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Robber Fly
Robber Fly
GregoryB


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2008-03 (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Canon EOS-30D
Lens: Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS
Location: Home - Boundary Fence
Date: Mar 30, 2008
Aperture: f/11.0
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/125
Galleries: Snapshot, Nature
Date Uploaded: Mar 30, 2008

Robber flies (Order Diptera, Family Asilidae) are extremely successful predators and have voratious appetites. They mostly prey on other insects and are capable of attacking and immobilising bees, wasps, dragonflies, grasshoppers and even spiders, however, they tend to be opportunistic feeders, feeding on whatever insects happen to be available in a particular habitat.


When on the hunt, robber flies establish a perching location, usually in a sunny open area, in order to locate suitable prey. Once located, robber flies catch their prey in mid air, using their strong legs to grasp and their modified mouthparts, in the form of a stabbing proboscis, to inject them with saliva containing neurotoxic and proteolytic enzymes. The neurotoxins paralyse the prey and the proteolytic enzymes digest proteins in the body tissues. The robber fly will then return to its perch and consume the liquidised body tissues of the prey.

Statistics
Place: 88 out of 500
Avg (all users): 6.1837
Avg (commenters): 7.3750
Avg (participants): 6.1296
Avg (non-participants): 6.3333
Views since voting: 946
Views during voting: 238
Votes: 147
Comments: 11
Favorites: 0


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AuthorThread
10/25/2008 08:07:40 PM
WOW this is totally awesome and deserved a higher score..... You are getting so good with these type of shot Greg..... great detail and very sharp..... I love it..... shez
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/15/2008 09:26:09 AM
Well thanks a bunch for ruining my breakfast---LOL ! You did an exceptional job with this image Greg & congrats on the high placement :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/08/2008 03:42:41 AM
congratulations on a brilliant macro photograph, a pb and an excellent score .. love the harsh lighting on the bug, all the gory details and how he's perched on the barbed wire ... also love the 'different' colouring you've given this image .. a difficult shot to get with that lens .. :):)xxooxx
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
04/07/2008 10:35:52 PM
The fact that it's sitting on a piece of barbed wire makes this not "another bug shot" and gives a lot of conceptual contrast (if such a term exists :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/04/2008 09:21:45 PM
Oh, cool.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/04/2008 10:16:34 AM
Great macro! Lovely detail with the cobwebs on the wire. I also am quite taken with his beard, lol.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/04/2008 05:08:39 AM
Too cool! Such incredible detail. Really great!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/03/2008 09:19:42 AM
Nicely done. clean & crisp, I like the composition nice job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/03/2008 05:49:51 AM
great tones, dof, crisp focus
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/01/2008 03:31:49 PM
good macro. the closeup of barbed? wire makes an unusual, disconcerting setting for this creature. You emphasize this with your composition, which puts the fly to one side and the barb to the other. Great detail on the fly and interesting light. This sort of skillful, competent work gets you a 6. To get higher, I need to be interested or involved in the photo in some way.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/01/2008 04:22:58 AM
Fantastic detail....
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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