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Freak Shot of Common Emigrant
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Friends, I took this freak shot of a Common Emigrant just accidently yesterday morning. There were a whole lot of them around this plant with red flowers. However, they were restless as usual and settled on the flowers for a brief second or two. It was like a busy airport -- one taking off and another landing.
I was trying to take the picture of this one settling on the flower but by the time I pushed the button, it had already taken off in the reverse!
I found this freak picture while scanning the shots on the LCD screen of my camera. I am posting it today just for fun even though the butterfly has moved out of the focus area and is badly blurred in the rear.
Here is a note on the species from Wikipedia:
The Common Emigrant or Lemon Emigrant (Catopsilia pomona) is a medium sized pierid butterfly found in Asia and parts of Australia. The species gets its name from its habit of migration. Some early authors considered them as two distinct species Catopsilia crocale and Catopsilia pomona.
DESCRIPTION
The species has pale and dark morphs in Australia. The form crocale has the antennae black and the form pomona has the antennae pinkish or red. The development of these forms has been linked to photoperiod and temperature during growth.
Upperside male: chalky-white, sometimes with a more or less broad and clearly defined basal sulphur-yellow area on both fore and hind wings; this sulphur-yellow colour is at times diffused over the whole surface of the wings, though generally it becomes paler towards the terminal margins. Fore wing: the whole, or sometimes only the apical half, of the costa narrowly black, this colour widened out irregularly at the apex; termen widely black at the apex, the colour narrowed posteriorly. This border in some specimens almost reaches the tornus, in others terminates above vein 4; occasionally it is continued posteriorly by a series of block dots at the apices of the veins. Hind wing: generally uniform, unmarked, some specimens bear minute black dots at the apices of the veins.
The following description is from Bingham for Catopsilia crocale:
Underside: groundcolour very variable, white with a slight to strong ochraceous tinge, greenish white or sulphur-yellow. Fore wing: typically without markings, in some specimens with a patch of sulphur-yellow on either side of base of median nervure; in the very yellow examples the tornal area is often widely greenish white; in others (Catopsilia catilla, Cramer) it bears a spot variable in size on the discocellulars, this spot has a pearly centre and an outer reddish line. Again, many specimens have an irregular angulated narrow discal reddish line (the colour varies in intensity) that runs from the costa obliquely outwards to vein 7, and then obliquely inwards to vein 2, though this line is often absent in specimens that bear the discocellular spot; apex and termen sometimes very narrowly reddish. Hind wing: typically uniform, without markings; in var. catilla there is a single small spot at the end of the cell similar to that on the fore wing, sometimes this spot is much larger with a narrow outer reddish ring, sometimes it is accompanied by a similar spot at base of interspace 5; when two spots are present they may be entirely separate, or their outer rings may coalesce; again, some specimens have a highly irregular discal reddish line (often reduced to a series of minute spots) that extends from the costa to vein 1; finally, the majority of specimens have a series of minute red terminal dots at the apices of the veins.
Female upperside: ground-colour varies as in the male, but sometimes it is chalky white at the bases of the wings, with the terminal margins more or less broadly sulphur-yellow. Fore wings always with a round, occasionally quadrate, black discocellular spot variable in size; in some specimens the costa is black only towards the apex of the wing, in others broadly black throughout and opposite the apex of cell so widened out as to touch the discocellular spot. In lightly-marked specimens ill addition to the discocellular spot, there is only an irregular terminal black band dentate inwardly and widest at the apex of the wing; in others there is in addition a more or less diffuse highly-curved macular postdiscal band that extends from the costa obliquely outwards down to vein 7, where it often touches the terminal black band, and thence is continued downward and slightly inclined inwards to interspace 1, getting gradually paler and fainter posteriorly. Hind wing: a series of terminal inter-spacial black spots that vary in size, and in the dark forms coalesce into a terminal black band.
Underside: varies from white with a light yellowish sometimes ochraeeous tinge to deep chrome-yellow; markings as in the male but still more variable; in var. catilla the spot at the apex of the cell in both fore and hind wings is enlarged into a large reddish blotch, the similar spot on tho hind wing is sometimes so enlarged as to occupy the apex of the cell, the basal two-thirds of interspaces 4, 5 and 6, and the middle third of interspace 7; in some specimens it is continued posteriorly in a series of obscure lunules to interspace 1a. Antennae red, obscurely dotted with black, palpi and head above red, thorax clothed with long yellow, sometimes greenish hairs, abdomen pale yellow; beneath: palpi and thorax pale to dark yellow, abdomen white.
TFL and have a nice weekend. |
zulfu, maurydv, haraprasan, lousat, eqshannon, marhowie, jaycee, red45, Silke, Jamesp, albert, mickey, goldyrs has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes. |
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- zulfu
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 598 W: 0 N: 117]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(669) - [2008-07-18 2:02]
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Hello Ram, superb action shotof this beauty and flower.
TFS and Regards,
Mehmet
Bellissima e elegante composizione curata sotto tutti gli aspetti, mi piace molto la doppia colorazione dello sfondo che esalta i colori del primo piano sia del fiore che della farfalla. Grazie e complimenti. Ciao Maurizio
A wonderful capture.
Super timing.
Noting more can be say for this photo...
TFS.
Hi Ram,
I think you can really plan up this shot since you have got feel of it, flight pictures are always exciting, that too butterfly.The picture is almost perfect except for little sharpness on the butterfly and background. TFS.
Hi Mr. Ram,
It is a accident true but it is superb. Very well composed and well timed with good details in flight. Hope some more accidents happens with some other species ;). Thanks a lot for sharing.
Sincerely
HP
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- lousat
(11322)
- [2008-07-18 4:33]
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Hi Ram,a most difficult pic to made,great idea and great realisation,i dream one day to take a pic like that,i try a lot but whitout results..ehehhe...my best compliments,great idea and great realisation,have a nice day,Luciano
Aha! the old "Accidentally got a great image" trick eh? You're quite right of course. I can see you more than likely didn't plan it all out this way but it sure worked to your benefit..the flora is quite the attractant. Very neat in flight grab Ram1
Bob
Hi Ram,
Very hard to do..I know from the trying.
Great focus on the head, probiscus, and near antennae. The wing blur shows movement well. It may have momentarily hovered, and helped you get this at 1/400th..
Well done & have a nice weekend,
Howard
Ram, very well caught!!!
I like the way the butt has been caught in flight!!
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- jaycee
(16081)
- [2008-07-18 10:08]
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Hi Ram,
I have never seen a butterfly flying in reverse! Fascinating to see and I'm glad you got this action shot. The flowers and buds are beautiful!
Jane
Hi Ram,
it looks like two pictures pasted together......( joking). good attempt and if you expose 30 pictures, one or two will be good. i think so,.
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- red45
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2816 W: 75 N: 7977]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(26975) - [2008-07-18 12:44]
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Hi Ram!
This shot is pure magic! If I remember correctly I saw three maybe four pictures of butterflies in flight on TN. Lots of luck, but first of all your great photographic skill! Superb post.
Hi Ram, great composition with flying butterfly and wonderful flower, splendid sharpness, good details and fantastic colors, very well done, have a good week end, ciao Silvio
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- Silke
(5398)
- [2008-07-18 17:12]
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Wonderful mid-air capture! the composition and colours are excellent - the butterfly could be a little sharper, but I still like it
TFS
silke
hello sir,
you got lucky today, very nice moment captured,
the butterflys head and surroundings are in focus,
nice one,
tfs & regards
pankaj
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- Jamesp
(15194)
- [2008-07-18 23:09]
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Hi Ram
As you say an interesting shot - the butterfly seems frozen in space. Great work my friend - even for and accident! :)
James
Ram, Very good in-flight shot. i like the way the Emigrant is extending the proboscis getting ready to suck the nectar even as it is landing.
- Murali
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- albert
(989)
- [2008-07-19 7:32]
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Hello Ram
The best photos are sometime the result of an accident!!
This one is really interesting,
Great job
Have a nice weekend
Albert
Sir, Pranam. I have seen many times my father trying to shoot on the air but failed. He says you are always successfull. May be you can give him tip. This is a very nice shot. You have shown two shots and composed it very well. vignesh
What a shot, Sir!The butterfly, mid-air, has come out very beautifully, especially sharp the front end and a kind of motion blur to its rear, adds to the beauty of this shot!
Very well done, Sir!
Goldy
![Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 39 W: 0 N: 31]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-n-s.gif)
(260)![Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 38 W: 0 N: 62]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-n-g.gif)
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(3366)