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Feeding Oil beetle / Meloe tuccius


Feeding Oil beetle / Meloe tuccius
Photo Information
Copyright: Marcello Romano (marcellr) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 208 W: 38 N: 1012] (3514)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-04-19
Categories: Insects
Camera: Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom
Exposure: f/3.2, 1/200 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2008-01-17 7:51
Viewed: 3661
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
See the entire beetle in WORKSHOP and here a short video of mine.

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COLEOPTERA, MELOIDAE

Common English Names Blister Beetles, Oil Beetles

The family Meloidae, blister beetles, contains about 2500 species, divided among 80 genera and three subfamilies. The common name blister beetle is derived from their habit of emitting a caustic fluid from leg joints and other body parts when disturbed. Adult beetles are phytophagous, feeding especially on plants in the families Amaranthaceae, Compositae, Leguminosae, and Solanaceae. Most adults eat only floral parts, but some, eat leaves as well. A few adults are nocturnal; most are diurnal or show no distinct diel cycle.
Blister beetles are hypermetamorphic, going through several larval stages, the first of which is typically a mobile triungulin. The larvae are insectivorous, mainly attacking bees, though a few feed on grasshopper eggs.
The blister beetle genus Meloe is a large, widespread group commonly referred to as oil beetles. They are known as "oil beetles" because they release oily droplets of hemolymph from their joints when disturbed; this contains cantharidin, a poisonous chemical causing blistering of the skin and painful swelling. Members of this genus are typically flightless, without functional wings, and shortened elytra, basally imbricate, not completely covering abdomen but extending over part of pleura as well. In this genus, the host is a bee, and each species of Meloe may attack only a single species or genus of bees.

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Meloe tuccius Rossi, 1792

M. tuccius è presente in Sudeuropa, nell’area Mediterranea e nel Nord Africa.
In Italia meridionale ed in Sicilia è presente la ssp. corrosus, distinta dalla forma tipica per avere le elitre lisce, prive di rugosità e con punti assenti o appena accennati.
JORAPAVI, mariki, haraprasan, Silvio2006, flashpoint has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Arjun Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 358 W: 7 N: 1237] (7593)
  • [2008-01-17 9:03]

hi marcello,
razor sharp picture.wonderful details..xcellent composition and great POV,
TFS

  • Great 
  • batu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1079 W: 293 N: 4497] (16383)
  • [2008-01-17 9:06]

Buongiorno Marcello,
the presentation of the head and thorax surface comes close to a figure obtained by
scanning electron microscopy at low magnification. Really impressive!!
Best wishes, Peter

Ciao Marcello,
Thank you so much for your effort in sharing this super fine macro with us also a short video! much appreciated!!
superb closeness in perfect sharpness, real colour and exect details
well done and composed
ciao
Tony

Oh Marcello, ma che hai una macchina fotografica o un microscopio?
Impressionanti i dettagli, bel ritratto ed anche la composizione e buona, contrariamente a quel che di solito avviene in questi closeup esasperati che non amo molto, bravo, ciao Silvio

bonjour marcello
d'excellents details sur cette image notamment dans l'oeil,la DOF est bonne et le BG flou et neutre.
bien vu.
laurent

Muy buena luz Marcello, que permite ver con detalle los impresionantes detalles de este insecto. No vemos habitualmente a insectos comiendo con la claridad y la naturalidad con que tú nos lo muestras aquí. Como siempre, un buen trabajo.
Saludos: J. Ignasi Tejedor.

Ciao Marcello
un'ottima foto con un taglio deciso e la messa a fuoco concentrata sulla testa: ne rileva i particolari, difficili da mantenere in un insetto di colore nero. Molto bravo...Ivan

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2008-01-17 15:37]

Mamma mia che lavoro perfetto,oltre alla altissima qualita' delle note e della foto,pure il video,sei sempre il numero 1,ciao,Luciano

Hi Marcello,
Details of head and thorax are well seen. It is wonderful to get so close. Focus and exposure are great. Very well done.
JC

Hola Marcello,
Es un placer visitar tu galería por la calidad y variedad de insectos que nos muestras, gran nitidez con riqueza de detalles, apoyados por el workshop y el video que nos muestras, un buen trabajo.
Saludos
José Ramón

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1127 W: 254 N: 3161] (14464)
  • [2008-01-18 1:34]

Hi Marcello,

An excellent capture with superb exposure and details,tfs

Paul

Hello Marcello,

Very good close-up. Excellent sharpness. Very good POV.
Well done,
Cheers,
Mariki

Hi Marcello,
A beautiful closeup capture of this beetle. Excellent composition and details. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Ciao Marcello,

WoooW what a SUPERB close-up
Great compo with excellent sharp details and lovely colored BG

TFS Thijs

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