Ocellated Shield Bug - frontal

Specimen.

comments (9)

Christine Young

Lion

What are the bubbles on its 'forehead' from? Is it wet? Posted 4 years ago
1. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  What did I tell you about zooming :)
  
  Yes, it's wet. Full tale of this specimen:
  
  I drowned it into the contact lens fluid since Monday. This did *something*, it restored some flexibility but I'm not thrilled with the cleaning effect. There is some white goo that keeps coming back. I then used a tiny brush dipped in pure alcohol and got it clean. As it then dried, the white goo returned. I don't know what it is. Mold? Protein? A mystery.
  
  As a final act of desperation, I let it swim into a tiny cup with warm water and dish soap. This seems to do more than the contact lens fluid. I didn't wait for it to dry hence the above, just got tired of it :) Posted 4 years ago, modified 4 years ago
2. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    Lol. Sorry to hear about the trials with the contact solution. But, at least now you know! Posted 4 years ago
  2. 1. Ferdy Christant
      
      Lion
      
      Yep. If I know in advance I'll do a stack some days later, I can still soak it in that stuff as its sterile, just to make it a bit flexible. But for cleaning, seems dish soap does a better job in just a few minutes. The evidence is strong as I kept it in a pure white cup. After the dish soap method, all kinds of crap (tiny particles) are visible at the bottom, coming from the specimen. The same is not true for the contact lens solution.
      
      The part less clear is whether it restores eyes. Unsure at this point, need more testing.
      
      In any case, subject preparation, cleaning, positioning, not breaking it...remains my frontier. I have all the other aspects under control but when I fail, and I still do often, it's always to do with the specimen. Posted 4 years ago
    2. 1. Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        Maybe you could try applying contact solution only to the eyes using a q-tip or some other small applicator?
        
        Breaking insects is something I can relate to. I'm glad that I only have a handful of specimens left that I want to photograph. They are so delicate and hard to work with. I break legs frequently. Butterflies are the worst, in my opinion....trying not to rub off the scales, the eyes look awful in old specimens, the body is shriveled, they stink, the faces are dried at odd angles...
        
        Anyway, I'm looking forward to spring and getting outside again. My indoor photography will be mostly focused on aquarium stuff. Posted 4 years ago
      2. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        Yes, q-tip is worth a try, thanks! Or maybe just keep soaking it for days, less change of breakage when its flexible. I mostly seem to break antennae or segments of it. Posted 4 years ago
        
        Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        But, I wonder if soaking it for an extended time will have any detrimental effects?
        Posted 4 years ago
        
        Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        According to Allan, not in this case, as the solution does not contain any damaging ingredients.
        
        But if your concern is long term preservation after cleaning, I would understand you may not want to do it, or only when you want to relax it. Posted 4 years ago
        
        Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        A lot of my specimens are so old and fragile that I am going to have to chuck some, I think...especially after taking pics of them. I'll be relaxing some butterflies this week, but just in a chamber. Posted 4 years ago

The Ocellated Shield Bug

''Cantao ocellatus'' is a species of shield bug in the family Scutelleridae found across Asia. Reddish or ochre in overall colour it has dark legs and bluish black antennae. A dark bluish black stripe is present along the central line of the head.

Info 6 0

Similar species: True Bugs

Species identified by Ferdy Christant

By Ferdy Christant

Uploaded Mar 20, 2021. Captured Mar 19, 2021 23:36.

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NIKON D850
f/1.2
1/1s
ISO64
50mm

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