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lime Butterfly


lime Butterfly
Photo Information
Copyright: Akshay Harith (S_Akshay) Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 30 W: 11 N: 117] (563)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-06-30
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon DSLR D200, Nikkor 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 D
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Butterflies on Lantana Flowers [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-07-03 4:03
Viewed: 272
Points: 14
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Family: Papilionidae

Subfamily: Papilioninae

Genus: Papilio

Species: P. demoleus

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.

Upper side of wings has the ground colour black. The fore wing has the 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.

The underside has the ground-colour similar, the cream-coloured markings paler and conspicuously larger. The markings differ from those on the upperside in that the forewing has the 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. On the underside of the 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.

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.



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

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Critiques [Translate]

hello akshay,
lovely presentation of the common lime butterfly, you have managed to capture this beauty with open wings, the butterfly is perched on lantana flowers, well composed shot with fine pov,
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Hi Akshay,
good image of this lime, wish you had a better background than this. no idea what aperture you used, you could have controled the BG with an appropriate f stop. your notes are fine. TFS.
nagraj.v

Hi Karl, wonderful butterfly with fantastic colors, fine details and great sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

Hi Akshay

Beautiful shot of a beautiful species. Almost perfectly symetrical, well done. Good exposeure.
Good sharpness, DOF, POV and composition.

Chris

akshay,
very nice shot of the common lime!

Liked it a lot!!
rgds
pushpinder

Hello Junior,

Beautiful image of Lime with wings open, as Mr.Nagraj has mentioned if you could get a better back ground it would have been much better, but I know its situational.TFS.

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1580 W: 242 N: 5278] (18595)
  • [2008-07-04 13:58]

Excellent photo, Akshay!
The composition is superb!
Very sharp and very detailed.
Lovely colours.
Keep up the great work!

Well done,
Joe

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