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Tiny Grass Blue


Tiny Grass Blue
Photo Information
Copyright: Ram Thakur (ramthakur) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2921 W: 107 N: 7368] (23889)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-08-22
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon D200, Sigma 70-300 4-5.6 APO DG MACRO, 58mm UV
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/640 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-11-07 20:51
Viewed: 433
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Tiny Grass Blue

Friends, I shot this little butterfly in the hilly region of Dharamsala during August this year. It was an evasive butterfly and I had to resort to my 70-300mm to shoot it from a distance and that too hand-held. Obviously, the images are just short of satisfactory.

Here is the note borrowed from Wikipedia:

The Tiny Grass Blue, Zizula gaika, is a species of blue butterfly.

Description

Male Upperside: dull violet-blue, which changes to a brighter tint of violet in certain lights. Fore wing: the costa very narrowly, the termen much more broadly dull brown; this edging to the termen in most specimens decreases in width from apex to tornus, and is outwardly followed by an anticiliary darker brown line. Cilia brownish anteriorly, posteriorly brownish at the base with the apical portions white. Hind wing: the ground-colour brighter than on the fore wing, the costal and terminal margins much more narrowly edged with brown, which edging is merged in the anticiliary dark brown line. Cilia: brown along their basal halves, white apically.

Underside: grey. Fore wing: a dusky brown lunular line on the discocellulars; two subcostal spots above the cell, one on either side of the discocellular lunule; a very strongly curved discal series of five spots, of which the posterior three are somewhat lunular in shape and placed obliquely en echelon, the next above these hook-shaped, the anterior spot round; both the subcostal spots and the spots of the discal series are black, each narrowly encircled with white; beyond these are inner and outer subterminal dusky lines, which anteriorly are continuous, posteriorly somewhat broken and macular, followed by a very conspicuous jet-black anticiliary slender line. Cilia greyish white, traversed by a medial transverse blackish-brown line. Hind wing: with the following small white-encircled black spots:—a subbasal transverse series of three, followed by a highly curved series of eight spots, that curve across the disc of the wing to the costa and along the latter towards the base; discocellulars with a dusky short lunular line as on the fore wing; terminal markings and cilia similar, but the outer and broader subterminal line more broken and macular than on the fore wing. Antennae black, the shafts ringed with white; head, thorax and abdomen dark brown, with a little violet pubescence on the head and thorax; beneath: palpi, thorax and abdomen greyish white.

Female Upperside: glossy brown, without any violet tint whatever; the anticiliary darker brown lines on both fore and hind wings well marked. Underside: very similar to that of the male, the ground-colour a shade darker, the markings slightly larger and more prominent. Antenna, head, thorax and abdomen as in the male, but the latter three without a trace of violet or blue on the upperside.

Distribution

The Tiny Grass Blue is found in several races throughout tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia, and Oceania, including India, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Swaziland, north and east coasts of Australia and also in southern Australia.

TFL
pankajbajpai, joey, LordPotty, JoseMiguel, fartash, undoredo, Silke, Silvio2006, Alex99, jrobertop, uleko, tiklod, XOTAELE has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

hello mr thakur,
this is a beautiful capture of this so small butterfly which isnt easy to capture due to its small size and flying habits, i liked the left shot more due to better pov, the wing pattern is visible clearly, nice dof, lovely colours,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Hi Ram, I see you have managed to show the details on this butterfly in parts across two pics? :-). The BG on the first is great, but for the POV. I guess you bushes around did not allow you to get parallel? But I apreciate the effort you have taken to show us the butterfly's details.

Good show,

Warm regards, Kiran

  • Great 
  • demeve Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 505 W: 8 N: 1048] (3884)
  • [2007-11-07 22:49]

Hello Ram,
Very nice capture, It's so tiny!
great POV and composition

Everton

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1554 W: 233 N: 5217] (18329)
  • [2007-11-08 1:49]

Hi Ram!
These two photos are lovely.
+++ The composition of both are top-class.
Great sharpness and detail in the two shots.
--- As usual, nothing :-)
Well done my friend,
Joe

Hi Ram,
Nice presentation of this two shots, good colors and POV
TFS
regards
Jean-Michel

Hello Ram,
We have a little butterfly like this too ...
It is called the Common Blue here and its latin name is Zizina labradus labradus
Our one comes from Australia and is probably the most common butterfly in New Zealand.
You're right,they are very hard to capture.
They just keep fluttering around really fast.
Great note you wrote too.
Well done,
Steve

Hi Ram,
The 70-300 used here gave you enough good details to appreciate how this butterfly looks like.
I like specially the contrast of the colours in the picture, the vivid green at the back works great as the base to stand out the insect.
Congratulations and thanks for share it.
Best regards,
JM

Hello Ram
Excellent collage of this tiny Grass Blue,
Great exposure,BG and composition in both,
Welldone.

Regards
Fartash

Dear Ram,
Very beautiful shot of this little butterflies, with lovely colours and composition.
You managed very nice collage and it's very well presented!
Very well captured and TFS,
Warmest regards,
Kevin

  • Great 
  • Silke Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 753 W: 109 N: 1727] (5394)
  • [2007-11-08 8:06]

The final image has certainly overcome the limitations!
Great colours and details, fine composition
TFS
silke

Hi Ram, lovely collage with tiny butterfly, splendid colors and wonderful composition, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2974 W: 148 N: 4396] (14263)
  • [2007-11-08 9:23]

Hi, dear Ram.
I like your refined beautiful pictures so much. Little butterfly is reflected at its wonderful surroundings perfectly. Both scenes are pleasant and quiet. Colours and lighting are lovely and delicate. My bets wishes and TFS.
Alexei.

Hello Ram
Congratulations for plus a beautiful work!
Excellent contrast, details and colors.
Very good sharpness and POV.
Well done!
Best regards,
José Roberto

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2340 W: 164 N: 7010] (22194)
  • [2007-11-08 10:52]

Hello Ram,
Beautiful presentation of this little Blue butterfly. I think I saw this one by Indus in Ladakh! The left image is beautifullly composed and pretty sharp, on the right one we can see the little hearts clearly! Good light and nice colours in both.
TFS and best wishes, Ulla

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1671 W: 24 N: 4846] (15806)
  • [2007-11-09 1:09]

Hi Ram,
Just appreciating this wonderful shot from you. I am on a tour and internet connection comes at a premium here, hence doing a short job. Sorry.
Regards.
Sumon

Hello Ram,
I like the two different back ground you present here! Excellent details on this little butterfly! Wonderful colours...
Great shotS...
Regerds,

Claude

Hola Ram.
Bellos detalles y nitidez.
Original composición.
Un cordial saludo, JL.

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