Resting dipteran predator with giant eyes
A large robber fly sits on a fence in the middle of a wood with two small ponds. It is resting in a place that is intensely illuminated by the last, still warming rays of the sun.
Its large compound eyes, which normally do not miss any suitable prey nor dangerous predators, seem tired and to stare into space. It is well saturated and needs heat energy to digest its food. It doesn't flee when I approach with the camera. It's like the fly is even posing for me, at least that way to be preserved should the urban insect community fail to withstand future climate changes.
In order to underline the beauty of the shooting moment with the resting fly with an orchestral soundtrack, a polyphonic croaking of green frogs sounds from the neighboring pond, rhythmically enriched by the regular knocking of several woodpeckers nearby.
A large robber fly sits on a fence in the middle of a wood with two small ponds. It is resting in a place that is intensely illuminated by the last, still warming rays of the sun.
Its large compound eyes, which normally do not miss any suitable prey nor dangerous predators, seem tired and to stare into space. It is well saturated and needs heat energy to digest its food. It doesn't flee when I approach with the camera. It's like the fly is even posing for me, at least that way to be preserved should the urban insect community fail to withstand future climate changes.
In order to underline the beauty of the shooting moment with the resting fly with an orchestral soundtrack, a polyphonic croaking of green frogs sounds from the neighboring pond, rhythmically enriched by the regular knocking of several woodpeckers nearby.
Seemingly Machimus atricapillus
Glowing trees
When large parts of the forest disappear into the shade in the late afternoon, but rays of sunlight still penetrate the thicket in places, branches and leaves blaze up in fiery red, brown and green.
Summer envelops the forest in bright colors, and the forest is not just made up of trees, but of an extremely tight network of various forms of life. These living beings wear all colors and color the entire forest with them.
When large parts of the forest disappear into the shade in the late afternoon, but rays of sunlight still penetrate the thicket in places, branches and leaves blaze up in fiery red, brown and green.
Summer envelops the forest in bright colors, and the forest is not just made up of trees, but of an extremely tight network of various forms of life. These living beings wear all colors and color the entire forest with them.
Flowers
Some of them want to draw attention to themselves with bright colors. For example, the sun-yellow dandelion, which has to be pollinated, or the dog rose, whose rose-red color makes a bush full of glowing lanterns shine against a dark background.
Some of them want to draw attention to themselves with bright colors. For example, the sun-yellow dandelion, which has to be pollinated, or the dog rose, whose rose-red color makes a bush full of glowing lanterns shine against a dark background.
Beetle Valgus hemipterus
Fly of Lauxaniidae, semingly Sapromyza sp.
Camouflage
Other organisms prefer not to appear conspicuous. On the contrary, they are adapted to be overlooked by camouflaging their surroundings. The buff-tip moth has a wing pattern that looks like the surface of a branch. This is a life-saving advantage for the relatively large butterflies. In biology, this life strategy is called mimesis. I found the imposing moths on a morning excursion in mating position along the way.
Other organisms prefer not to appear conspicuous. On the contrary, they are adapted to be overlooked by camouflaging their surroundings. The buff-tip moth has a wing pattern that looks like the surface of a branch. This is a life-saving advantage for the relatively large butterflies. In biology, this life strategy is called mimesis. I found the imposing moths on a morning excursion in mating position along the way.
Videographic impressions about landscape and macro life with mating buff-tip moth in urban park Rehberge, Berlin, June to beginning of July 2021
Buff-tip moth (Lepidoptera) Phalera bucephala during mating
Blossoms of lilac Syringa vulgaris
Ant and chaffinch
A colony of the ant species Lasius niger is tightly organized, the task of the individual workers is predetermined. But the individual animals are not robotic beings without individual characteristics. If they want to take an unauthorized break, it is advisable to go to an inconspicuous hiding place, while other conspecifics are for example guarding and milking groups of aphids, some ants rest in order to regain their strength.
Such an ant is too small as a suitable prey for the chaffinch. So it remains immobile in the midst of the single flowers of a white inflorescence, secretly resting, while the finch takes a seat on a common yew branch with an unfortunate fly in its beak that had stirred in the wrong place for too long before.
A colony of the ant species Lasius niger is tightly organized, the task of the individual workers is predetermined. But the individual animals are not robotic beings without individual characteristics. If they want to take an unauthorized break, it is advisable to go to an inconspicuous hiding place, while other conspecifics are for example guarding and milking groups of aphids, some ants rest in order to regain their strength.
Such an ant is too small as a suitable prey for the chaffinch. So it remains immobile in the midst of the single flowers of a white inflorescence, secretly resting, while the finch takes a seat on a common yew branch with an unfortunate fly in its beak that had stirred in the wrong place for too long before.
Ant worker of Lasius niger
The chaffinch stands proudly against the impassable, glowing red sun. Dancing colored lights surround the female animal.
Female of chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
The chaffinch flies away with the death in its beak. Summer life shines powerfully beneath him, in a billowing twilight.
Harvestman Phalangium opilio
Honeybee Apis mellifera
Pond "Möwensee" in urban park Rehberge, Berlin
Berlin, Mid-May, June to beginning of July 2021, copyrights Stefan F. Wirth
