More macro-closeups. Caterpillars behind the cut.
The tiny claws amuse me. They look so much like cat claws. Only like cat claws X 10 -3
I’m really pleased with the focus level in this one. For some reason, the auto-focus on the macro has difficulty getting focused fully on the white worms, but does much better on the colored ones.
I love how wiggly the hairs are – it makes it look like he has bed-head.
More macro-closeups. Caterpillars behind the cut.
click for a couple more…
Well, the Vivitar that Chris got me for Early Christmas, took beautiful macros – but it has a freak battery that NOBODY, including Vivitar, had in stock.
So, it had to go back. I expressed my frustration to all the folks at Vivitar, Inc. Just this morning, actually, one of their phone monkeys called, telling me that they got my message – after I’d already talked to a live person, filed a complaint, and returned the merchandise.
Chris sent the Vivitar back, and got me a wonderful Canon A630. I have ordered some supplemental lenses and memory sticks, but the built-in macro on this one gets pretty great detail. I don’t have any kegos on hand to take comparison shots – but this is what it got from a moth:
If you’ve read this blog for a while, you’ll know that my partner, Christopher, enjoys entering sweepstakes and contests.
One of his sweepstakes-entering friends recently won a cruise. A gay cruise. This one.
His friend couldn’t take the cruise, because of prior obligations. But – she transferred it to Chris! So now, Chris and I are going to be on a cruise of the Mexican Riviera, October 28 through November 4.
I found out later, that it’s the Lazy Bear Out to Sea 2006 Cruise. This went a long way toward soothing my concerns that it would be a bunch of circuit twinks. I’m sure there will still be lots of guys in much better shape, but I won’t be the only big guy with hair on his shoulders.
Neither of us have ever been on a cruise. I think we’re getting well-prepared in terms of paperwork, organizing, schedules, etc., – but I’d love more input if any of you have something to add! Suggestions, things you’ve learned, oh-my-god-they-never-mentioned kind of stuff.
And if any of you are going to be on the boat, drop me a note so I can look you up!
A friend sent me eggs, and he sent WAY too many. I usually only raise 2 or 3 hundred at a time this late in the season, and I have well over a thousand hatchlings now. Probably close to two thousand. Some of my hatchling trays look like an anthill that somebody kicked.
If anybody would like to have some, I’m happy to give them away. As it is, I’m going to have to start killing off the extras in order to be able to keep them fed.
I have four different strains; two different whites, one with golden yellow cocoons, and one with peach cocoons. I’m in Dallas; I live in Farmers Branch, and work in Market Center.
They need mulberry leaf, but that’s it. The baby ones will need tender leaves. Mulberry is a common trash tree around here, and with a little scrounging it’s not too hard to locate a tree you can trim. If anybody wants more mature ones, they’re welcome to have a few of those, too, but it’s the babies that I’m trying to get rid of.
Chris got me a camera for Christmas. He gave it to me early, because we’re going to be going on a trip, and this way I can figure out some of its astounding powers. It’s TINY, but it can do amazing things!
This morning, Chris took part in a contest to try to win a jeep. This LINK gives you a good idea of what’s going on; he’s not in any of the video that I can see, though.
Really, really dirty pictures of my husband, Chris
I’m going to be demonstrating silk reeling and talking about caterpillars and sericulture at the Texas Discovery Gardens at 11 AM each Sunday and Monday through the run of the Fair. The Fair runs from Friday, Sept. 29 through Sunday, October 22. If you get down there, definitely stop and say howdy! I’m there for 40 minutes or so each morning on those Sunday and Monday dates.
This is a knitted stuffed monkey that I made for my partner Chris for his birthday.
Click here for more monkey
And lots and lots of pheromones.
My partner Chris made me some silkworm trays; I looked at them and realized they might be *just* the thing for hanging the female moths in the yard to attract males. Last night was a perfect night for moth romance – it rained early in the evening, so it was cool and nice, and there was a light gentle breeze, and a little over half moon. I had three female moths which had hatched a day earlier, but hadn’t gotten any suitors the night before – so they were, well, REALLY in the mood.
It was… a moth orgy. Or, perhaps, a gang-bang.