Birds, Leps, Observations & Generalities - the images and ramblings of Mark Skevington. Sometimes.

Tuesday 30 March 2010

White-marked

Let's face it - photographing moths is a piece of piss. You just bung them in a pot in the fridge for a bit, collect a few leaves, branch or rock as a background, tip the chilled insect out and snap away. Right?

If only! Whilst it is sometimes as simple as that, there are plenty of exceptions (including virtually all micros). Anyone who thinks photographing moths must be easy all the time needs to have a go and share in the endless hours I've wasted over the years trying to get some inconsiderate six-legged bugger to comply. There are certain species which are almost always a pain in the arse, and White-marked is one of them - hence having to leave it yesterday and have another go this morning. At last it sat still for a few seconds so I got one shot without blurry wings.

Inconsiderate bugger - but a smart one

I was hoping to get a shot of the species-pair White-marked and Red Chestnut together - but I think that's going to be nigh on impossible.

4 comments:

Stewart said...

See my Red Chestnuty pic from last week - vibrating! :)

Skev said...

Yep - with the noctuids, once they're revving up there's no way you are going to sort it out in Photoshop ....

Sometimes, once they've warmed up their flight muscles they settle again and often in a more natural 'roosting' posture. But usually they just feck off leaving you frustrated!

Anonymous said...

I agree with you on the micro`s Mark. They just won`t settle, even after a day in the fridge. Bloody things!!

Geomotrids have to be the easiest.

Bennyboymothman said...

Nice one Mark, a very local Moth around this way.