The sun just disappeared behind the stuff on the western horizon, the night was almost there, and I was walking across the place that once was a prosperous cabbage field.
Some sparse old cabbages were still standing among the flat weeds, like decaying buildings in the post-apocalyptic landscape.
When I approached one of those green agricultural ruins ...
... I noticed a moving black dot on the smooth surface of a thick, juicy leaf ... so I took the snap - on macro lens from the bag and mounted the thing on my camera. A look through those lens revealed a minuscule flea beetle - the Phyllotreta atra.
Another flea beetle, the Phyllotreta vittula, was chewing the border of a neighboring leaf.
The hind legs of these beetles from the Chrysomelidae (leaf beetles) family are strong and enlarged, always ready for spectacular long jumps if the insect is disturbed. Because of the small size and that jumping ability, flea beetles look like normal fleas from a distance.
On the lower part of the same leaf, I found these empty eggshells of the Eurydema ornata shield bug ...
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... and on one of the lower leaves of the same plant ...
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... I noticed some minuscule green caterpillar ...
... that was chewing a hole in its center.
This Turnip sawfly (Athalia rosae) was resting at the top of the plant. Adults of this species feed on nectar, but the larvae devour juicy leaves of cabbage and some other related plants from the Brassicaceae family.
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When I visited the next cabbage, about ten meters further ...
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... I found these small young nymphs of the Eurydema ornata bug ...
... and on one of the lower leaves, I photographed an adult bug of the same species. Although this is the Eurydema ornata, it doesn't look like one ... because this insect just shed its old exoskeleton and the real colors and markings will appear in the next hour or so.
On another leaf, at the top of the plant ...
... another bug was going through the same process.
On this one, the first signs of darker markings were visible ... I mean, barely visible. After taking this shot ... as the day was getting dark ...
... I continued sniffing around the field in search of interesting insects.
On the third cabbage, I found just one beetle ...
... a weevil ...
... the Lixus angustatus from the Curculionidae family.
On the next cabbage ...
... I found yet another Eurydema ornata that got out of its old exoskeleton recently ... but on this one ...
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... the distinctive markings were clearly visible.
Near to the ground, on one of the lower, partially rotten leaves of the same cabbage ...
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... I photographed this planthopper, the Agalmatium bilobum.
When I reached the final cabbage, the atmosphere was pretty dark all around me.
Here I found a mating pare of completely developed adult Eurydema ornata bugs ...
... and this small predatory bug ...
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... the Himacerus mirmicoides.
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After this last cabbage, I sat in my car that was parked at the edge of the field, and drove away.
As always in these posts on HIVE, the photographs are my work.
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Coooollll post agrikulture ;))
Love the patterns on the Eurydema ornata bug. That's a cool color on the molting adult. They are very colorful once they color up.
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Such an amazing Photography.you always make me learn to perfect my photography.
Really your work is appreciable ❣️❣️
Thank you :)
Something so somewhat sad as old cabbage fields ... but, life finds a way to make it ...
True :) cabbages are old and decaying ... but there are many new insects that can uplift the atmosphere.
Honestly I love the way that you capturing these images amazing details hats off to you @borjan 🙌🙌🙌
Thank you :)
Which camera do you use to capture all these pictures?
I use the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS
https://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/canon_powershot_sx60_hs_review
... and for the macro, a small snap - on lens adapter, the Raynox DCR-250
https://www.amazon.com/Raynox-DCR-250-Super-Macro-Snap/dp/B000A1SZ2Y
Ohh thanks 😊
I don't think I have ever seen a cabbage field after some years of neglect. I didn't realize they were hearty enough to keep growing like that, although I must say they don't look very edible. Apparently former cabbage fields are popular with all kinds of micro alien life, love the macro shots.
Yes :) the cabbages are juicy and edible for many species, so an old cabbage field like this it's a great place for a macro - safari.
I'm trying to get in to see your posts every day. Your photos are extraordinary, thanks for sharing them @borjan
Incredible eyes! You could see tiny things in very low lighting! It seems like a warning to autumn which is approaching soon!
Dear
There is a lot of light work in photography. Little by little I could understand the reflection of light. Thanks for your suggestion.