocosmia are similar and require the same treatment. There is a universal desire for a warm spot in sun or dappled shade and a soil that is neither excessively heavy, nor boggy. However, a little study of the parent species can lead to a greater understanding of the condition individual varieties would really like. Several of the species are to be found growing in light woodland in the wild (C.aurea and C.potsii) or in damp grassland (C.paniculata). As a generalisation they come from environments which are moist for the growing season.

The varying hardiness of Crocosia cultivars can be attributed to the contribution the parents make to their makup. Varieties of Crocosmia potsii are considered the most cold hardy, with those of Crocosmia aurea being the least. Cold isn’t the only hardiness issue, Winter wet is also a factor, with Crocosmia potsii being exposed to a fair degree of moisture all year around in its native environment whilst other species such as Crocosmia pearsei needing a lot more exposure to warm dry conditions to be happy.

In the growing season, Crocosmia masoniorum likes it on the warm and dry side, tending to decline in rich moist soils. This contrasts with the requirement of Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora for a moist, rich warm spot to produce of its best. Cultivars of Crocosmia paniculata tend to be shy to flower in dry conditions.

If you live in an area where you need to lift Crocosmia corms against the winter cold, it is essential to keep them from drying out over winter. Store them in peat or shaving over winter to prevent them dessicating and when it comes to Spring plant them in cool conditions to allow them to rehydrate before shooting. Planting warm from a dry corm is a recipe for disaster.

The name comes from the Greek ‘krokos’ = saffron and ‘osme’ = smell, referring to the strong smell of saffron given off by the dried flowers when immersed in water.

Naples Botanical Gardens

Southwest Florida

USA

Nelumbo nucifera, also known as sacred lotus, Laxmi lotus, Indian lotus, or simply lotus, is one of two extant species of aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae. It is sometimes colloquially called a water lily, though this more often refers to members of the family Nymphaeaceae.

Lotus plants are adapted to grow in the flood plains of slow-moving rivers and delta areas. Stands of lotus drop hundreds of thousands of seeds every year to the bottom of the pond. During flood conditions, sediments containing these seeds are broken open, and the dormant seeds rehydrate and begin a new lotus colony.

It has a very wide native distribution. It has a very long history (c. 3,000 years) of being cultivated for its edible seeds, and it is commonly cultivated in water gardens. It is the national flower of India and Vietnam. - Wikipedia

Taken on our Eyre Peninsular road trip a few years ago, near Yangie Bay campground.

The galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) is a member of the cockatoo family.

It is found throughout Australia and is among the most common cockatoos.

With its distinctive pink and grey plumage and its bold and loud behavior, it is a familiar sight in the wild and increasingly in urban areas.

The galah has a pale silver to grey back, a pale grey rump, a pink face and breast, and a light pink mobile crest. I

It has a bone-colored beak, and the bare skin of the eye ring is carunculated.

Its legs are grey in color.

Galahs are well adapted to inland Australia’s hot, arid conditions, and can tolerate high temperatures as well as long periods of dehydration.

They can rehydrate by drinking salty water.

Galahs strip bark away from the entrance to their nest, and line the nest with leaves, the only cockatoo species to do so.

Many thanks for your visit, comments, invites and faves..it is always appreciated..

Peaceful Sunday

Want to join me on a walk to Lockleys Pylon in the Blue Mountains?

It’s tucked away in one of the quieter corners of the national park — a place that feels more like a local secret than tourist track. Chances are we’ll have the whole trail to ourselves or see very few people on the there & back hike..

The walk is around 8km return and should take about 2–3 hours depending, of course, on how often we stop to take photos (which is likely to be often).

It begins with a narrow, rocky uphill section, flanked by classic bushland - gum trees, scrub, and that unmistakable scent of the mountains. Once we reach the ridge, the landscape opens up and the real show begins: distant peaks and sweeping valleys in every direction.

The wind is picking up now - enough to make you lean into it. If you look close you can see the track stretching ahead in this photo, toward Lockleys Pylon in the far distance, cutting across open heath. The bushland fades, the wind howls, and the views become spectacular. It's one of those moments that makes you stop and simply stare. You feel so alive. I like to pretend I'm part of the fellowship of the ring and state to whoever I'm walking with, "we aren't in the shire anymore"

After reaching the Pilon, we settle onto a few sun-warmed rocks, taking in panoramic views over the Grose Valley, with the golden sandstone cliffs of Mount Hay and Mount Banks glowing in the light. We rehydrate, snack on a apple and protein bars, and marvel at the fact we haven’t seen another person all day. It truly feels like we’ve found the top of the world.

We’re not here in unfortunately spring, so the wildflowers aren’t in bloom — but the thought of returning to see that colourful display is already in our minds. Eventually, we head back, spirits high and legs just the right kind of tired. Time now to decide which cosy mountain café or restaurant we’ll reward ourselves with and relive the walk over dinner.

Thanks kindly for any likes/comments, they are always appreciated.

les levures transforment le sucre du jus de raisin en ethanol et en dioxyde de carbone ,elles sont indispensables pour la réussite du processus de vinification

elles sont comme ici réhydratées avant d'être ajoutées dans la cuve,fragiles il faut surveiller la température du chapeau en haut de la cuve pour le refroidir si besoin

Nelumbo nucifera, le Lotus sacré ou Lotus d'Orient, est une espèce de plantes à fleurs de la famille des Nélumbonacées originaire d'Eurasie. C'est une plante aquatique d'eau douce reconnaissable à son port en grande partie émergeant de l'eau, ses larges feuilles peltées dont la cuticule est hydrophobe, et à ses très grandes fleurs, à dominante de rose pour les variétés sauvages.

Récolté et cultivé depuis des milliers d'années comme plante alimentaire, médicinale, ornementale mais aussi plus récemment textile, ce lotus est la fleur sacrée dans les religions orientales (bouddhisme, brahmanisme), dans lesquelles les divinités sont représentées sur une fleur (ou un trône en fleur) de lotus. Le lotus sacré est la fleur nationale de l'Inde, du Sri Lanka et du Viet Nam.

Il n'y a que deux espèces dans le genre Nelumbo et dans la famille des Nélumbonacées, l'autre étant Nelumbo lutea, le lotus d'Amérique, à fleurs jaunes.

Nelumbo nucifera, also known as Padma , sacred lotus, pink lotus, Indian lotus, or simply lotus, is one of two extant species of aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae. It is sometimes colloquially called a water lily, though this more often refers to members of the family Nymphaeaceae. The lotus belongs in the order Proteales.

Lotus plants are adapted to grow in the flood plains of slow-moving rivers and delta areas. Stands of lotus drop hundreds of thousands of seeds every year to the bottom of the pond. While some sprout immediately and most are eaten by wildlife, the remaining seeds can remain dormant for an extensive period of time as the pond silts in and dries out. During flood conditions, sediments containing these seeds are broken open, and the dormant seeds rehydrate and begin a new lotus colony. It is cultivated in nutrient-rich, loamy, and often flooded soils, requiring warm temperatures and specific planting depths, with propagation via rhizomes, seeds, or tissue culture, and is harvested by hand or machine for stolons, flowers, seeds, and rhizomes over several months depending on climate and variety.

It is the national flower of India and unofficially of Vietnam. It has large leaves and flowers that can regulate their temperature, produces long-living seeds, and contains bioactive alkaloids. Under favourable circumstances, the seeds of this aquatic perennial may remain viable for many years, with the oldest recorded lotus germination being from seeds 1,300 years old recovered from a dry lakebed in northeastern China. Therefore, the Chinese regard the plant as a symbol of longevity.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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No. 35 ~ Welcome to my 5-Star canopied waterfall lunchroom, where I finally sat down, ate lunch, rehydrated, and after the sun finally ducked behind the clouds, was able to make some photos of Middle Falls! It was about 12:45 pm when I arrived. I had reached my destination! So far, I had been on the trails about 4 hours and 45 minutes. It was "kick-back" time now to take is easy for a spell. Next to come, a capture of Middle Falls...

As is usual here, rain pretty quickly follows snow, melting it all away. But before it's gone, along our curb, once dried autumn leaves get a brief reprieve. Rehydrated by slushy snow, they say, "look down - we are still beautiful."

Lotus plants are adapted to grow in the flood plains of slow-moving rivers and delta areas. Stands of lotus drop hundreds of thousands of seeds every year to the bottom of the pond. While some sprout immediately, and most are eaten by wildlife, the remaining seeds can remain dormant for an extensive period of time as the pond silts in and dries out. During flood conditions, sediments containing these seeds are broken open, and the dormant seeds rehydrate and begin a new lotus colony.

Wikipedia

Back inside from the snow, feeding the backyard birds...Brrrr

Mushroom Soup

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp unsalted French butter

1 sweet onion diced

1 large shallot diced

6 cloves garlic diced

1 1/2 lbs. Mushrooms sliced (any kind you prefer or a mixture. I used a combination of Cremini and rehydrated dried Porcini)

1 tsp dried Porcini powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp ground laurel

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup white wine

3 cups mushroom stock (substitute vegetable or chicken)

1/2 cup milk (can use heavy cream or crème fraîche)

1 tsp sherry vinegar

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil and melt butter. Sauté the onion and shallot until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for a minute. Add mushrooms and continue to cook over medium high heat. Stir in spices and seasonings. Once the mushrooms have given up their water and all has evaporated, deglaze the pan with wine. Turn of heat once the wine has reduced and the mixture has thickened.

Transfer the mushroom mixture to a large blender jar (2+ liter)

Add stock, milk, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.

Carefully blend on low speed first, then increase to high or “Soup” setting - 7 minutes until steaming. Taste for salt. Serve with croutons and drizzled white truffle oil.

Be quite cautious blending hot contents, not all blenders can handle this and you could have a bit of an explosion; if needed, blend in smaller batches to avoid danger.

Bon appétit!

Nelumbo nucifera, also known as sacred lotus, Indian lotus, or simply lotus, is one of two extant species of aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae. It is sometimes colloquially called a water lily, though this more often refers to members of the family Nymphaeaceae

Lotus plants are adapted to grow in the flood plains of slow-moving rivers and delta areas. Stands of lotus drop hundreds of thousands of seeds every year to the bottom of the pond. While some sprout immediately and most are eaten by wildlife, the remaining seeds can remain dormant for an extensive period of time as the pond silts in and dries out. During flood conditions, sediments containing these seeds are broken open, and the dormant seeds rehydrate and begin a new lotus colony.

Thank you everyone for your visits, faves, and kind comments

Explored on 10th January 2025

IMG_6512 - Preserved roses are 100% real flowers. ... To properly preserve these flowers, it's critical that your roses were cut when they are at their most beautiful. The flowers are then put into a mixture of glycerin and other plant elements. This rehydrates the rose from its petals to its stem and replaces the sap within it.

150/365,

Cheam Peak or Mount Cheam, the local indigenous language, referring to the lowland below. The Halqemeylem name for the mountain is Lhílheqey – Theeth-uhl-kay – from the word Lhelqey – "glacier" or "rehydrate", referring to the west ridge of the peak.

Elevation 2,104 m (6,903 ft)

Bridal Falls, British Columbia, Canada

Quite a detailed macro of this Bumble Bee and taken in my garden with my Lumix pocket camera. The Bee appeared to be heading to the bird bath to rehydrate

La scène illustre un moment de répit au cœur des vendanges, période intense qui mobilise chaque année de nombreux saisonniers dans les vignes du Beaujolais.

Le vendangeur, couché sur un tracteur, profite d’une pause bien méritée, obligatoire après six heures de travail selon la réglementation, afin de récupérer et de s’hydrater avant de reprendre la cueillette des grappes de raisin.

Dans le Beaujolais, la récolte se fait exclusivement à la main pour respecter les exigences de l’appellation, ce qui rend le travail physique et exigeant …

°°°°°°°°°

The scene captures a moment of respite during the grape harvest, an intense period that brings together many seasonal workers each year in the vineyards of Beaujolais.

The grape picker, lying on a tractor, is enjoying a well-deserved break-required after six hours of work according to regulations-in order to recover and rehydrate before returning to picking the grape clusters.

In Beaujolais, the harvest is done exclusively by hand to meet the requirements of the appellation, making the work both physically demanding and challenging …

credit : Thierry Gaudillere

youtu.be/bSt4myecN_c?si=SrbAN9t9kWQJScE5

Thought all of you in the deep south blizzard could use some extra heat...

I’m not a native Texan, but anyway, here goes:

Texas Chili

No Beano

2 dried ancho chilies

2 dried guajillo chilies

2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

1 tbsp Mexene chili powder

6 cloves fresh garlic

1/2 cup beef stock

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp brown sugar

4 Strips thick cut bacon

1 1/2 pounds boneless beef short ribs cut into 1” cubes

Kosher salt/ground black pepper

1 red onion - fine dice

1 sweet onion - fine dice

1/2 red bell pepper - roasted, peeled, fine dice

12 oz Texas beer

1 tbsp ground cumin

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 bay leaves

2 Roma tomatoes (canned) hand crushed

Toast the ancho and guajillo chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until fragrant and lightly smoking. Pour enough boiling water to submerge chilies in a covered bowl and steep for 30 minutes. Drain completely.

Place rehydrated chilies, chipotle, chili powder, garlic, beef stock, vinegar and brown sugar in blender and puree thoroughly.

Season beef cubes well with salt and pepper. Cut the bacon into 1/2” lardons and render over low heat in cast iron Dutch oven. Remove and reserve the cooked bacon. Sear the beef cubes in batches in the bacon fat. Once all beef has been seared, remove and reserve. Sauté onions in the same pot until softened and translucent. Add the bell pepper and continue to cook. Return the beef and bacon back to the pot. Reduce heat to low.

Add the chili paste mixture to the pot

Add all remaining ingredients and simmer on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Do not add any beans lest you be shunned and scorned.

One of last summer's highlights.

There was a Gray Squirrel nest in our Sitka Spruce tree. Part way through her second brood, she decided to relocate the kits.

The children had seen her running through the yard, on and off all day, with one in her mouth.

On that day, we also heard what we thought was a new bird call from the front yard. Being busy, we didn't have time to check it out till evening, when the sad, plaintive call was still occurring at intervals.

Well, it wasn't a bird, but this little fella. For some reason, he had been abandoned by it's mother at the base of the nest tree.

Gray Squirrels are introduced and invasive here, being notoriously destructive to bird nests in the spring. As we stood over it, I debated what to do about this helpless one.

Red ants had already found it, and he cried every time one bit him. They had managed to bite through the skin in several spots. He also had mites. Other than that, and a few scuff marks which probably happened when he was dropped, he seemed in decent shape.

The children all of a sudden made the call to try and save him, looked on-line on how to meet his needs, raced to the local store to pick up what we didn't have before the stores closed for the night, and hoped he'd make it through the night.

When my son went to pick him up with an old shirt, the kit was so desperate for warmth, that he did his best to crawl up into his hand, though still 'blind', with a sudden show of strength in his little limbs.

They determined he was 2-3 weeks old. Priorities included getting him warm and rehydrating him with a honey/water solution.

He was thirsty. Once he drank the allotted amount, he fell into an exhausted sleep.

If you're interested in this story, I'll upload one or two more shots with the end of the tale. Just let me know.

Please don't use this image on websites, blogs, etc. without my permission.

Note: Although I love favs, I will typically respond only to those who leave a comment.

CrossRail unit 345010 rolls into Paddington as a passenger walks the line rehydrating herself as she goes.

Poland, Fojutowo, Grand Canal of Brda

Hydrotechnic structures, artificial canal built by the Prussians in the nineteenth century, in order to rehydrate meadows

Down to rehydrate......

Goldfinch

Scientific name: Carduelis carduelis

The striking red crown, golden back, and bright yellow wings of the goldfinch make it one of our prettiest garden birds. It happily visits birdtables and feeders across the UK.

Every day when I wake up, the first thing I do almost before opening my eyes is look at the Geiger counter, the radiation outside is dropping very little, the canned food is running out and I'm rationing it, my small crop of fresh vegetables is not producing as much as I expected, in a short time I will have to switch to dry food to rehydrate, even the water purification system needs new filters, I continue to clean the ones I have, the wait is becoming more and more stressful...

.

This past weekend found us in Tucson again, returning our son to school.

He had lots to do to ready things for the coming semester so Kim and I went to the Tucson Botanical Gardens.

This desert cardinal was intrigued by Kim rolling blueberries to a huge lizard on the patio floor.

We had stopped for a drink at the café to cool down and rehydrate. The waitress mentioned that there were blueberries in a cup out on the patio for just this purpose and that the lizards really enjoyed them.

I didn't want to intrude on Kim's endeavor so sidestepped and the cardinal stopped in to the check the situation.

This was a great little spot to watch the world, a little bar on the city wall overlooking Dubrovnik, sat with my feet up taking in the the view rehydrating with a small beer ;-)))

Photographically a poor shot, half of my feet, a railing obstructing the view but yet for some reason I like this one cos of the memories ;-)))))

Two competing male stag beetles Cyclommatus bicolor (25mm, Coleoptera, Lucanidae). Collection specimens from Chiang Mai, N. Thailand (July 2019).

Studio work with dried specimens (rehydrated and staged). Focus bracketing, 37 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Pmax & Dmap). Canon EOS M6 mark II, EF 100mm macro 1:2.8L IS USM; ISO-100, f/3.2, 1/10sec, -1.7 step, diffused natural and ledlight.

Enjoy a sensational moment from Seattle’s observation of the United States’ 239th birthday on July 4th. Seattle has never disappointed with its spectacle of lights each Independence Day. Apparently, it always ranks among the Top 5 cities in America with the best fireworks presentation. I believe it.

This year, I was on assignment for a client, and that meant getting to this location around 12 noon, a full 10.5 hours before the fireworks were to begin (a show, by the way, that’s only 20 minutes long).

I figured if I could survive 2.2 million people on the shores of Sydney Harbour for New Year’s balancing myself and my tripod on a row of bushes, I can handle a crowd in Seattle -- but a crowd is a crowd, regardless of the location. Irony of ironies, as much as I love gigantic cities, I don’t like crowds. You’d never know it, though, but I digress.

It was fun to photograph the festivities at Gas Works Park, the primary location of Seattle's holiday events. What was not fun was the sweltering 40ºC/100ºF heat as the audience increased from a few hundred at noon to several thousands by 10pm. Fortunately, I lathered myself with sunscreen lotion three times and took brief breaks to rehydrate.

Believe it or not, everywhere you see people in this photo is typically where a rolling knoll of green grass would be. Every 4th of July, one cannot see the grass of this park because it’s completely covered by humanity.

Nevertheless, the end result -- photographing the holiday’s main event -- was worth the smoldering. It’s always entertaining to hear the “Ooooohs!” and “Aaaaaahs!” from the audience in a rhythmic unison, similar to The Smurfs whenever they were in awe of what was in front of them.

What’s also interesting, as a personal observation, was that this unison of cheers often reminds me that as much as we discriminate against each other for ridiculous differences in appearance, character (and the list could go on for eons), the similarities of our behavior as a group are evident. For 20 minutes, there was nothing but mutual, fully engaged admiration for a light display.

TIA OFFICIAL WEBSITE / VUE ATYPIQUE / TIA TWITTER / TIA OFFICIAL BLOG / TIA INSTAGRAM

Bullet ants (Paraponera clavata, Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Collection specimens (Ecuador, Coca, 2014).

Studio work with dried specimens (rehydrated and staged). Focus bracketing, 87 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Pmax & Dmap). Canon EOS M6 mark II, EF 100mm macro 1:2.8L IS USM; ISO-100, f/5, 0.5sec, -1 step, natural diffused light.

Portrait of a longhorn beetle from Zimbabwe (24 mm, Cerambycidae; collection specimen from Mtao forest, February 1999).

Studio work with a dead specimen, it was rehydrated and staged. Focus stack, 123 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Dmap & Pmax). Sony A7Rm3 + Metabones EF to Sony E, Canon EF 100 mm 1:2.8L IS USM; ISO-50, f/5.6, 1/160 sec, 1 diffused flash.

A striking black & white longhorn beetle (♀ Tragocephala crassicornis, Coleoptera, Cerambycidae - from Madagascar, Moramanga, 2018).

Studio work with a dry specimen; first rehydrated then staged. Focus stack, 102 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Pmax & Dmap). Sony A7Rm3 + FE 2.8/90mm Macro G OSS; ISO-50, f/3.5, 1/8s, -1.3step, mix of daylight and ledlight.

Portrait of a male lantern bug (Saiva transversolineata, Hemiptera, Fulgoridae) from E-Kalimantan, Kutai, Kartanegara (November 2020).

Studio work with a dried collection specimen (reused); first rehydrated then staged. Focus stack, 100 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Pmax & Dmap). Sony A7Rm3 + Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x ultra macro apo; ISO-50, f/4, 1/250, 1 diffused flash.

Another macro of the same specimen in the first comment line

Happy New Year everyone!

Portrait of a Bronze Elkhorn Stag Beetle (27mm, Lamprima adolphinae; Coleoptera, Lucanidae). Specimen from West Papua (Indonesia, Mt. Arfak area, May 2019).

Studio work with a dried collection specimen (rehydrated and staged). Focus bracketing, 80 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Pmax & Dmap). Canon EOS M6 mark II, EF 100mm macro 1:2.8L IS USM; ISO-100, f/3.5, 1/80 sec, -1,7step, diffused ledlight.

Gull at Indian River Inlet, DE, works on an apple core.

The Malt Shovel pub on Cockburn Street, which curves down the slope from the famous Royal Mile to connect the Old Town to the New Town. You can clearly see the angle of the street from the building and the way they and the pub are "stepped" as they go up the slope.

The Old Town sits on a huge volcanic ridge, the Castle on its rock at the top, the Royal Mile runs down the "spine" of that ridge, then more buildings like this come down the slopes, so you end up with multiple levels across the Old Town, which just gives it an amazing look. However, it does also mean you do a lot of walking up and down steep hills and steps if you're going round the city! Just as well we have so many good pubs dotted around so you can stop for a rest and to rehydrate!

Portrait of a large click beetle (5cm, aff. Tetralobus flabellicornis, Elateridae) from Yangambi (DR Congo, November 2013).

Studio work with a dead specimen, rehydrated and staged. Focus stack, 94 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Pmax & Dmap). Sony A7Rm3 + FE 2.8/90 Macro G OSS; ISO-50, f/4, 1/250s, 1 diffused strobe.

A nicely banded weevil (25 mm, Eupholus cf linnei, Curculionidae, collection specimen from New Guinea, exact date & locality unknown).

Studio work with a dead specimen, it was rehydrated and staged. Focus stack, 66 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Dmap & Pmax). Sony A7Rm3 (cropped mode) + Metabones EF to Sony E, Canon EF 100 mm 1:2.8L IS USM; ISO-50, f/7.1, 1/200 sec, 1 diffused flash.

Portrait of Devil's Coach-horse beetle (26mm, Ocypus olens, Staphylinidae). Found on Noordelijk Eiland (Puurs, Belgium, October 2020, collection specimen).

Studio work with a dead specimen, rehydrated and staged. Focus stack, 100 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Pmax & Dmap), slightly cropped. Sony A7R3 (APS-C mode) + Metabones EF-E + Canon MP-E 2.8/65mm @1.1x; ISO-50, f/5.6, 1/160s, 1 diffused flash.

Portrait of a warty weevil (19 mm long, Sipalinus cf. squalidus, Curculionidae). Collection specimen from DR Congo, Yangambi, November 2013.

Studio work with a dead specimen, it was rehydrated and staged. Focus stack, 63 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Dmap & Pmax). Sony A7Rm3 (cropped mode) + Metabones EF to Sony E, Canon EF 100mm 1:2.8L IS USM; ISO-50, f/7.1, 1/200, 1 diffused flash.

Find another image of this species in the first comment line

Portrait of a very colorful ground beetle (Carabus (Chrysocarabus) hispanus var. latissimus; Coleoptera, Carabidae). Collection specimen from Southern France (exact location and date unknown).

Studio work with a dry collection specimen (rehydrated and staged). Focus bracketing, 136 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Pmax & Dmap). Canon EOS M6 mark II, EF 100mm macro 1:2.8L IS USM; ISO-100, f/3.5, 1/20sec, -1,3step, diffused ledlight.

Dark portrait of a Bullet ant (Paraponera clavata, Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Collection specimen (Ecuador, Coca, 2014).

Studio work with a dried specimen (rehydrated and staged). Focus stack of 119 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Pmax & Dmap).

Sony A7RM3 (apsc mode) + Canon MP-E 2.8/65mm at approx. 4x; ISO-50, f/6.3, 0.6sec, -1.7 step, 1 diffused ledlight.

Rehydrating in the heat......

Herring gull

Scientific name: Larus argentatus

A colourful male lantern bug (Saiva transversolineata, Hemiptera, Fulgoridae) from E-Kalimantan, Kutai, Kartanegara (November 2020).

Studio work with a dried collection specimen; first rehydrated then staged. Focus stack, 93 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Pmax & Dmap). Sony A7Rm3 + FE 2.8/90mm Macro G OSS; ISO-50, f/4.5, 1/250, 1 diffused flash.

Portrait of Sternotomis bohemani (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae). Very bluish collection specimen from Cameroon (loc. & date unknown).

Studio work with a dry specimen (rehydrated and staged). Focus bracketing, 41 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Pmax & Dmap). Canon EOS M6 mark II, EF 100mm macro 1:2.8L IS USM; ISO-100, f/5.6, 1/60sec, -1 step, diffused ledlight.

Pleopeltis michauxianaThe underside of a resurrection fern frond. The brown spots on the edges are sori that contain the spores, and you can also see the peltate scales that help absorb water and rehydrate the plant.

A large robberfly-like beast (25mm, Diptera, Asilidae, ID unknown) from Sulawesi, Puncak Palopo (November 2019).

Studio work with a dried collection specimen; first rehydrated then staged. Focus stack, 95 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Pmax & Dmap). Sony A7Rm3 + FE 2.8/90mm Macro G OSS; ISO-100, f/4.5, 1/160, 1 diffused flash.

Portrait of a flightless longhorn beetle (Prionacalus cacicus; Coleoptera, Cerambycidae). Collection specimen from South America (exact location and date unknown).

Studio work with a dry collection specimen (rehydrated and staged). Focus bracketing, 37 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Pmax & Dmap). Canon EOS M6 mark II, EF 100mm macro 1:2.8L IS USM; ISO-100, f/4, 4 sec, -1,3step, diffused ledlight.

This flashy beetle belongs to a group of ground beetles called 'searchers' (Calosoma cf. scrutator, Coleoptera, Carabidae). They hunt caterpillars in trees and shrubs. Collection specimen from Mexico (date and exact locality unknown).

Studio work with a dead specimen, rehydrated and staged. Focus stack, 138 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Pmax & Dmap). Sony A7Rm3 + FE 2.8/90 Macro G OSS; ISO-100, f/4, 0.25s, -0.3step, diffused natural light (greenhouse).

Portrait of a colourful longhorn beetle, Anatragus pulchellus (Cerambycidae). Collection specimen from Kouma Konda, Togo, September 2016.

Studio work with a dead specimen, it was rehydrated and staged. Focus stack, 89 images, assembled in Zerene Stacker (Dmap & Pmax). Sony A7Rm3 + Metabones EF to Sony E, Canon EF 100mm 1:2.8L IS USM; ISO-50, f/6.3, 1/250, 1 diffused flash.