Studying Helmet orchid Polinators
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 9:19 pm
I was looking to build an automated orchid pollinator photography rig:
however, I have since realised that the suspected pollinator I am currently looking at at the moment is a fungus gnat. It's about the same size or a bit smaller than a mosquito, so I think it would be struggle to detect it once it was entering or exiting a small Helmet Orchid flower:
The leaf is approx. 20-25mm across, and the flower perhaps 10mm.
Plan B, is to use a sticky substance aptly called 'tanglefoot' (http://www.entosupplies.com.au/equipmen ... ap-coating) painted onto a clear plastic sheet and pegged to fly like a flag above the flower. Hopefully I might catch one that has a pollinia sack on it's back.
Here is an example of a male bull ant that landed on my iPhone back on April:
I was so surprised, I only managed to get a few photos of it before it flew away
You can see the small yellow pollen sack (called a pollinia), on it's back.
There will be many hours over the next 6 weeks or so spent out in the rain and mosquito ridden swamp land working on this project.
- RPi_Polinator-trap.jpg (29.8 KiB) Viewed 3068 times
however, I have since realised that the suspected pollinator I am currently looking at at the moment is a fungus gnat. It's about the same size or a bit smaller than a mosquito, so I think it would be struggle to detect it once it was entering or exiting a small Helmet Orchid flower:
- helmet-orchid.jpg (33.2 KiB) Viewed 3068 times
The leaf is approx. 20-25mm across, and the flower perhaps 10mm.
Plan B, is to use a sticky substance aptly called 'tanglefoot' (http://www.entosupplies.com.au/equipmen ... ap-coating) painted onto a clear plastic sheet and pegged to fly like a flag above the flower. Hopefully I might catch one that has a pollinia sack on it's back.
Here is an example of a male bull ant that landed on my iPhone back on April:
- bull-ant-on-iphone.jpg (18.72 KiB) Viewed 3068 times
I was so surprised, I only managed to get a few photos of it before it flew away
You can see the small yellow pollen sack (called a pollinia), on it's back. There will be many hours over the next 6 weeks or so spent out in the rain and mosquito ridden swamp land working on this project.
(We have many "discussions" about his Samsung "mines bigger than yours" s5)