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Culex pipiens - pupa, Heesch, Netherlands After my lucky 2.5:1 experiment found here:<br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/96840/mosquito_larvae_and_pupae_lifecycle_-_extreme_macro_heesch_netherlands.html" title="Mosquito larvae and pupae lifecycle - extreme macro, Heesch, Netherlands"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/96840_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=kUykmVGueKpULm%2BWYvxSm94aXhg%3D" width="200" height="134" alt="Mosquito larvae and pupae lifecycle - extreme macro, Heesch, Netherlands Here&#039;s a prime example of a pretty bad idea achieving a goal I didn&#039;t even know I had. Or let&#039;s just call it luck.<br /> <br /> In another post, Christine encouraged me to look for mosquito eggs/larvae in still waters. So I took the lazy approach, one of my two small ponds in the garden is in the shade and wind-free, and I actually found some there. <br /> <br /> I just poured some of them into a glass. That was the easy part. Next, extreme macro poses a huge challenge here since the water moves, subjects move, which again causes the water to move. Surely the scene isn&#039;t static enough to do a deep stack, which typically takes at least 5 minutes to run and require the subject to not even move by 1 mm, or even 0.1mm.<br /> <br /> Out of desperation to at least capture something, I went for it anyway, and the outcome I think is pretty hilarious. To describe what&#039;s going on:<br /> <br /> - There&#039;s 3 larvae in the scene. One is in the bottom half of the image swimming around, the stack process creating multiple exposures of its movement.<br /> <br /> - The other 2 larvae are attached to the water surface. They use siphon tubes to breath, hanging upside down. You can see the multiple exposures hinting at their movement when attached.<br /> <br /> - There&#039;s 1.5 pupae in the scene, the big creature hanging upside down. In this phase it doesn&#039;t feed yet it&#039;s not immobile. When disturbing the water, it instantly sinks to the bottom. And back up again when it&#039;s safe.<br /> <br /> - In the top right is a single water flea interacting with a mosquito larva.<br /> <br /> This entire scene is just about 1cm wide, a tiny section of a glass. As a casual observation, in the few hours I was busy with this glass, 3 pupae transformed into adults and flew away. <br /> <br /> More to come later :) Culex pipiens,Extreme Macro,The Netherlands" /></a></figure><br /> ...I figured to keep pushing my luck and try a bigger magnification (4x) as well as stronger direct lighting. With a relatively static pupa taking up more of the image, there&#039;s less space for its chaotic surroundings. Due to movement in the water itself, the first 2 attempts failed, as the pupa also moved. This is the 3rd try, which I find acceptably sharp given difficult conditions. <br /> <br /> All 3 images are derived from the same single image, just different rotations, crop and post processing in an attempt to show detail in different ways. <br /> <br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/96947/culex_pipiens_-_pupa_2_heesch_netherlands.html" title="Culex pipiens - pupa 2, Heesch, Netherlands"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/96947_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=DRQalN6BrqBwrLW9LTEqf3s43mg%3D" width="200" height="200" alt="Culex pipiens - pupa 2, Heesch, Netherlands After my lucky 2.5:1 experiment found here:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/96840/mosquito_larvae_and_pupae_lifecycle_-_extreme_macro_heesch_netherlands.html<br /> ...I figured to keep pushing my luck and try a bigger magnification (4x) as well as stronger direct lighting. With a relatively static pupa taking up more of the image, there&#039;s less space for its chaotic surroundings. Due to movement in the water itself, the first 2 attempts failed, as the pupa also moved. This is the 3rd try, which I find acceptably sharp given difficult conditions. <br /> <br /> All 3 images are derived from the same single image, just different rotations, crop and post processing in an attempt to show detail in different ways. <br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/96950/culex_pipiens_-_pupa_heesch_netherlands.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/96948/culex_pipiens_-_pupa_3_heesch_netherlands.html Culex pipiens,Extreme Macro" /></a></figure><br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/96948/culex_pipiens_-_pupa_3_heesch_netherlands.html" title="Culex pipiens - pupa 3, Heesch, Netherlands"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/96948_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=c%2FO7qk0P8c5a9sPtiodksC6Kk4Y%3D" width="148" height="152" alt="Culex pipiens - pupa 3, Heesch, Netherlands After my lucky 2.5:1 experiment found here:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/96840/mosquito_larvae_and_pupae_lifecycle_-_extreme_macro_heesch_netherlands.html<br /> ...I figured to keep pushing my luck and try a bigger magnification (4x) as well as stronger direct lighting. With a relatively static pupa taking up more of the image, there&#039;s less space for its chaotic surroundings. Due to movement in the water itself, the first 2 attempts failed, as the pupa also moved. This is the 3rd try, which I find acceptably sharp given difficult conditions. <br /> <br /> All 3 images are derived from the same single image, just different rotations, crop and post processing in an attempt to show detail in different ways. <br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/96950/culex_pipiens_-_pupa_heesch_netherlands.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/96947/culex_pipiens_-_pupa_2_heesch_netherlands.html Culex pipiens,Extreme Macro,Extreme Macro Portraits,WeMacro" /></a></figure> Culex pipiens,Extreme Macro,WeMacro Click/tap to enlarge

Culex pipiens - pupa, Heesch, Netherlands

After my lucky 2.5:1 experiment found here:

Mosquito larvae and pupae lifecycle - extreme macro, Heesch, Netherlands Here's a prime example of a pretty bad idea achieving a goal I didn't even know I had. Or let's just call it luck.<br /> <br /> In another post, Christine encouraged me to look for mosquito eggs/larvae in still waters. So I took the lazy approach, one of my two small ponds in the garden is in the shade and wind-free, and I actually found some there. <br /> <br /> I just poured some of them into a glass. That was the easy part. Next, extreme macro poses a huge challenge here since the water moves, subjects move, which again causes the water to move. Surely the scene isn't static enough to do a deep stack, which typically takes at least 5 minutes to run and require the subject to not even move by 1 mm, or even 0.1mm.<br /> <br /> Out of desperation to at least capture something, I went for it anyway, and the outcome I think is pretty hilarious. To describe what's going on:<br /> <br /> - There's 3 larvae in the scene. One is in the bottom half of the image swimming around, the stack process creating multiple exposures of its movement.<br /> <br /> - The other 2 larvae are attached to the water surface. They use siphon tubes to breath, hanging upside down. You can see the multiple exposures hinting at their movement when attached.<br /> <br /> - There's 1.5 pupae in the scene, the big creature hanging upside down. In this phase it doesn't feed yet it's not immobile. When disturbing the water, it instantly sinks to the bottom. And back up again when it's safe.<br /> <br /> - In the top right is a single water flea interacting with a mosquito larva.<br /> <br /> This entire scene is just about 1cm wide, a tiny section of a glass. As a casual observation, in the few hours I was busy with this glass, 3 pupae transformed into adults and flew away. <br /> <br /> More to come later :) Culex pipiens,Extreme Macro,The Netherlands

...I figured to keep pushing my luck and try a bigger magnification (4x) as well as stronger direct lighting. With a relatively static pupa taking up more of the image, there's less space for its chaotic surroundings. Due to movement in the water itself, the first 2 attempts failed, as the pupa also moved. This is the 3rd try, which I find acceptably sharp given difficult conditions.

All 3 images are derived from the same single image, just different rotations, crop and post processing in an attempt to show detail in different ways.

Culex pipiens - pupa 2, Heesch, Netherlands After my lucky 2.5:1 experiment found here:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/96840/mosquito_larvae_and_pupae_lifecycle_-_extreme_macro_heesch_netherlands.html<br /> ...I figured to keep pushing my luck and try a bigger magnification (4x) as well as stronger direct lighting. With a relatively static pupa taking up more of the image, there's less space for its chaotic surroundings. Due to movement in the water itself, the first 2 attempts failed, as the pupa also moved. This is the 3rd try, which I find acceptably sharp given difficult conditions. <br /> <br /> All 3 images are derived from the same single image, just different rotations, crop and post processing in an attempt to show detail in different ways. <br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/96950/culex_pipiens_-_pupa_heesch_netherlands.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/96948/culex_pipiens_-_pupa_3_heesch_netherlands.html Culex pipiens,Extreme Macro

Culex pipiens - pupa 3, Heesch, Netherlands After my lucky 2.5:1 experiment found here:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/96840/mosquito_larvae_and_pupae_lifecycle_-_extreme_macro_heesch_netherlands.html<br /> ...I figured to keep pushing my luck and try a bigger magnification (4x) as well as stronger direct lighting. With a relatively static pupa taking up more of the image, there's less space for its chaotic surroundings. Due to movement in the water itself, the first 2 attempts failed, as the pupa also moved. This is the 3rd try, which I find acceptably sharp given difficult conditions. <br /> <br /> All 3 images are derived from the same single image, just different rotations, crop and post processing in an attempt to show detail in different ways. <br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/96950/culex_pipiens_-_pupa_heesch_netherlands.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/96947/culex_pipiens_-_pupa_2_heesch_netherlands.html Culex pipiens,Extreme Macro,Extreme Macro Portraits,WeMacro

    comments (9)

  1. View Christine Young's profile
    Christine Young
    Lion
    View Lion class
    This is AWESOME!! Great shots! You can really see the development of the convex corneal facets on the ommatidia. Plus, the wings, antennae, and legs! These structures will darken and the pupa will change position at the water surface (not hang by trumpets) when the adult is ready to emerge.

    How did you ID it as Cx. pipiens?

     Posted 5 years ago
    1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
      Ferdy Christant
      Lion
      View Lion class
      Thanks!

      According to dutch Wikipedia, only 4 species in this genus occur in the lower lands (Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg):

      - Culex modestus
      - Culex pipiens – Gewone steekmug
      - Culex territans
      - Culex torrentium

      ...of which Culex pipiens is statistically the most likely, which I admit isn't very accurate. Do you think the genus at least is correct?

      I was also wondering how these pupae move so incredibly fast from surface to bottom and back. By its tail? Some air mechanism?       Posted 5 years ago
      1. View Christine Young's profile
        Christine Young
        Lion
        View Lion class
        Sorry - I should have clarified...I do agree with the ID, but was just wondering how you figured it out. Pupae can be difficult to ID, but I think Cx. pipiens is most likely.

        It uses its flippers to tumble and flip down the water column quickly. Pupae are very sensitive to light, shadows, etc. and so they dive at the slightest fluctuation. But, they swim less and eventually not at all once the adult is about to emerge.         Posted 5 years ago
        1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
          Ferdy Christant
          Lion
          View Lion class
          I should have put it in the description, and as tentative. Never shy away from asking, it only makes posts better. Blows my mind those tiny flippers make it move so fast. It's like an instant drop. Posted 5 years ago
          1. View Christine Young's profile
            Christine Young
            Lion
            View Lion class
            They are amazing! Posted 5 years ago
  3. View Jivko Nakev's profile
    Jivko Nakev
    Lion
    View Lion class
    Wow, amazing shots, Ferdy! I know very little about their life cycles and your photos inspired me to dive into the realm of mosquitoes. Interestingly, more than 3500 species have been described, but we only have 18 in JD! I had no idea there were so many. Posted 5 years ago
    1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
      Ferdy Christant
      Lion
      View Lion class
      Thanks, Jivko! Posted 5 years ago
  5. View Flown Kimmerling's profile
    Flown Kimmerling
    Lion
    View Lion class
    Such a beautiful series! I honestly don't know what I can say to express my awe! Posted 5 years ago
    1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
      Ferdy Christant
      Lion
      View Lion class
      What you said is enough, very kind, thank you! Posted 5 years ago

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The Common House Mosquito

''Culex pipiens'' is a species of blood-feeding mosquito of the family Culicidae. It is a vector of some diseases, such as Japanese encephalitis, meningitis, and urticaria. In the US and parts of Europe, it can spread West Nile virus, and in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, it has been demonstrated to be a vector of Usutu virus.

Info 14 0
Similar species: True Flies
Species identified by Ferdy Christant
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By Ferdy Christant

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Uploaded Jun 30, 2020. Captured Jun 16, 2020 22:23.
country flag of Netherlands Explore Netherlands 8,314 2,306 0
  • NIKON D850
  • f/1.2
  • 1/200s
  • ISO64
  • 50mm