For some weeks now, the walls around the outside lights of Colombo Village have been graced with an abundance of mayflies as well as some other insects (lots of crane flies, a few moths, an occasional beetle). I finally got around to photographing the mayflies a couple of days ago. The upper photograph is a fully mature male; the lower photograph is a female (a subadult — what the anglers call a 'dun' — I think). Note the difference in the eyes.
Mayflies are among the oldest groups of insects and are the only insects to have two adult stages with fully developed wings.
[12 March 2014, Olympus OM-D EM-1, 60mm f/2.8 macro , ISO 200, 1/200 at f/8; diffused flash]
All content © 2014 Pete McGregor
Time Flies, David Ives one act, about mayflies.
ReplyDeleteZhoen, it'd be good to see a thoroughly professional production of his play.
ReplyDeleteAmazing images! On Saturday, I watched a fantail skilfully flying toward the wall to catch the mayflies - I thought he might hurt his head, but he flew back and forth with great alacrity and finesse!
ReplyDeleteLisa: Aha! Maybe that explains why the numbers of insects around the outside lights seems to have dropped off recently.
ReplyDeleteI was nearly mowed down by a little fantail at Massey the other day.