Entomobrya multifasciata

I went out to catch a couple of pill bugs / woodlice. I managed that but also captured this insect at the same time. I am 99% sure I have the identification correct by the colouring, markings and especially the U shaped marking at the rear end. Size - about 4mm long. I think it is a springtail. It certainly proved it could jump a couple of times. I am pleased with this video as I managed to film it without the lid on the container so nothing to distort the result.



Also I put the clips together using Wondershare Filmora 9. It produced a proper 1080HD result unlike iMovie which seemed to give 720 in spite of the original video resolution. Fancier titles as well!

I love the way the markings on the back of its head look like a face.

What kept it busy while I videoed? I had put a drop of Golden Syrup to interest a couple of ants earlier on. (Thanks for the hint Adrian). I had wiped most of it off but the insect found a thin smear on the bottom of the dish.

First LCD Microscope Videos

I went out looking for a pill bug. Normally they are everywhere but this time they all remained hidden. Par for the course. Then I remembered the position of an ant nest so spent ages trying to persuade one to stay in the dish I had taken out. Nippy little blighters in more ways than one. In the end I managed to capture one and it was only when I had the dish under the microscope I found I had also caught a couple of other creatures.



So, we have an ant and what appears to me to be a mite. It was smaller than a red spider mite, hardly the size of a speck of dust and only just viewable with the naked eye. What the creature that reminds me of a hermit crab is I have no idea as yet. It was even smaller than the mite. The zoomed section was done in processing the video. All other parts are exactly as taken by the microscope. The only addition was using an external lamp to help with illumination.

One thing to note is the build in LEDs can reflect back in the camera lens but the microscope is designed so it can be tilted to get round this.

LCD Microscope

After some thinking and research I decided to invest in one of these:

 

It has a built in 12M pixel camera and the ability to zoom anywhere from 1 to 1200 times.

There are LEDs round the camera lens and objects are shown on a 7 inch LCD display.

The highest magnification is not enough to see extremely small life forms such as those found in ponds but is plenty to get a close look at small everyday objects.

There is a slot for a micro SD card so still photos of up to 12M pixel resolution can be saved.
Not only that but it can save 1080 HD video. Power is provided by a 5V wall wart.  If the microscope is connected to a computer USB port then the photos and videos can be transferred from the SD card.

The actual unit:



I have some clear plastic petri type dishes and am hoping to capture the occasion mini beast to put under the microscope. I went out hunting yesterday but the weather was so bad all sensible bugs were staying hidden. I did spot a small seed caught in a spider's web so grabbed that.

You can just about see it on the top edge of this dish (the nearby washer is about 18mm diameter)



A couple of untouched photos taken with the microscope





and a close view of a Chinese Lantern plant seed case



So far the only niggly thing I have found is that it doesn't remember the chosen photo resolution when the power is switched off. I have to go in the menu each time I switch it on to set the highest resolution.

Watch out ladybirds and pill bugs. I'm looking for you!

Monday Mystery

Last week's close up



proved easily recognisable as part of



a drain / manhole cover.
Well done to Adrian, the Veg Artist, the Weaver of Grass, Ellen D, Kev Scott, Dave, Ragged Robin and Rachel Phillips.

The next object



is a flower bud but on what plant?

Want to have a guess? Please leave it in the comments.
They will be revealed, along with the answer, next Monday.

Scalloped Oak Moth

Found on my front door yesterday morning.
A macro moth, the Scalloped Oak moth. (Crocallis elinguaria)
Resting it measured near 20mm across but in flight can have a wingspan of 32 - 46mm.
Not one I would like to meet indoors.

with iPhone 6s



with Canon M5 + macro lens



Both photos were cropped.

A bit of a surprise to see it there, in full Sun on a South facing door.
Especially as it is a night flying moth.
I would have expected it to be hidden away somewhere.

Temperatures

As you may have gathered I am fascinated by all aspects of our weather systems.
Once the satellite map information has been decoded it is possible to see the recorded temperatures as I move the mouse over the map.

From NOAA 19 at 08.10 this morning (BST)



While the ground temperature here (where the salmon coloured cross is on the map) is about 19C the air higher up is in the region of 10C. To the south of the ROI the red / black heavy rain area shows cloud temperatures ranging from -30C to -60C. No wonder the temperature at ground level can drop so sharply in a heavy rainstorm. I assume that area is the one which is forecast to bring heavy showers to Lincolnshire later this afternoon.

Tomorrow's Rain?

I see the Met Office is predicting some heavy showers for tomorrow.
BBC Weather predicting possible electrical storms tomorrow afternoon for E Midlands.

Is this what is on the way? (the red area)



Captured from the 08.22 (BST) pass of NOAA 19

 

NOAA 18 (11.37 BST)