I went to a camera store and told them "I want a lens for shooting small things".
So they asked me "What kind of small things?"
I didn't really have one topic in mind, but I figured bugs were a good reference point, so I said "bugs", and walked out with the cheapest macro lens they had on hand.
Now I finally got around to trying to shoot bugs with it. Seems to work.
Challenging given the manual focus, but surprisingly good.
Lepidoptera Korner: Look who just rolled up on my coffee cup, a delightful little Mourning Ethmia. About a centimeter long, native to TX. Engagingly dapper color-scheme. From a slight remove the markings look like a smiley goat skull on a skeleton with boobs. Mysterious AND saucy! #Mothtodon#bugs
I had to watch a couple of crane flies boinking on my kitchen window screen and now you do, too. I don’t know which was the female; I had to suspend my googling when I got to the part in a research paper “when an attempt was made to flash-freeze [a copulating pair of crane flies] with ethyl chloride spray.” That just seemed mean.
But I did find out that they only live for 15 days. They don’t eat that whole time, they either fly around tryin’ to get lucky, or they hook up on your window screen when they DO get lucky. So this photo represents the pinnacle of achievement of adult crane fly existence. #bugs
This week, Simon and Eugene look at the Bugs episode Happy Ever After. John Stroud directed this Series Three episode, which first aired on August 30, 1997.
They discuss marrying for love and marrying for control, the implications of a water grid and why this wasn’t explored in a show ostensibly about technology, and whether passion for cricket is the best reason not to go live in the United States.
Ranger Sarah found a friend, a Giant Walkingstick (Megaphasma denticrus). The Giant Walkingstick is the largest insect in North America, at least measured by length, with females up to 7 inches long. The Giant Walkingstick is one of 30 varieties of stick insects in North America. Four types live in Missouri.
Ranger Sarah's newest friend a Giant Walkingstick (Megaphasma denticrus) takes a ride on her hat. Their are more than 3,000 species of stick insect worldwide. The giant walkingstick eats leaves. It is perfectly camouflaged for a life in trees and shrubs. Walkingsticks not only look like twigs but also sway their bodies to mimic the motion of branches in a breeze.
I learned today that cotton balls, soaked with essential oils, and strategically placed, can ward off stink bugs in your house.
Ain't that somethin'? My stank is greater than your stank = bug off! #lifehack#stinkbug#bugs#smellystuff#DIY
Under review this week is series 3, episode 6 of Bugs, entitled “Fugitive.” Matthew Evans wrote this episode, which first aired on August 23, 1997.
Hosts Simon and Eugene discuss when giving our heroes vulnerabilities adds interest as opposed to destroying the character, how much the Sci-Fi and Tech dimension (or absence of it) matters to the mainstream audience, and how an episode titled “Fugitive” really ought to involve a lot more running away.
Fugitive Summary
In a high-stakes operation, Team Bugs pursues a seemingly ordinary gunrunner with unexpected twists. A mysterious CD-ROM becomes the center of attention, sparking conflict between the Bureau of Weapons Technology and the SSD. Ros faces suspicion, intensified by a relentless investigation and a mole hunt. A fake video and a stolen compact disc reveal the identity of the mole. Ros outsmarts her pursuers, ultimately uncovering the truth and preventing a major heist. As secrets unravel, relationships are tested, and a surprising proposal awaits at the end. The episode blends action, espionage, and personal drama, keeping viewers on the edge until the final moments.
“Outsmarts” and “keeping viewers on the edge” might be questionable choices of wording.
Gray bird grasshopper (Schistocerca nitens). This one was about 8 cm long. These guys usually don't let me get this close, but it was chilly and he was sluggish.
Observation about #Microsoft#OneDrive. It doesn't understand dates in the 1980's. It keeps uploading files on the #Mac dated from that decade, successfully I might add, when it looks for things that need to be sync'd. Not a #bugs for most of us, but a #bug nonetheless.
#Computers, ya can't live with them or without them...
My first try at training a rat to ride a motorcycle using #GenerativeAI and making it look like oil on canvas. I was curious and it was just a try to figure out how it works. Nothing serious and I will not try to make it my personal #Art form. Yet, I'm impressed by how powerful these tools are, even free versions.