Random crap with Uno.

[Unorthodox]

But 50k is appealing to someone in my situation...

[Unorthodox]

Well, hoping I can cheat the whole macro lens situation a little...

Find out next week. 

[Unorthodox]

Rethinking the stele into something more resalable...

[Buster's Uncle]

Birthday Song

[Geo]

Skeleton Birthday, UnO?

[Unorthodox]

As you wish.

The Birthday Skeleton

[Unorthodox]

Took the kids down my favorite little trail this morning. 




These little things were ALL OVER the gamble oak.  I have no freakin' clue what they are.  Alien spores, for all I know.  Not a bug, maybe a slug or fungus or something, I wasn't going to go poking them.




Little leafhopper.



Mason bee.



I don't have enough to make a final identification of this guy.  Impressively large, gorgeous.  Either seeking prey, or a mate up on the grass like that.   



Mining bees.



Pic doesn't do it justice, web was probably 6ft diameter. 

[Rusty Edge]

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/what_are_these_ugly_bumps_on_my_trees_leaves

Something like this, I guess.

[Unorthodox]

Galls are caused by gall wasps or midges though.  If these were galls, it's an undocumented species as far as I can tell.  Plus you expect calls along the stem of a leaf or veins for little ones, not out on the (eaten) edges. 

[Unorthodox]

Suppose I could go snip a few and see if anything pops out. 

[Rusty Edge]

I was thinking a viral infection in a wart kind of way, but it would be interesting to see if anything happens.

[Unorthodox]

Closest I can find is the hedgehog wasp. http://www.pbase.com/image/126229100


But it shouldn't be HERE or on the gambel oak. 

[Bertilak]

Took the kids down my favorite little trail this morning. 




These little things were ALL OVER the gamble oak.  I have no freakin' clue what they are.  Alien spores, for all I know.  Not a bug, maybe a slug or fungus or something, I wasn't going to go poking them.




Little leafhopper.



Mason bee.



I don't have enough to make a final identification of this guy.  Impressively large, gorgeous.  Either seeking prey, or a mate up on the grass like that.   



Mining bees.



Pic doesn't do it justice, web was probably 6ft diameter. 

Interesting Pictures. That thing growing on the leaf is odd and does remind of some fungi.

[Unorthodox]

So, new toys. 



Can't afford a macro lens, so I'm making my own, dammit. 

Extension tubes, pull the lens away from the body of the camera, to act almost like projection photography. Cost, $5. 

The things are weird to work with, so I'm gonna have a learning curve.  First thing learned...focusing is practically backwards, and there is no infinite setting...gonna have to play with all my lenses to see what ones work with this thing best, just using my standard 50mm tonight, I'm also going to need to bright lights to shoot with them, unless I find a way to get these guys to hold still and pose. 

These are not cropped at all, have them in high res but the host likes to do odd things automagically at upload. 





Now I need some kind of light setup to allow better shutter speeds and higher F stops...hmm...

[Buster's Uncle]

http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?topic=9078.0

http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?topic=9100