July Iridescence 1
August 10, 2015
Until the last couple of weeks it has rained more days than not in northern Ohio this summer. Still I’ve been able to catch some evidence of my favorite iron bacterium, Leptothrix discophora. Here are three views of a patch that somehow survived the downpours.




Excellent shots, Linda. Can you give me an idea of the size?
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August 10, 2015 at 7:07 AM
Thanks, Ken. This patch was about two or two and a half feet long, so about six inches across in the widest part.
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August 10, 2015 at 7:14 AM
Very interesting and cool.
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August 10, 2015 at 12:47 PM
Thanks, Barry. I just love this stuff. There’s a lot of information about the iron bacteria (and more photographs) at scienceandartpress.com.
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August 10, 2015 at 4:43 PM
Lovely, lovely. That stuff is phenomenal. Thank you for bringing it to us
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August 10, 2015 at 4:52 PM
Thank you, Patricia. I’m glad it catches your interest.
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August 11, 2015 at 8:17 PM
that is so nicely captured 🙂
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August 11, 2015 at 4:29 AM
Thank you, Joshi. I love this iridescent film so much that I find it difficult to know when I’ve made a photograph that will appeal to others.
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August 11, 2015 at 8:16 PM
I only wish I could see a patch that big! Usually I only find small spots (less than 6-8 inches or so) and sometimes in very hard to reach areas of a pond.
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August 11, 2015 at 10:00 PM
I more often see only small patches of Leptothrix discophora, too. But July and October are the best months to see them large. The warm weather helps, as does the absence of rain, which disperses them or washes them downstream. I was able to wade across the river July 31 and found some patches about four feet across. The larger patches aren’t always the most beautiful, though.
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August 12, 2015 at 11:55 AM