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Papilio demoleus


Papilio demoleus
Photo Information
Copyright: Haraprasan Nayak (haraprasan) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1351 W: 98 N: 3647] (13332)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-02-10
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon EOS 400D, Tamron 18-200mm F3,5-6,3 XR DiII LD Asp, Kenko UV 62mm
Exposure: f/8, 1/250 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Nature with Canon EOS400D [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-02-16 2:56
Viewed: 550
Points: 32
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Common Lime or the Lemon Butterfly (Papilio demoleus) is a common and widespread Swallowtail butterfly. It gets its name from its host plants which are usually citrus species such as the lime. It is also sometimes called the Chequered Swallowtail. Unlike most swallowtail butterflies it does not have a prominent tail.

Description:

Upperside black. Fore wing: base below cell and basal half of latter so irrorated with yellow scales as to form more or less complete transverse dotted lines, two outwardly oblique yellow spots in cell and a curved spot at its upper apex; a spot at base and another beyond it in interspace 8; a discal transverse series of cream-yellow spots irregular in arrangement and size extends from interspace la to 8; the series interrupted in interspace 5 and the spot in interspace 7 double; this is followed by a sinuous postdiscal series of spots and an admarginal terminal series of smaller spots. In many specimens between the discal and postdiscal series the black ground-colour is irrorated with yellowish scales. Hind wing: base and an edging that decreases in width along the dorsal margin irrorated with yellow scales; followed by a broad medial yellow irregular band, a sinuous postdiscal series of outwardly emarginate yellow spots and a terminal series of smaller similarly coloured spots as on the fore wing. The inner margin of the medial band is curved inwards, the outer margin is very irregular and uneven; in the cell the band does not reach the apex, but beyond the cell there are one or more cream-yellow spots, and the black groundcolour is irrorated with yellowish scales; finally at the tornal angle there is an oval ochraceous-red spot emarginate on its inner side in the female and in both sexes surmounted by a blue lunule; while in interspace 7 between the medial band and the postdiscal spot there is a large ocellus-like spot of the black ground-colour more or less irrorated with blue scales.

Underside: ground-colour similar, the cream-coloured markings paler and conspicuously larger. The latter differ from those on the upperside as follows:

* Fore wing: basal half of cell and base of wing below it with cream-coloured streaks that coalesce at base; irregular ochraceous spots in interspaces 5 to 8 and the discal series of spots complete not interrupted in interspace 5.
* Hind wing: the black at base of wing and along the dorsal margin centred largely with pale cream-colour; the ocellus in interspace 7, the apex of the cell and the black groundcolour between the medial band and postdiscal markings in interspaces 2-6 centred with ochraceous, margined with blue.

Antennae dark reddish brown, touched with ochraceous on the innerside towards the club; head, thorax and abdomen dusky black, the head and thorax anteriorly streaked with cream-vellow: beneath: the palpi, thorax and abdomen cream-yellow with lateral longitudinal black lines on the last.

Habitat:

Its range indicates the butterfly's tolerance and adaptation to diverse habitats. It is to be found in savannahs, fallow lands, gardens, evergreen and semi-evergreen forests and shows a preference for stream and riverbeds.

In India it is mostly found in the plains but can be found on the hills of peninsular India and up to 7000 feet in the Himalayas. It is common in urban gardens and may also be encountered in wooded country.

Habit:

This butterfly is an avid mud-puddler and visitor of flowers. It basks with its wings held wide open on tufts of grass, herbs and generally keeps within a metre above the ground, even on cloudy days. It relies on its quick flight for escape.

It is an interesting butterfly in that it has a number of modes of flight. In the cool of the morning, the flight is slow considering that it is an edible and unprotected swallowtail. As the day progresses, it flies fast, straight and low. In the hotter part of the day, it may be found settling on damp patches where it will remain motionless, except for an occasional flutter of wings, if not disturbed.

It is also a frequent visitor of flowers in gardens, where it shows a preference for flowers of smaller herbs rather than larger plants such as the ubiquitous Lantana with its plentiful blooms. It can be found swarming in the groves of its foodplants.

While resting, the butterfly closes its wing over its back and draws the forewings between the hindwings.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Subfamily: Papilioninae
Genus: Papilio
Species: demoleus

Thank you very much for viewing.
boreocypriensis, matatur, jaycee, nirmalroberts, Argus, eqshannon, ramthakur, xTauruSx, valy67 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello my dear friend Haraprasan,

A perfect shot of this beautiful Lemon Butterfly with excellent details, nice colours etc. friend! Great!
TFS
Have a nice weekend!
Cheers,

Bayram

Hi Haraprasan, superb colors in your beautiful composition with splendid butterfly and lovely flowers, wonderful details and excellent sharpness, very well done, have a great week end, ciao Silvio

Hola Haraprasan, this is the first time I come across a Papilio species without a tail my friend, thank you for getting me acquintanced with this lovely b.fly captured in a pleasant composition. TFS indeed!
Mehmet

a fine capture indeed harap, i know the butterfly is moving its wing but still a clear shot and a detailed one, colors are great and nice framing

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1865 W: 8 N: 4848] (15703)
  • [2008-02-16 9:31]

Hi Haraprasan,

A wonderful shot of this butterfly as it is moving its wing. Beautiful colors and excellent details of the wing markings, face, body and legs. It may be common but it is beautiful.

Jane

Hi Haraprasan,
wonderfull shot, very sharp colours, great details and splendid composition,it's a pity that this sheet is in front of the wing of the butterfly, but it is a wonderfull shot,
cheer,
friendly,
Pat

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1315 W: 72 N: 2778] (9211)
  • [2008-02-16 10:29]

Hello Haraprasan,
Very beautiful photo of this Lemon Butterfly. Sharpness and details are excellent. Very good composition.
Regards,
Peter

Hello Prasan,
This is truly a beautiful well composed of Lime!
very good closeness with a good pose in perfect sharpness, vivid colour and details
many thanks for sharing this post
regards
Tony

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2707 W: 139 N: 7809] (24333)
  • [2008-02-17 5:01]

Hello haraprasan,
Despite the effect of the Bouganvilia flower on the visibility of the left forewing, this is a fine capture of the Lemon swallowtail. The POV is excellent and the sharpness and details are pretty good as it is not easy to take a sharp shot while these Swallowtails flutter during feeding.
Thanks for sharing this one,
Ivan

This is definitely a pretty picture...Pleasing to look at and informational as well..Very well caught on this special one!
bob

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1296 W: 0 N: 5059] (15080)
  • [2008-02-17 14:36]

Hi Haraprasan

A great shot - good detail and colours here..

James

PS I like your new intro

Hi Haraprasan,
An artistic picture in deed. TFS.
- Nirmal

I had a difficult time when I tried to shoot this butterfly last summer, HP. It kept on fluttering its wings rapidly while hovering over flowers and I managed only a couple of acceptable shots.
You have done a good job here despite one of the petals of flowers coming in the way.
TFS and all the best.
Ram

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-02-22 12:05]

Hello Haraprasan

The DOF is very good.
The colours are vivid and vibrant in this shot.
You have a very interesting POV.
Excellent markings are evident on the wings of this beautiful swallowtail.
The red leaves make a wonderful perch for this butterfly.
TFS


Rob

Hello Haraprasan, Very beautiful shot. Great sharpness and wonderful colours. TFS.
Cheers,
Deniz

Hello Haraprasan !
This is a butterfly I have never seen, he looks like our European Swallowtail, he is very beautiful. What I like most on this picture are the colors - red, pink, very soft, like a painting. The composition is very beautiful too, as well as the pose of the butterfly - you have captured him at the perfect moment. Very well done !
Valerie.

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