https://www.lifeontheforestfloor.com/blog daily 1.0 2024-05-25 https://www.lifeontheforestfloor.com/blog/24-5 monthly 0.5 2024-05-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/87091bfb-c04b-4169-85af-4a821c37e148/5.7.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/a4f30b6b-686a-4967-97f7-b00e95874b31/5.2.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out Bark on the ground is a great place to check for soil animals https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/7cb139c9-1d1f-4a94-8ee1-c56def67b48c/%2324-5.4-6+pano.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out #24-5.4-6 unedited (Sabacon sp.) My first attempt at a focus stack panorama. I stitched together 3 focus stacks to get the entire harvestman in the frame. I’ll have to experiment with more panoramas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/b4981665-c178-4560-b2aa-041739c2ca9b/5.9.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out Bird’s nest fungi in leaf litter with a tiny springtail inside https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/d7b713ae-f2bc-4c4e-840b-c5b5e8133eca/%2324-5.2.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out #24-5.2 unedited (Sabacon sp.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/52507001-4228-4ffe-8e88-a57971674f6f/%2324-5.8.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out #24-5.8 unedited (Pristoceuthophilus celatus) My favorite thing to do after taking as focus stack of the underside of some bark is see what other things I unknowingly photographed. In this photo there are 2 iridescent springtails, one of which is infected by a fungus. There are also 5 mites, one of which is also infected by a fungus, and a spermatophore. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/aa5d3d25-fa3a-48fa-9bfc-e52f12c1fbe6/%2324-5.7.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out #24-5.7 unedited (Pristoceuthophilus celatus) A beautiful cricket I found under a piece of bark. It looks like it moulted recently and has a nice iridescent sheen to it. It was surprisingly very calm and only moved a few times. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/443d53af-0ddd-4adf-ba38-6fac66dfa8ee/%2324-5.12.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out #24-5.12 unedited (Ptenothrix castanea?) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/e678dd78-3615-408f-ba44-6806a2463e0b/%2324-5.13.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out #24-5.13 unedited (Ptenothrix castanea?) I love how the moss frames the springtail https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/233827fa-2f67-4b3b-8eda-1440cfc76330/%2324-5.9.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out #24-5.9 unedited (Ptenothrix palmata) I usually don’t look at the ground too much. I always focus on logs and moss, but I found this scene in some leaf litter in front of a log I was looking at. I should look at leaf litter more often! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/6aeb1323-29f4-4de8-a2cb-9b727955ccaf/%2324-5.11.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out #24-5.11 unedited (Ptenothrix sp.3?) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/d756c569-ee95-4456-a071-067cfaaf156b/%2324-5.1.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out #24-5.1 unedited (Sabacon sp.) I tried to get this harvestman’s entire body in the frame, but it just barely didn’t fit. It’s legs are so long! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/165e4837-7d1b-4934-b623-974a3da90c5b/%2324-5.10.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out #24-5.10 unedited (Ptenothrix palmata) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/47c9f7bf-bc14-4d03-9f9d-f699402ac0e6/%2324-5.14.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out #24-5.14 unedited (Ptenothrix sp.3?) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/95c04dda-3f32-42b6-94cb-94a5ff811476/5.11-1.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/93422c56-79d7-47fd-b614-ba051f34ea05/5.13.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/6c98805b-84f9-4d73-a8e6-ca3894258da3/%2324-5.15.jpg Blog - #24-5 - Make it stand out #24-5.15 unedited (Ptenothrix sp.11?) https://www.lifeontheforestfloor.com/blog/24-4 monthly 0.5 2024-05-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/c53fc881-c233-4b3b-9052-5eab6c5cedfe/%2324-4.18.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.18 unedited (Ptenothrix maculosa ssp. olympia?) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/e21941e0-80df-49f2-a351-a02d2fd285b3/%2324-4.15.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.15 unedited Found on a really black part of a log in a dry stream bed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/5df514b1-cdcc-4f4b-a372-8a49ed3b925b/%2324-4.5.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.5 unedited I spotted a springtail on some moss, and when I looked closer through my camera I saw this spermatophore. I took a focus stack trying to get only the spermatophore in focus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/ea2fc797-08e0-4ede-b9ba-169558975991/%2324-4.1.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.1 unedited (Ptenothrix castanea?) High magnification portraits of springtails are very hard to get right. I’ve been avoiding them a bit since I can never get them perfect, especially the hairs on the top of the body, but I tried again with this one. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/162c3848-deab-4d6f-af11-fbf132e94444/%2324-4.6.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.6 unedited I changed my settings a little. A lower aperture to make the spermatophore sharper and get better bokeh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/f941a75f-001b-4c15-87aa-419aa56468e2/%2324-4.4.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.4 unedited (Sabacon sp.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/182842ef-9f2e-4876-86ed-79ce5c65c702/%2324-4.3.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.3 unedited (Sabacon sp.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/82adbba6-16e3-4556-a330-b7f8c858a16a/%2324-4.19.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.19 unedited (Ptenothrix palmata) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/ffe30ff6-242b-4c1f-9fc6-53d32d8f3028/%2324-4.9.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.9 unedited A motionless oribatid mite. It’s rare for them to be perfectly still like this one, so I’m very happy to have gotten this shot. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/8d425920-5793-45b3-8dba-01fa6fc0a52a/%2324-4.10.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.10 unedited (Ptenothrix castanea?) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/466472ab-c6e8-4292-bf9f-c3387241e467/%2324-4.7.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.7 unedited (Ptenothrix palmata) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/8dd0b82f-049f-4eca-a56e-6a926d429847/%2324-4.14.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.14 unedited (Ptenothrix sp.11?) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/1dd307eb-e998-413c-9355-da421cb5b821/%2324-4.20.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.20 unedited (Ptenothrix palmata) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/ab4dcd6a-d90f-4ba9-a287-ede5891e505e/%2324-4.11.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.11 unedited (Ptenothrix sp.11?) I’m really enjoying searching for springtails in moss. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/cdfb66f1-afea-43b0-8385-98fcf88c9fa8/%2324-4.17.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.17 unedited (Ptenothrix castanea?) Found on a reddish log in the same stream bed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/7fd52ab9-6cf5-429e-8202-5bd403054a61/%2324-4.2.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.2 unedited (Sabacon sp.) An adult Sabaconid harvestman. I don’t find these that often, so I was happy to find 2 very cooperative ones this weekend! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/96f72b3d-9e7b-4adb-8884-af09ea8fc64d/%2324-4.21.jpg Blog - #24-4: Back to the forest! - Make it stand out #24-4.21 unedited (Tomoceridae) These tomocerid springtails are usually very twitchy, so I rarely get a good focus stack of one. Luckily this one stayed completely still, and was in a nice looking spot. https://www.lifeontheforestfloor.com/blog/24-3 monthly 0.5 2024-05-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/dc4889ed-81cf-4bcc-8505-e9851f105d49/%2324-3.2.jpg Blog - #24-3 - Make it stand out #24-3.2 unedited A closer shot of the same springtail https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/994a02d2-a7f3-4bc6-bb2d-6d77de8be5c2/%2324-3.3.jpg Blog - #24-3 #24-3.3 unedited Iridescent springtail https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/9dd42f83-8630-44e7-9c2b-3d2e5a7ef713/%2324-3.1.jpg Blog - #24-3 - Make it stand out #24-3.1 unedited Cephid mite. I’m hoping to get a photo of one from a different angle, but their body is so flat that it’s hard to make any other angle look good. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/6fdf4174-4693-4c7c-8567-f3b916ff13be/%2324-3.6.jpg Blog - #24-3 - Make it stand out #24-3.6 unedited I don’t get many chances to get a close up focus stack of these iridescent springtails since they move a lot. I’m still trying to get a nice detailed focus stack of one. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/4c73692f-0779-4c61-95c7-594db8c9d43e/%2324-3.5.jpg Blog - #24-3 - Make it stand out #24-3.5 unedited Globular springtail on lichen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/ec75b087-3edb-49d9-b6b9-87175741a41f/%2324-3.4.jpg Blog - #24-3 - Make it stand out #24-3.4 unedited https://www.lifeontheforestfloor.com/blog/24-2 monthly 0.5 2024-05-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/c9a5523a-2270-4ad3-a8a2-f1fe707e2091/%2324-2.2.jpg Blog - #24-2 - Make it stand out #24-2.2 unedited This stack didn't turn out as good as I thought it would. The spermatophore doesn't stand out since I was shooting from too high up which didn’t allow me to separate the spermatophore from the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/880f7df2-5712-4bc0-9110-71c12f46034c/%2324-2.7.jpg Blog - #24-2 - Make it stand out #24-2.7 unedited A spermatophore that was surrounded by lichen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/d1f78762-dbeb-486c-9dcf-00b790004aca/Stump+%232.jpg Blog - #24-2 - Make it stand out My favorite stump in my backyard. There’s always so many soil animals on it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/b28c6a7b-f35e-4bc3-899b-11c31af05755/%2324-2.10.jpg Blog - #24-2 - Make it stand out #24-2.10 unedited Same as previous but shot down on it from above. The springtail didn't move during this one! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/f9f6134b-613e-4144-a55c-745792d84a36/%2324-2.6.jpg Blog - #24-2 - Make it stand out #24-2.6 unedited I don't like how the surface of the stump looks like. I’m hoping it'll eventually look nicer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/0c76a18c-ab95-4321-8946-acdd65cb07dd/Stump+%233.jpg Blog - #24-2 - Make it stand out A few years ago I placed a few stumps around my backyard to attract soil animals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/b5955aa5-e38c-4d63-b6ab-a612208ccb64/%2324-2.4.jpg Blog - #24-2 - Make it stand out #24-2.4 unedited Snout mite covered in dew and wasn't moving which made it easy to photograph. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/9493d273-c33a-4568-aacc-04d50a0d9703/%2324-2.8.jpg Blog - #24-2 - Make it stand out #24-2.8 unedited I like the lighting and composition of this one, but unfortunately the mite moved before I could finish, so the back leg is blurry. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/218bb805-f867-418b-a195-e9d133aa9218/%2324-2.1.jpg Blog - #24-2 - Make it stand out #24-2.1 unedited There were so many spermatophores on the plank this morning. I’m always surprised how nice the plank looks close up. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/9f248a5b-75e1-4340-b0cc-7a539fbb7180/%2324-2.12.jpg Blog - #24-2 - Make it stand out #24-2.11 unedited Isotomid springtail on the left and a Lepidocyrtus springtail on the right. Both of these kinds of springtails are usually very active, but these ones were almost motionless except for their antennae, but it was still fixable. Really happy with this photo since individually these springtails are very hard to get a focus stack of to begin with, and it’s also really hard to get a good focus stack of multiple springtails in general where none of them move. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/d3c7aaed-ad7a-4e6c-ae71-3ebf26b115c8/2x10+Garden+Plank.jpg Blog - #24-2 - Make it stand out The top of this plank of wood is a hotspot for spermatophores and soil animals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/54b7a6c1-58ce-4a90-afbf-93305ec3efd8/%2324-2.9.jpg Blog - #24-2 - Make it stand out #24-2.9 unedited I wanted to get a photo of the web covered in dew, but spotted a tiny springtail stuck on it and focused on it instead. Unfortunately it was moving a lot. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/f084ad76-2a68-49f2-8371-c4143fc7fac1/Lawn.jpg Blog - #24-2 - Make it stand out I saw a small spiderweb covered in dew and took a closer look https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/74697355-5e0f-4dad-8117-738db6abd443/%2324-2.3.jpg Blog - #24-2 - Make it stand out #24-2.3 unedited I took another stack from a lower angle to try to get a nice blurry background. I should have gotten more of the foreground in focus though. https://www.lifeontheforestfloor.com/blog/24-1 monthly 0.5 2024-05-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/1706669123029-R5U1HUFZ7GMGAF39VIKI/2024-01-28-17.41.53+ZS+DMap.jpg Blog - #24-1 : Starting my blog - Ptenothrix Springtail #24-1.7 unedited https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/1706669121333-L5QJXPDAQUVY0F4GTGAT/2024-01-28-14.36.24+ZS+DMap.jpg Blog - #24-1 : Starting my blog - Dicyrtomina Springtail #24-1.8 unedited https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/1706669122826-22ZUKONSDMFM3P33SJF0/2024-01-28-17.11.28+ZS+DMap.jpg Blog - #24-1 : Starting my blog - Dicyrtomina Springtail #24-1.9 unedited https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/1706669121322-XCEM90GWXRBROGWB51R3/2024-01-28-13.24.15+ZS+DMap.jpg Blog - #24-1 : Starting my blog - Orchesella Springtail #24-1.10 unedited https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/fa05bfe8-706b-4760-bad5-83ac2aab9cb1/DSC00394.jpg Blog - #24-1 : Starting my blog - Make it stand out Just a regular lawn where you can find many soil animals, like the blue oat mites above. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/178ff13d-175a-4558-9334-b8c627300d02/2024-01-28-15.21.22+ZS+retouched.jpg Blog - #24-1 : Starting my blog - Make it stand out #24-1.2 unedited Spermatophore on the same mossy brick. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/731f8aa4-30f7-4418-96c8-383a21e818b6/DSC00396.jpg Blog - #24-1 : Starting my blog - Make it stand out The mossy brick that the springtail and spermatophore were on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/11e16fca-5f30-4683-bf6a-a5ed72bb4d16/2024-01-28-14.13.40+ZS+DMap.jpg Blog - #24-1 : Starting my blog - Make it stand out #24-1.6 unedited A Ptenothrix springtail from a stump covered in moss and leaves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/fed66065-c8dd-4f53-9b22-e1d44421a53a/2024-01-28-15.39.33+ZS+retouched.jpg Blog - #24-1 : Starting my blog - Make it stand out #24-1.5 unedited https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/c43ad04e-c7d8-43ec-92e4-8d8d85de90ff/2024-01-28-15.09.03+ZS+retouched.jpg Blog - #24-1 : Starting my blog #24-1.1 unedited A globular springtail found on a mossy brick. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/6ca68a4d-4955-4f3f-92bd-da7e1aeb0538/DSC00398.jpg Blog - #24-1 : Starting my blog - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/1405229b-f2de-42d1-8b40-19521833d6e3/2024-01-28-18.24.19+ZS+retouched.jpg Blog - #24-1 : Starting my blog - Make it stand out #24-1.3 unedited Another angle of the same spermatophore. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604bc744ea02b72e9f349236/85f6b0ec-476e-4ee8-81de-e4f0d40be655/2024-01-28-16.04.20+ZS+DMap.jpg Blog - #24-1 : Starting my blog - Make it stand out #24-1.4 unedited A couple of blue oat mites hanging onto some blades of grass. https://www.lifeontheforestfloor.com/blog/category/Backyard monthly 0.5