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Violet ground beetle

Discussion

17 replies
Posted by David Sewell on September 28, 2010 at 1:18 PM
Violet ground beetle
I am posting this as violet geound beetle, Carabus violaceus, but I am not totally sure as my field guide says that the elytra (wing cases) are smooth in this species, but in this individual they are anything but. A search on the internet shows lots of photos with ridges in the elytra, as this one has, so I am assuming it is the guide that is wrong. However, I am open to correction if anyone knows better.

Nikon D200, 150mm Sigma, 1/320th @ f 5.6, 400iso. Levels adjusted in PS8 and - shh! - about a 50% crop

David
Posted by Dale Sutton on September 28, 2010 at 1:18 PM
Superb Macro David.

Dale :toast:
Posted by Lee fisher on September 28, 2010 at 1:25 PM
Top shot,
Lee
Posted by Neil Burton on September 28, 2010 at 2:51 PM
Great work on the depth.
Posted by Phil Mclean on September 28, 2010 at 2:58 PM
Nice detail with the shiny bits handled very well.
Is the white 'whatever' anything to do with the beetle (egg sac or something)?

Phil. :toast:
Posted by Shaun Simpson on September 28, 2010 at 3:06 PM
Lovely shot, suoerb detail, who cares if ts been cropped its the end result that counts :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:
Posted by Ian Mason on September 28, 2010 at 3:58 PM
Looks great. I'm also curious about the white bit.
Posted by Barrie Courtenay on September 28, 2010 at 3:59 PM
Hi David,whatever it is its brilliant

:toast: :toast: :wavey: :toast: :toast:
Posted by PhilH on September 28, 2010 at 4:06 PM
Methinks your ID is correct... I would have preferered a little more of a lateral view and just a tad lower if possible.....

:toast: :wavey: :toast:
Posted by David Sewell on September 28, 2010 at 4:22 PM
Thanks for your comments so far folks. The beetle was photographed under one of my reptile refugia. I get a lot of beetles under these in the early autumn, and also a lot of spiders. I think it is the latter who are responsible for the white part, which is basically a web.

David
Posted by Karen Summers on September 28, 2010 at 4:25 PM
lovely shot David love the vibrant colour and the purple tones on the beetle
Posted by Ian Macdermott on September 28, 2010 at 5:49 PM
Cracking shot David :toast:

love the colours of the beetle :smile:
Posted by Geoffrey Baker on September 28, 2010 at 5:53 PM
A great shot with some lovely textures showing on the beetle. :smile:
Well done.

Geoff.
Posted by David Kjaer on September 29, 2010 at 6:59 AM
Super image David.

David :toast:
Posted by Maggie Campbell on September 29, 2010 at 8:29 AM
Lovely detail David and colours are great. Thought that looked like a web. :wavey:
Posted by Gabor Pozsgai on September 29, 2010 at 12:45 PM
Hi David,
nice capture. This species is the C. problematicus, though.
Posted by David Sewell on September 29, 2010 at 5:30 PM
Many thanks for that, Gabor. Not a species illustrated in the Collins Guide. Interestingly the common name is still violet ground beetle. Interesting how often English names are shared by a whole genera once you get to invertebrates.

David
Posted by Ian Haskell on September 30, 2010 at 6:37 PM
Super David.

Ian