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Tawny Coaster


Tawny Coaster
Photo Information
Copyright: kv vral (vral) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 64 W: 1 N: 218] (1049)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-07-12
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon 40D DSLR, Sigma 70-300mm, 4-5.6, APO DG Macro
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/800 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-07-12 18:37
Viewed: 670
Points: 18
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hello Friends,

this Tawny Coaster(Acraea terpsicore) is dedicated to our dear friend Harprasan for completing his 300th posting in TN. Also he brought us some unique macro species and wealth of knowledge from Orissa. Wishing you all the very best for the future.

Scientific classification -
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Acraeinae
Genus: Acraea
Species: A. terpsicore

Tawny Coaster (Acraea terpsicore) is a small leathery winged butterfly which is common in grassland and scrub habitats. It belongs to the Nymphalidae or brush-footed butterfly family. It has a weak fluttery flight. It is avoided by most insect predators. This species and the Yellow Coaster Acraea vesta are the only two Indian representatives of the predominantly African sub-family Acraeinae.

Wingspan 45-55mm. A medium sized reddish brown butterfly with rounded wing apices and rather long wings. The male is brightly colored, while the female, even a freshly emerged specimen, is quite dull. The wings of both sexes are somewhat transparent, though it is more so in the female. The upper side is studded with black spots and small markings. The marginal band of the hind wing on the upper sides is black and has small white spots. The corresponding band on the underside is much wider, but is almost entirely occupied by large white spots.

The butterfly exudes an oily and smelly yellow liquid when handled and is unpalatable to birds and most insects. They are well protected and have a slow and weak flight, frequently visiting flowers and are easily netted. There are no mimics in India. The butterfly breeds on plants of the family Loganiaceae and species of Passiflora many of which contain toxins that are sequestered by the caterpillars.

The butterfly is found in India and Sri Lanka. It is common all the year round and is equally at home in forest clearings and open country. Though mainly seen at low elevations it has been recorded at heights of up to 7000 feet in south India and sometimes in the North. This is a butterfly of the hills as well as the plains. It is plentiful in the pre-monsoon and monsoon period and becomes scarce later on.

Thanks for stopping by.
iris, ramthakur, maurydv, JORAPAVI, haraprasan has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Art_R Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 194 W: 16 N: 618] (2530)
  • [2008-07-12 23:48]

Hi KV , this is a neat composition I like how this butterfly seems to BE the flower growing from the stem :-) , thanks for sharing
regards
Art

Tawny Coster is a rare butterfly, KV, and you have done a wonderful job in capturing this healthy and beautiful specimen.
Brilliant composition with superb details and colours on the butterfly.
Traditionalists would suggest you keep more space in front of the subject in a composition. You have done it the other way round and I like it.
I am happy with the presentation because there is nothing around the subject to distract us from it, especially at the rear.
TFS and regards.
Ram

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 4 N: 3260] (14687)
  • [2008-07-13 0:58]

Hello KV,
Superb composition and good sharpness. Excellent presentation. Ganesh

Hello KV, This is nice shot and good view. Sharp picture. Vignesh

Merhaba Kv,nefis bir kompozisyon ve kadraj.Tüm sadeligi ile cok begendim.Daldaki kelebek bir cicek gibi cikmis,ellerine saglik :))

Bellissima macro, eccellente composizione con la farfalla che si staglia su questo stupendo BG, ottima definizione, molto belli e saturi i colori. Grazie e complimenti. Ciao Maurizio

Hola kv,
Precioso ejemplar en una bonita composición en la que se aprecian con nitidez los detalles, formas y colores, TFS-
José Ramón

Hi KV,
A nice capture of this tawny coaster. The composition is just superb. And the details are also very good. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • iris Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 469 W: 60 N: 947] (3016)
  • [2008-07-14 21:57]

Good Morning KV,

This is Awesome!
Super rich and well saturated colours with excellent contrasts on the Tawny Coaster.
But it is PoV and composition that gets a major part of the credit.

I wonder whether you had to really crouch down on the ground for this Pov.It is just too beautiful....as if a butterfly has blossomed on the stalk!

And i love this kind of compositon hwere there is a good amount space left on to one side...you will find it in couple of my compositions in my gallery.

The blurring of the rest of the composition creates a very nice effect and allows to focus on the stalk and coatser.The colours of light green on the Bg is soothing and compliments the whole composition very well.

TFS & Cheers

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