Bombyx mori update

Ok so a few days ago the adult Bombyx mori started to emerge. And seeing as they are unable to fly I rarely get more grateful photo objects. This resulted in a bit of experimenting with surface and other factors. I was using my Canon 60mm macro lens, but altered with different settings, using my ring flash, using a tripod and changing the background. Since they are predominately white I think a black background proved the most beneficial.

Here is the life cycle continued with first the adults hatching from the cocoons (I was not there for this event). Then they found mates and copulation took place (mid photo). The sperm of male Bombyx mori is dimorphic meaning they have two types of sperm Anucleate  apyrene sperm and nuclate eupyrene sperm. One for fertilization action and one seems to be assisting in fertilization (Ken Sahara and Naoko Kawamura, 2002). In the last photo the eggs are placed sticking to the wall of the box and they are placed everywwere in that box.

KEN SAHARA & NAOKO KAWAMURA 2002. Double copulation of a female with sterile diploid and polyploid males recovers fertility in Bombyx mori. Zygote, 10, 23-29.

 

So on to the photo-part of this post.  I started with a black shiny surface with random ridges on and I think it worked well taken from a horizontal angle towards the objects.

It deflected some of the light and it resorted in not being entirely black. Even though they cannot fly they are using their wings a lot and that is what is seen in the last picture, but it gave quite a different effect I think.

From straight up above I tried the same here using a ring flash and as you can see the reflection was quite severe. I made them slightly overexposed to enhance the whiteness of them.

Here I used a black sweater to get the background darker with less reflection. It worked but if I used the ring flash and additional light, the fabric pattern was very visible. I know black velvet cloth is better and will reflect less light. But as I have none of this, my black sweater will do.

Here are my two favorite close-ups of these nice animals. They might be flightless but certainly not without beauty.

Now I will store the eggs for next year and see if I manage to hatch them into new larvae. The adults will be released back to the wild today. Hope to produce some more posts soon I have several in the making stay tuned  



Insects and spiders from trips oh my!

Back in Mallorca, and here the life of insects and bugs alike are thriving. These are pictures from the last two weeks, from sampling for my genus of amphipods (Pseudoniphargus), and trips in the mountains just for fun. The Iberian fauna is showing me some really cool things. To enlarge the picture just click on them. Hope you enjoy

Scytodidae, Scytodes sp., This is also called the spitting spider since it does not hunt by producing a net. Instead it spits treads in a zig-zag pattern at its prey (this one i had in my room. How cool is that?). This was my first encounter with this family and i really hope it will not be my last. 

Gryllidae

Thomisidae, Waiting for a tasty snack.

This one i only got as far as Brachycera with confidence. Here i could use some help..(Gunnar)

This one was taken in a cave searching for amphipods. I should have had my ring flash with me for this one. There were a group of five spiders there all quite large, about as a thumb in size. Identification will be tricky, They were smooth but with strong bristles or seta, maybe a Therididae, or a Aranidae, any thoughts? 

Euscorpius balearicus

This one was dead when found in the pond where we were searching for Amphipoda. It was a large specimen. Come to think of it this cave was really not for the squeamish people. As well as a cranium of a rat, makes up quite a good setting. 

Lycosidae, It is hard to place to genus but I would eliminate Pirata and Throcosa. I think it is Pardosa, but i am far from certain.

Another Thomisidae ready to pounce on anything getting close enough to his flower

Coleoptera; Oedermeridae, My first encounter with this family as well.

Miridae

Araneidae, and i think it is from the genus of Araniella. These are tiny spiders but they are absolutely beautiful.

Dysteridae Nemesia brauni, this one is endemic (link to paper with evidence of endemism.) to the Balearic Islands as well. This one was in a tunnel web under a larger rock where it seemed to be feasting on isopods. Dysteridae are spiders with rather large chelicera and most have only six eyes. 

Lachnaia vicina

Early in the mornign, still with morning dew all over the nice elytra

Lachnaia vicina

Here with the time old question, "what are you looking at?"

Next post will be bug free, as I will have birds and reptiles to show you guys.

Woot? Flowers??? I have become mad i tell you, MAAAAD

No I haven't become mad, yet. And the first one to call me a botanist will be greatly punished. But these were interesting species found on the trip collecting species for my PhD. And at the very least I can see them as nice habitats for insects, and they are nice to look at as well. I do not know a lot about them but i have provided some links for those of you that are interested. So here goes;  

Orobanche clausomis

Limodorum abartivum

This one is particularly interesting on account of its fungi symbiosis.

Cephalanthera longifolia  In Norwegian this one is called Hvit skogfrue.

This one i have not been able to "plant" a name on. Can anyone help here?

Well that is that for the plants for now, but i might make some more plant stuff as well on a whim. Stranger things have happened. 

Bombyx mori

I have recently gotten some nice pets to keep in the house. They go by the name of Bombyx mori, or more commonly as the silkworm. I got about eight silkworms from a good colleague.And now i have been feeding the larva with leaves from mulberry trees (in this case Morus nigra). Fortunately for me there is a lot of these trees at the university of Palma. It is a bit weird to start picking from the trees in the parking lot, but I have been assured that that a lot of people do it here. I find safety in numbers on this one I guess. They are quite greedy and have been steadily growing and preparing. Some have already started their metamorphosis. These are holotmetabole insect so they will go from a larva stage to a pupae and finally to a adult stage or imago stage. So for now and until about three weeks they will be cocoons. When they hatch I will of course make an update. Bombyx mori is the domestic silkworm used in silk production today. Also a lot of research has been done using this species.   

The setup is really easy. A suitable size box and leaves are all you need. Keep in mind that they only eat mulberry leaves. The box is situated at my terrace. And they eat constantly with a passion. They are nice and white and very soft to the touch.

Here you can se the development. After some weeks consuming they begin climbing and producing a silk tread to suspend and make the cocoon. In the last photo you see the finished cocoon where it will spend the next three weeks or so. So untill i will leave them to mature as it were hehe.

Vacation pictures

I have spent the last ten days back home in Bergen visiting friends and family. It has been a wonderful time, filled with laughter and adventure and good companions. In my time I managed two fishing trips, two mountain trips three concerts and various other great activities. I would like to thank all my family and friends for making it a great trip home. Here are some of the photos taken from my trip. There are not any animal pictures (some will maybe come soon).This is due to the fact that we were still in April, and despite fantastic weather it is still a bit early for a lot of the animals. Mind you, there is a lemming (Lemmus lemmus)  year this year so the mountains are teaming with cute angry fellows. In the meantime there are some nice landscapes though.

Here is the view from my first fishing trip of the year with my parents. We are fishing just a 30 minute drive out of Bergen. No fish was caught that day (not the other fishing trip either), but it was a fantastic day in the sun so fishes were of lesser importance.

The two mountain trips took us to the nearest mountains called Rundemannen and Blåmannen. This photo is the view from the top of Rundemannen. Just a group of friends enjoying the days of Easter.

We also spent some time in the woods listening to the songbirds and looking for some insects and spiders oh my. As mentioned we had no great luck but it is still early. Still Just differentiating species of birds by sound there were a lot of different species;

Great tit (Parus major)

Blue tit (Parus caeruleus)

Coal tit (Periparus ater)

Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)

Willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)

Meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis higher up)

Winter wren (troglodytes troglodytes)

Red robin (Erithacus rubecula)

Blackbird (Turdus merula)

Song thrush (Turdus philomelos)

Spottet flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)

With more to come further into the year.

A little river running from the Tarlebøvannet to Svartediket. Svartediket is one of the water supplies in Bergen and also a lake surrounded in myths. Horrible stories all involving the lake, probably none are true or at least greatly exaggerated (sadly only in Norwegian).  

The weather was amazing but several places, evidence of winter were found like a small icy lake and patches of snow everywhere.

This was a great opportunity to make the last snow angel of the year.

And lastly, as the day subsided, the light shifted to this great dimmed and hazy light. It was beautiful. A wonderfull time in my home town.