Benthic Macroinvertebrates

[shots worth sharing]

<p>How's that for an attention-grabbing headline? So, I was down at (or should I say, "in") the stream yesterday checking things out for a living stream workshop I'm doing next week-end which will touch on bug sampling as a water-quality assessment technique. Just for the fun of it (and because some of the bugs are so small), I took the FA 50mm f2.8 macro with me. The results aren't great (to say my technique was casual would be an understatement) but sure validated the concept. Here are some (heavily cropped) samples</p>

<p>This is a caddis fly larva. They're reasonably large 8mm +/- and very common in the stream (indicating fair water quality.)<br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/photos/i-HJmDgvH/0/L/i-HJmDgvH-L.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="600" /></p>

<p> I'm not really sure what these are (except very small: for reference, the mesh on the net is +/- 1mmX 2mm.) If they're mayflies or stoneflies, it would indicate better than expected water quality but I suspect they're very young dragon fly larva.<br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/photos/i-ftD8B5z/0/XL/i-ftD8B5z-XL.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/photos/i-g38WPNb/0/XL/i-g38WPNb-XL.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>So I think I have a new photographic project. Question: wold there be any advantage to using a longer macro? </p>

<p> </p>

[mcmanamey]

<p>matt sez: Not all macro lenses will give the same magnification in the end when you're at the minimum focus distance. But, if you were comparing something like the Pentax DFA 50 & the DFA 100, he thinks they do give the same magnification.<br>

If you want more magnification, matt's suggesting extension tubes (closer min focus distance).</p>

[ukhov]

<p>Is sure ,if it not end-can be add +10 macro ring filter . Very good pics thou ! </p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Thanks for the comments. Yes, it's magnification I'm looking for and all my macro lenses are 1:1. I guess the reversed lens technique is ultimately the way to go but I'll just try extension tubes & cropping for the time being. The absolutely first priority will be shooting with a tripod and figuring out easily carried and deployed methods of getting lots of light on the subjects. </p>

[ukhov]

<p>From some personal try- Bug name "Dudley" get self -wrap for frank-fatas </p><div></div>

[jean_b.]

<p>These look like stonefly or mayfly nymphs to me, though I would need to see them submerged in a bit of water to id conclusively. Sounds like a fun outting.</p>

[michael_elenko]

<p>Hi Dave,<br>

That's a lot of syllables for a photography thread!</p>

<p>A 50mm macro lens seems perfect for this.</p>

<p>To go >1:1 you can use extension tubes, reversed lenses, or a TC if you happen to have one around. I'd also try those old-style cheap dioptic filters that screw on the front of your lens. Bet you got one in a drawer somewhere.</p>

<p>For lighting you want to go cool so as not to bake the bugs. Ikea sells LED lights on a gooseneck arm very cheaply. 2-3 of these should suffice. The colorcast may be on the blue side, so you'll want to shoot RAW and adjust color in post.</p>

<p>An alternative that I actually use as a desk lamp, is to find a couple of twisty CFLs and put them in gooseneck lamps. The key is to find CFLs that are close to color correct--about 5700-5900K. Most of the ones in stores are "soft white" which are too warm at 2700K or "daylight" which are too cool at 6500K. Strangely, I found near-perfect 5700K CFLs sold at a local supermarket with cheesy house branding no less.</p>

<p>ME</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>I hope you're right, Jean: <em></em> stoneflies especially would be <em>very</em> good news. I think you're right that I should photograph them in water (just enough for submersion) for best results. Thanks for the suggestions Michael--I'm going to try to stick to on-site natural light so a longer lens may be the ticket. I'm gonna try the 105mm with extension tubes next. </p>

[bob_marz]

<p>Hey Dave,</p>

<p>I came across this bug photographer a few years ago. Not sure if he gives any tips, but his images are amazing.<br>

<a href="http://www.troutnut.com/hatches">http://www.troutnut.com/hatches</a></p>

 

[bobbuck19]

<p>pretty sure the ones in the net are mayflies due to the tails and single visible wing case</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Thanks Robert! I gathered some further evidence before the workshop today.</p>

<p><img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/photos/i-dZV2FrW/0/L/i-dZV2FrW-L.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="534" /><br>

I'd call it a sulfur (don't speak the Latin) but it's amazing how small these guys are. It's also impressive they're in there at all-the stream was an open sewer when I was a kid.</p>

<p>Here are some smallmouth for Bob Marz: I caught them on woolly-buggers to show off at the workshop. They;''re back in the stream now. <br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/photos/i-bzPBjtz/0/L/i-bzPBjtz-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p> </p>

[bob_marz]

<p>Sweet Dave!</p>

[bob_marz]

<p>I caught a smallmouth yesterday. Well, I actually caught a rainbow on a woollybugger. He felt heavy but didn't look all that big but fought real hard. When I got him in closer I could see that there were not one, but two fish on the end of my line. A smallmouth had taken my dropper wetfly. Two for the price of one, and I didn't have my camera!</p>

[troutnut]

<p>Hi Dave,<br /> <br /> I'm a bit late to the party since this topic is a couple months old, but I just found it from a search engine, and I can identify your mystery bugs definitively as mayfly nymphs of the family Baetidae. There's quite a bit of variation within that family, but check out <a href="http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/761">this Baetid mayfly nymph</a> on my website and you'll see the similarity.<br /> Jason Neuswanger<br /> Troutnut.com</p>

<p>Edit: Wow, I hadn't check the second page, and I see Bob already posted a link to my site! Thanks for the compliment, Bob. Here's a more specific link to the relevant page: <a href="http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/90/Mayfly-Baetidae-Blue-Winged-Olives">Mayfly family Baetidae (pictures of all stages and emergence information)</a>. I think the adult mayfly (a female in the dun or sub-imago stage) is probably a Baetid, as well, maybe the same species as the nymphs, but would need a more detailed photo to say for sure. The common name for most Baetids is "blue-winged olive." I don't think it's a sulphur, although the body color looks similar in this picture. <a href="http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/28/Mayfly-Ephemerella-Hendricksons-Sulphurs-PMDs">Sulphurs in the genus Ephemerella</a> have a little different look, particularly in the wing profiles.</p>