The Pollinator
There are days in a photographer’s life when things are just meant to happen and today was one for me:
1. I discovered that this slim, metallic Jewel Beetle is the main pollinator for the Thelionema caespitosum (Tufted Blue Lily), and
2. That all those tiny orange coloured balls I was finding on nearly every flower was Jewel Beetle poo.
And to think I was going to go home and have a Grandpa nap!
Photographed along the Ocean Drive Fire Trail in Queen’s Lake Nature Reserve, North Haven, NSW, Australia, on a lovely spring afternoon after a couple of days of terrible weather, I was most fortunate that Mr Beetle decided to climb the stamens and pose for me.
No time to set up a tripod as the beetle could disappear at any moment so I used my old close-up technique of setting a high shutter speed to combat the bright reflections from flower and beetle as well as freezing the movement of the flower and beetle and any camera shake. I used the tilt screen to frame the shot and pushed the camera out from my body so the camera strap was hard against the back of my neck to give the camera as much stability as possible.
Fuji S9600: RAW, Super Macro, 1/1000sec @ f/3.2, Manual focus, Hand held.
Lightroom 1.1 & Photoshop CS3.
While I have successfully researched the Tufted Blue Lily, I have been so far unable to correctly identify the Jewel Beetles. If there are any budding Entomologists out there any help would be appreciated.
Visit my Aussie Wildflower collection in my BubbleSite Gallery for more native floral delights.
Enjoy!
WILDFLOWERS: LILIES
(Click the links!)
Thelionema caespitosum
The Pollinator belongs to the following groups:
Former DPF Members and New South Wales Photography Available for sale asGreeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters
Gayle Shaw
Fantastic capture and the description is great!
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Gayle,
Good to see you out along the fire trail on my wildflower safari and that you are the very first Bubbler to comment on my Nature-in-the-raw shot.
Many thanks for your encouraging “Fantastic…” wrap for my wild Aussie efforts.
Oh I didn’t capture it. The plant was well rooted in the ground and wasn’t going anywhere and the beetle was as free as the air. But I did assess the conditions and make a decent photograph though. 8-)
GB
Dennis
kalaryder
So intense colour and wonderful clarity
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Kala,
Good to see you out along the fire trail on my wildflower safari and that you have spotted my Nature-in-the-raw shot.
Many thanks for your encouraging “…intense…wonderful…” wrap for my wild Aussie efforts.
GB
Dennis
pryere
G,day Dennis,
A marvellous shot. You lucky man. Superb detail and light, the shadows are great too.
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Pryere,
Good to see you out along the fire trail on my wildflower safari and that you have spotted my Nature-in-the-raw shot.
Many thanks for your encouraging “…marvellous…” wrap for my wild Aussie efforts.
GB
Dennis
Claire Farley
Terrific shot Dennis! Very nicely captured!
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Claire,
Good to see you out along the fire trail on my wildflower safari and that you have spotted my Nature-in-the-raw shot.
Many thanks for your encouraging “Terrific…” wrap for my wild Aussie efforts.
Oh I didn’t capture it. The plant was well rooted in the ground and wasn’t going anywhere and the beetle was as free as the air. But I did assess the conditions and make a decent photograph though. 8-)
GB
Dennis
Anne Smyth
wonderful – even includesone of the orange balls..
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Anne,
Good to see you out along the fire trail on my wildflower safari and that you have spotted my Nature-in-the-raw shot.
Many thanks for your encouraging “wonderful…” wrap for my wild Aussie efforts.
Oh the beetle poo! Yes, a most edifying day! 8-)
GB
Dennis
Dawne Olson
Beautiful work… and as usual, a thoroughly informative and engaging commentary!
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Dawne,
Good to see you out along the fire trail on my wildflower safari and that you have spotted my Nature-in-the-raw shot.
Many thanks for your encouraging “Beautiful work…” wrap for my wild Aussie efforts.
[Sings: “Let me entertain you…”] 8-)
GB
Dennis
debsphotos
HA…And here’s me thinking the little orange droppings were excess pollen!!! Did’nt realise they’d been “processed”!!!LOL..Excellent detail and colour!! *-)
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Deb,
Good to see you out along the fire trail on my wildflower safari and that you have spotted my Nature-in-the-raw shot.
Many thanks for your encouraging “…Excellent…” wrap for my wild Aussie efforts.
GB
Dennis
Kofoed
Another stunning shot, Dennis.
Great composition. Wonderful colour and clarity.
Great narrative.
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Kofoed,
Good to see you out along the fire trail on my wildflower safari and that you have spotted my Nature-in-the-raw shot.
Many thanks for your encouraging “…stunning shot…” wrap for my wild Aussie efforts.
GB
Dennis