View allAll Photos Tagged pests
Nikon D7100
1/160 -> hand held
500mm f7,1 / ISO 800
DXO software... camera profiel EOS 40D used on the D7100 RAW file
I got the Bad Panda the last time I tried to upload so I didn't even know the last photo uploaded! Oh well, have a great weekend everyone!
For once, the pest I'm featuring today is entirely native! This fancy-looking individual is a White-Footed Woods Mosquito, or Psorophora ferox. I was walking around on my relative's porch, scoping out potential macro subjects. Suddenly, she tells me there's a mosquito that just landed on a plant on her porch! I thought for sure I'd spook it, but got lucky this time. I had a hard time lining up the shot, but luckily Gracie (Canis lupus familiaris) let me use her head as a tripod! One day, I hope she'll sit still for a photo op...
This mosquito is native to North and South America, and has the stereotypical mosquito lifecycle involving puddles and other stagnant water sources. A not-so-fun fact is that the "ferox" in the scientific name is Latin for fierce. They earn this name by hunting relentlessly throughout the day, rather than just at dawn and dusk. These guys are also larger than the Asian tiger mosquitos (Aedes albopictus) that I have featured before, and therefore have a more painful bite! After a few shots, though, this one floated off into the woods to mess with some other warm-blooded creature. Much appreciated!
This shot was captured Using my Vivitar (Komine) 90mm f2.8 Macro in 1:1, attached to 49mm of extension tubes for a total magnification rate of 1.54:1. This photo was shot using a dog's head as a tripod. This photo is uncropped. This native nuisance is around 9-10mm long!
A quick capture of one of the Pest tram's coming at me at eye level whilst walking underneath. An angle that is not always available through safe means but an interesting one none the less.
Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
This is Naibor, a lioness from the Enkoyonai Pride. I think the flies were annoying her :)
ENGLISH
Aphids, also known as greenfly, blackfly or plant lice, are minute plant-feeding insects in the superfamily Aphidoidea in the homopterous division of the order Hemiptera. Recent classification within the Hemiptera has changed the old term 'Homoptera' to two suborders: Sternorrhyncha (aphids, whiteflies, scales, psyllids...) and Auchenorrhyncha (cicadas, leafhoppers, treehoppers, planthoppers...) with the suborder Heteroptera containing a large group of insects known as the 'true-bugs'; gnat bugs, pond skaters, shore bugs, toad bugs, water boatmen, backswimmers, etc. More recent reclassifications have resulted in a substantial rearrangement of the constituent families with the Aphidoidea, with some old families reduced to subfamily rank (e.g., Eriosomatidae), and numerous old subfamilies elevated to family rank.
About 4,000 species of aphids are known, classified in 10 families; of these, around 250 species are serious pests for agriculture and forestry as well as an annoyance for gardeners. They vary in size from 1-10 mm long.
Important natural enemies include the predatory ladybirds/ladybugs/ladybeetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), hoverfly larvae (Diptera: Syrphidae), and lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), and entomopathogenic fungi like Lecanicillium lecanii and the Entomophthorales.
Aphids are distributed world-wide, but they are most common in temperate zones. It is possible for aphids to migrate great distances (mainly through passive dispersal riding on winds) depending on the weather patterns; for example, the lettuce aphid spreading from New Zealand to Tasmania. They have also been spread by human transportation of infested plant materials.
More info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphid
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CASTELLANO
Los afídidos (lat. Aphididae) o áfidos constituyen una familia de insectos encuadrada en el orden homópteros, al que pertenecen también las cigarras, antiguamente incluidos dentro del orden hemípteros. Pequeños y de morfología poco variada, son universalmente conocidos como pulgones, pero no guardan ninguna relación con las pulgas, ni por parentesco ni por modo de vida, porque a diferencia de aquellas los pulgones son parásitos de plantas angiospermas.
Son pequeños (no más de pocos milímetros), de colores variados, sobre todo verdes, amarillos o negros, a veces con manchas o motas, más a menudo lisos. El cuerpo es ovoidal, sin distinción patente de sus tres regiones (cabeza, tórax y abdomen). Pueden ser, dentro de una misma especie, ápteros (sin alas) o alados. En este caso tienen dos pares de alas membranosas, relativamente pequeñas, siempre mucho más grandes las anterores, transparentes, dotadas de un borde de ataque engrosado y generalmente marcado por un estigma o mancha, que colocan en posturas diversas, a menudo erectas, durante el reposo.
Al final del abdomen los áfidos presentan dos sifones o cornículos, pequeños apéndices erectos de posición dorsal que apuntan hacia atrás o hacia arriba, por los que vierten una secreción azucarada que les sirve para sobornar a las hormigas. Las hormigas protegen a muchas plantas de sus parásitos a cambio de néctar que reciben de nectarios extraflorales situados generalmente en las hojas. Los áfidos han desarrollado en la evolución una relación simbiótica con hormigas, que no sólo les toleran sobre las plantas, sino que les protegen de sus depredadores especializados, como las mariquitas o las crisomelas, a cambio de la secreción de sus sifones. También las abejas pueden recoger esa melaza, incorporándola a la composición de la miel.
Los áfidos suelen presentar alternancia de generaciones, sucediéndose a lo largo de la buena estación varias generaciones de hembras partenogenéticas (que se reproducen sin machos) ápteras (sin alas) que crecen rápidamente y multiplican el efectivo de la colonia. Cuando los recursos empiezan a escasear de los huevos salen hembras aladas dotadas de un instinto de migración; echan a volar y se dejan caer sobre las plantas (y también sobre las ropas amarillas o los cabellos rubios, lo que las hace molestas) expandiendo la población. Cuando se acerca el final de la buena estación, lo que sale de los huevos es una generación mixta, machos y hembras, de individuos fértiles alados que copulan para producir los huevos que han de sobrevivir al invierno.
Los áfidos tienen gran importancia ecológica y agronómica. Muchos constituyen plagas que comprometen el valor de los cultivos y de estos algunos son también vectores de virus que atacan a sus plantas hospedadoras.
(Popillia japonica ).. These are the beetles which are devouring my plants... they return year after year after year... (they have been un-welcome residents in the US for a century.. :( nothing seems to work on them... they release pheromones once one of them finds a flower and then its a procession of beetles one after the other...
A flickr contact suggested using dawn (I have my fingers crossed.. lets see how it goes..)
This btw was 10 minutes after I had removed one of their fellow legionaires from this very rose... I go out to check on my other roses come back and this is what greets me!! 4 of them happily enjoying my yellow rose...
Swara Lannock's tail lashed back and forth behind him slowly as he unknowingly drew that rough, pink tongue across his dark hued lips. Battered and nicked ears flicked at the voices that rose up from below, listening intently to what he could catch of the conversation as he continued to keep that unflinching stare of rust colored eyes fixed on Guin. He wondered for a moment about her reaction if she would spot him perched up here...he wasn't trying to hide any longer. Spotted fingers drifted to his belt again to pull out another small object, this time dropping it straight down below him where it would land with a dull crack. His head tilting to one side curiously.
Sebastian Ricks tilts his head. "They're the rooster crowing on top of the dungheap, bonita. Or they think they are. Makes them want to strut. Not surprised they're visiting the church. From what I know of the UAC, they don't like it when their playthings get away. Or forget their place." The soft clatter behind him makes him turn. He glances at the floor, then casually lifts his eyes to the balcony above. "Oh look, bonita," he drawls. "A furry cockroach."
Guinevere Fouroux's lips twist in a dry smile, rather enjoying the image of UAC soldiers as preening roosters... she only wishes they were so powerless. "Nothing but bullies," she mutters, but before she can say anything else something drops to the carpet behind him. Her eyes drop, brow furrowing, and she steps closer to it as she sees Bastian look up. Crouching, she reaches out with tentative fingers, then draws back sharply. "It's a bone," she whispers, then follows his gaze. Her breath catches. White... white and gray, and it's all she remembers. Everything and nothing. She stumbles back, back to her feet, eyes on the balcony. "I think... " She swallows, and blinks rapidly. "I think that's him... "
Sebastian Ricks steps past Guin. He rolls the bone toward him with his boot, then crouches with absent grace to pick it up. "Finger bone," he clarifies. It vanishes into his pocket as if it had never been. "The one who bit you?" he asks, cocking his head to eye the cat perched over their heads. With a cold, bright grin, he straightens and gives the cat a mocking wave. "Hey there, ese. Back for seconds?"
Swara Lannock's mouth drew into a wide wolfish grin as she looked up, two thick carnivorous fangs peeking out from beneath his upper lip, not the type of fangs you would expect on a neko, these were made distinctly big cat incisors. His tail swayed wildly, enough so that the tip would be seen swinging up from behind the low wall he perched on. It was apparent he gained far too much amusement from the woman's reaction. He watched with curious eyes as the finger bone was scooped up and deposited away like some trinket..his trinket to be exact. "You smell, delicious...ape" he murred in a playful, yet dangerous tone. The male's words didn't go unheard, he just chose to let them go unanswered for now.
Sebastian Ricks folds his arms over his chest in a flutter of black lace cuffs. "Eh, bonita, what are you gonna do? Like being chased down by a rabid dog, hey?" He watches the cat with a sly smile. "Just a dumb animal. Don't know no better."
posting again cause it was benched by nodak from 12oz. in north dakota. my grandfather and a lot of my family is from north dakota so its cool to know little piece of me is there as well. :)
Lots of these have appeared in my yard over the last 10 years. County Agent said deer eat them so not all bad, unless you tangle with one.
Henry County, Georgia
Pentax mini digital camera.
Plebejus argus
Silver-studded Blue
Geißklee-Bläuling
Niña Hocecillas
Голубянка аргус
Merci pour vos commentaires - Thank you for your comments
(family Geometridae)
Вредители-акробаты
(семейство Пяденицы)
Lensbaby Composer Pro + aperture disk f8 + lens filter 10macro
Kentmere 400 (expired) @ ei500 in Diafine - Pentax MZ6 #slr with 43mm f/1.9 Limited.
Newton, from June 2020.
Canon #9950f scan.
Four adult greater rheas stroll through a wheat field in the Federal District farming region, with a sunflower field in the foreground.
Meet the Australian Sheep Blow Fly, or Lucilia cuprina! As the name states, she's a bit lost here in the Deep South. Her ancestors are some of the most prolific agricultural pests in the world, and are behind an estimated 90%+ of all fly strikes in the world! If you are unaware of what a "fly strike" is, and are squeamish, maybe skip this description. No judgement from me, I swear.
Alright, for those who stuck around, a "fly strike" is when a large group of flies (almost universally Lucilia, specifically L. cuprina) finds a wounded or weakened animal, and proceed to lay mass quantities of eggs in any exposed wounds or fluids. These eggs hatch en masse, and immediately begin consuming the unfortunate host animal for sustenance. This creates a horrific scene at local farms and pet shelters, and can truly bring the strongest men I know to be ill to their stomachs.
However, it's important to note there is two sides to everything! This exact same behaviour is now FDA approved for medical use. Sterilized maggots of the species can now be used to clean incisions and allow for a gentler approach to sensitive wounds. They call it "MEDIFLY", because why not?
There is also promising efforts in South Africa to reduce the numbers of fly strikes by releasing sterilized blow flies into the wild, causing rapid population decline! This is a similar method of biological pest control that is applied to mosquitoes in the region, and is showing some serious signs of success!
All the abhorrent mental images aside, these flies are rather photogenic.
This infodump was provided at 1:1 using my Vivitar (Komine) 90mm f2.8 Macro. This photo is uncropped. This agricultural assassin is around 8mm long!