Devil’s Trident
versus Rainbow Rods
June the 29th 2002 here in central Maine, a remarkable sequence
was filmed that resulted in three still shots of a creature stranger then
Rainbow Rods, perhaps a predator that preys on Rainbow Rods, although we have
yet to capture conclusive evidence of this predator/ prey relationship other
then this short sequence.
Filming rods that day gifted me with several unique segments of footage but
the kicker came that evening around 6:00 p.m when the Devil’s Trident appeared
for a few milliseconds, long enough to grab three convincing and provocative
shots. The first still shows this creature heading away from the camera angling
from the right to the left side of the frame, in a banking maneuver that differs
from what you would expect from an insect in that, in all three stills the
shape of the creature remains the same.
Composite
shot combining all 3 frames into one shot, note inch scale at bottom of frame
Indicating the creature was gliding during this whole sequence or the appendages
that are visible on both sides of the creatures are not used for locomotion,
if so the method of movement in this animal is unknown at this time. If the
appendages are not used for movement then it is possible they could function
in some as, yet unknown way.
In the video footage one can make out a small rod-sect that flashes across
the screen moments before the Trident appears in what looks like a failed
attempt to intercept the rod-sect. In frame two we see the Trident making
a sharp banking maneuver to the right in order to avoid the ash tree in the
background.
Photo by author; note branches visible
through Trident and inch scale accurate at the 120-foot mark.
The
maple tree in the foreground visible as a dark shape passing from the left
side to the top of the still was measured to be 30 feet from the camera, indicating
a field of view of 15 inches at that distance. In the last still we have confirmation
of the Trident passing at least 30 feet from the camera as it banks to the
right, passing well behind the maple tree! Given that we know it passed
behind the maple trunk allowing for a minimum “closeness if you will” of 30
feet, gives a minimum size for the Trident of 3 inches square. Now that alone
is pretty impressive, we are talking about an animal the size of a garden
sparrow. An invisible sparrow size creature with three bizarre pointy horns
sticking out of it!
The ash tree in the background was measured to be 126 feet from the camera.
The FOV at 120 feet is 56 inches as indicated by the inch scale at the bottom
of the photo. If the Trident passed at this distance it’s size would be 10
– 12 inches. To summarize if the animal shown here was just beyond the maple
tree (unlikely in view of the data) in the foreground then it was at least
3 inches square. If the Trident was 100-120 feet away (more likely) then it’s
size would have been closer to 10-12 inches square.
It is difficult to determine the distance an object is away from the camera
without it passing between objects of a measurable distance away. However
the fact that the Trident completes a banking maneuver gives some indication
that it may have been avoiding the ash tree, (even if it was pursuing prey)
placing the animal 120 feet or more away from the camera.
If we now study the photographs of this object one gets the “feel” that the
Trident is much closer to the ash tree then it is to the maple tree. You must
then wonder why your gut tells you the animal is passing closer to the ash
tree.
Humans view objects at varying distances all the time and we are quite good
at estimating distances. We cannot however use a gut feeling to convince our
fellow researchers the object passed near the ash tree, we need an augment
grounded in scientific principals. What scientific principal is at work here
that indicates to us the object was close to the ash tree?
Take a moment and really look at the branches and leaves seen through the
body of the Trident. Ask yourself if the branches appear clear, distinct;
are you able to see the leaves visible through the Tridents “spears”? The
branches, leaves, and the outline of some of these objects are clear, are
visible; this says to us that little diffusion has taken place. The scattering
of light rays as light passes through this creature is similar to the effect
of looking through hazy, frosted glass. If you place newsprint up close to
this type of glass you are still able to read the print. When you remove the
glass away from the surface of the paper, very quickly you noticed that the
print becomes unrecognizable.
The fact that you can make out details behind the creature and the fact we
can see anything at all behind this object, is strong evidence and a clear
indication that the object in question (the Trident) passed very close to
the ash tree, perhaps within 1 or 2 feet of the tree. The detail of minimum
diffusion, the fact the Trident completes a banking maneuver consistence with
approaching near the tree, then banking left to avoid it, is more support
for this hypothesis. If the Trident was 120 feet away from the camera, and
I will leave that up to you to decide, then we are looking at a creature the
size of a barnyard hen. Oh, and less I forget let me remind you, it’s invisible
too.
Here I have taken a shot of a grouping
of Ash leaves, plucked from the tree, the Trident passed in front of.
As you can see here the leaves are about 2 inches wide by 4 inches long. Speculate
about how large this creature is, if it passed within a foot of the tree.
Estimate its size by comparing the size of the leaves behind it using them
as your unit of measure. Analysis of the leaves is consistent with the Trident
being 12 inches long
Support for the hypothesis of the Trident being a predator exists in the photographic
data. Out of thousands of rod-sect photos collected we have only one Trident
to study. This is what you would expect in a predator/prey relationship, the
prey species is always more numerous.
Consider bird watches, they log in many more songbirds then they do hawks
or eagles. In the northern tundra you will see thousands of caribou for every
wolf sighted. In our example discussed here we see thousands of Rainbow rod-sects
and have only filmed one Trident. Our best guess is the Trident is a predator;
it is about 12 inches in length and width and may be most active in
the evening or twilight hours.
Trident, moments before disappearing from
view behind the trunk of a tree.
.
In any given ecosystem you will find creatures occupying the same basic ecological
niche, yet often at different times. For example during the day, hawks or
eagles are the top predator in the air, preying on small rodents, mollusks,
and reptiles or consuming carrion.
Now on the other hand during the evening, during dusk this relationship shifts
over to the owls, as they become the dominant species in the air, preying
on small rodents, reptiles and other available prey species.
These next photos show a Rainbow rod-sect as it passes behind a maple branch
110 feet from the camera. Here in this composite shot we see the rod as it
approaches the branch traveling from the bottom of the screen towards the
top.
Composite image showing both
frames at once, taken 1/30 of a second apart.
In the second shot the rod passes behind the maple branch. The maple leaves
on the tree are 2 ½ -3 inches in width indicating that this rod-sect is 6-
12 inches in length with 6 inches being the bare minimum length this creature
could be. In effect it is impossible for this rod to be smaller then 6 inches
given that the smallest maple leaf filmed here is 2 ½ inches in width. If
the rod passed within a few inches of the backside of this maple branch my
best guess is the rod was around 9 inches in length. If it passed a greater
distance away behind the maple branch then the creature was larger then 9
inches, and may well be 12 inches or longer in length. We have already established
that rod-sects grow to at least 12 inches in Maine, or the images indicate
a object of that length, what ever if may be.
A few seconds after these photos were taken we see a creature approaching
the branch looking like a hazy, bright blob.
Approaches the branch,
Gently sweeps upward over the branch.
Then back down again
Appearing here as a dark blur traveling towards the right side of the frame.
The creature then disappears for several frames.
Finally reappearing in the distance at the far right of the frame.
The rod then travels towards the left, gaining speed as it goes.
Until at last the “critter” disappears having crossed the entire field of
view in less then a second.
By comparing the object with the large maple leaf we can calculate the size
of this object to be about 3 inches by 3 inches. This would be a large insect
by any standards but unbelievable for the state of Maine. Our largest insect
I am familiar with is a lunar moth.
However they do not come out during daylight hours, the only other insect
that one could argue this might be is a dragonfly. A dragonfly has a distinct
physical appearance recognizable by anyone who has seen one. Further more
I have filmed dragonflies and they look like dragonflies, not some translucent
blob streaking about in the trees. As one final point, dragonflies for the
most part tend to skim the waters surface and are rarely found outside of
the area of a marsh or lakeside. To argue this is a dragonfly would be a weak
debate indeed. This image seems to have more in common with the images of
James Bratter and Trevor James Constable then with rod-sects. We have coined
the term rod-sects due the recently discovered fact that these rod-sect photos
may simply be insects that have elongated due the shutter speeds of the camera.
The discoveries are far from over and each day brings with it new information,
new insight. A new frontier of scientific discovery awaits us, as much a revelation
as the discovery of the microbe. As we continue to probe the unknown we can
expect to find more questions to ponder and perhaps some answers to the Rainbow
rod mysteries.
Michael
Merchant
www.flyingrods.com
Rainbowrods@sightingcentral.com
