Sunday (12-June-2011) — New Jersey

Indoor Nature in New Jersey.

Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) — Not a Silverfish. I really don’t like seeing this guy crawling above my bed. I know that they are going after other insects — BUT look at those claws. I added a zoom from the image showing the multiple lenses in the eye and spikes on the legs.

Creepy Crawly. Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) -- Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Creepy Crawly. Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) — Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Creepy Crawly. Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) -- Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Creepy Crawly. Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) — Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Sunday (29-May-2011) — New Jersey

Indoor Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Thanks to the Internet, I was finally able to identify this bug crawling up the wall. It is a Scutigera Coleoptrata, aka house centipede — and not a Silverfish. Apparently these eat other bugs including Silverfish in the house. This one is missing part of its right front antenna, and three of its right front legs. They still are creepy — no pun intended.

Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) -- Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro + TC-E 20 (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/11, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) — Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro + TC-E 20 (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/11, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) -- Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro + TC-E 20 (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) — Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro + TC-E 20 (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Thursday (26-May-2011) — New Jersey

Springtime Nature in New Jersey: I DON’T LIKE TICKS!!!

Ever since I got home and came in after taking the bee images, I kept feeling something crawling on me. I didn’t find anything and thought it was the ants that have invaded the house while I was on the Enrichment Voyage. Finally, I found a tick crawling on my shoulder. I think that it is a female dog tick and not a deer tick. I don’t like any type of ticks. I don’t know if this was the only one, but to make sure all of my cloths and bedding are now in the washing machine.

Dog Tick? Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/22, 1/600 sec). Ring Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Dog Tick? Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/22, 1/600 sec). Ring Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5.

Wednesday (25-May-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Images of Bumble and Carpenter Bees taken in my backyard this afternoon with a macro lens. The Bumble Bees were working the fast fading Rhododendron flowers for any remaining pollen. The male Carpenter Bees appeared to be flying stationary guarding territory — only moving when challenged by another male. The down side of the Carpenter Bees is the large holes that they drill into the wood around the house for their nests.

Bumble Bee Working Old Rhododendron Flower for Pollen. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Bumble Bee Working Old Rhododendron Flower for Pollen. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 sec).
Male Eastern Carpenter Bee Guarding Territory. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 800, 210 mm, f/13, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Male Eastern Carpenter Bee Guarding Territory. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 800, 210 mm, f/13, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5.
Male Eastern Carpenter Bee Guarding Territory. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 800, 210 mm, f/13, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Male Eastern Carpenter Bee Guarding Territory. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 800, 210 mm, f/13, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5.
Male Eastern Carpenter Bee Guarding Territory. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 800, 210 mm, f/13, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Male Eastern Carpenter Bee Guarding Territory. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 800, 210 mm, f/13, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5.
Male Eastern Carpenter Bee Guarding Territory. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 800, 210 mm, f/13, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Male Eastern Carpenter Bee Guarding Territory. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 800, 210 mm, f/13, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5.

Tuesday (12-April-2011) — New Jersey

Indoor Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Creepy Crawler on the Ceiling — Or Why I Can’t Sleep at Night. I saw this above my bed tonight (or is it this morning?). Out of focus image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 (with flash). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro.

Creepy Crawler on the Ceiling Above My Bed. Snapshot taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 (ISO 100, 19.2 mm, f/3.3, 1/125 sec) (David J Mathre)
Creepy Crawler on the Ceiling Above My Bed. Snapshot taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 (ISO 100, 19.2 mm, f/3.3, 1/125 sec)