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Leaf Miner Tracks
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Leaf Miner Tracks

by Jim DeWitt

Gallery: Weekly ChallengePosted November 9, 201456 views3 comments
Olympus E-3, 50mm macro, handheld
f8, 1/250. ISO500

At irregular intervals in Interior Alaska, the leaf miner population explodes, turning the aspen-covered hillsides from bright green to a dirty gray-green. Each of the millions of leaves looks like this. The trees can manage to survive 2-3 years of infestation; any longer and they die. This infestation was in 2010.

Full frame. Usual sharpening drill.

C & C, please. Thanks for looking.

Comments

3 comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on November 9, 2014 at 6:20 PM
Jim, I think it's a treasure map to a lost gold mine where the purple x marks the spot. :wink: I really enjoy images like this that show all the details in the insect work. This is an outstanding example. Sure hope the trees survived.
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by Albert Darmo on November 9, 2014 at 9:01 PM
Hi Jim :wavey: These leaf miners are artistic buggers :eek: You captured the detail and colors very well. :smile:


Albert Darmo
Canada
Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments
Comment posted by scott lanz on November 9, 2014 at 10:05 PM
Very interesting image, Jim. Tells a story and has a nice design.
Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments