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Metamorphosis


Metamorphosis
Photo Information
Copyright: Pankaj Bajpai (pankajbajpai) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1536 W: 101 N: 4346] (15161)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-08-10
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon D80, Sigma 70-300 4-5.6 APO DG MACRO, 58mm UV
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Photo Collage at TN [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-08-17 5:12
Viewed: 472
Points: 46
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I always wanted to see the life cycle specially how the larva hatches in to a beautiful butterfly. So i decided to plant a host tree so that a butterfly can come and lay eggs, I selected lime plant for this and planted two lime trees. Soon i could see a lot of common lime butterfly laying eggs on them. I have taken shots of nine stages of the butterfly life cycle.

Image One : Newly hatched caterpillar , It looks like bird droppings so that it can be saved from the predators. It is very small is size and the movement is very slow. It stays in the upper side in middle of the leaf.

Image Two : Here you can see that the caterpillar has grown in size.The movement also becomes fater.

Image Three : The caterpillar grows further, the texture of the skin becomes clearer and the white band is visible clearly.

Image Four : Here the growth can be seen with change in the body color and the patterns. The white bands become more visible.

Image Five : The caterpillar grows further and the color becomes darker and the marking becomes clearer. At this stage it eats the lime leaves very fast. My total plant was destroyed by six to seven caterpillars.

Image Six : The caterpillar rests behind the leaf at a safe and sturdy place and stays there in a particular position before it changes in to pupa.

Image Seven : The green pupa can be seen and it also gives an idea about the insect in formation by its shape. The pupa hanges there with a silk thread like thing.

Image Eight : The pupa has changed the color and now the patterns of the butterfly can be seen from outside. The lid of the pupa looks as if it will burst and the butterfly will come out.

Image Nine : The butterfly can be seen here and in the background the empty pupa cover can be seen. I am not sure if this butterfly came out of this particular shell but i found the shell and butterfly together on the host tree and clicked it.

It took a lot of time to collect these photographs. I dont know what happened to fully grown caterpillars one day as i lost alomst 10 of them one night. I think some predator has finished them off but i am glad that i saw two of the butterfly taking birth at my small rooftop garden.

I am not good at post processing techniques and can not to a collage better then this at this moment, I hope i will do better soon.

All the shots have been taken with Nikon D 80 along with Sigma 70/300 lens in macro mode.

Your critiques and comments will be of great help.
haraprasan, Pentaxfriend, schnoopie, anel, crs, jaycee, eqshannon, Argus, Seabird, accassidy, boreocypriensis, nglen, saguzar, mayuresh, vral, ramthakur, oscarromulus has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To oscarromulus: thankspankajbajpai 1 08-21 19:40
To satish_h: thanks a lotpankajbajpai 1 08-17 18:33
To haraprasan: i dont knowpankajbajpai 1 08-17 06:18
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Pankaj Da,
You are very lucky to get the entire metamorphosis process of this beautiful lime butterfly. The process where I always fail because of nature. There are about 20 to 30 nos of big wasps in our locality and they always succeeded in kidnapping the caterpillars of a) Plain Tiger, b) Oleander Hawk Moth c) Common crow etc. I always see the caterpillars but later some day none is there. Very nice collage but I would have preferred the numbering and white space a little less in size. Very well done. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hi Pankaj,

Beautifull collage
Excellent shots, sharpness and colors
this is a perfect way to show the life cycle of a Common lime BF

TFS Thijs

Hi Pankaj,
this is a very interesting documentation of the life cycle of this butterfly. I think it's great that you specially planted a tree to see it and that you managed to take pictures of every stage!
I like the collage, I think it's really beautiful.
The images are sharp and with beautiful colors. I especially like image Seven. The note is very interesting and a very good description of your collage.
Great job & TFS Tatjana

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1241 W: 0 N: 2229] (9388)
  • [2008-08-17 6:33]

Hello Pankaj,
This is a lot of work and a very interesting posting! Very clear and didactic assemblage. An excellent idea, nicely shown.
Un grand merci
Anne

  • Great 
  • Chiza Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 19 W: 0 N: 38] (251)
  • [2008-08-17 8:38]

Hola Pankaj Bajpai: Es un hermoso mosaico donde se muestra este gran proceso de las mariposas. Excelente documento con gran calidad en cada una de las tomas.Saludos.Luis.

Un excelente trabajo Pankaj, con gran calidad técnica en cada una de las tomas: Enhorabuena.
Saludos: J. Ignasi.

  • Great 
  • crs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 404 W: 0 N: 630] (2535)
  • [2008-08-17 9:16]

Hello Pankaj,

This photo is a real achivment! Colage is very interesting and well done. Beside the scientific interest of the photos images are well done with good clear details and natural color rendering.

Thank you for sharing,
Cristian

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1909 W: 8 N: 4974] (16081)
  • [2008-08-17 9:24]

Hi Pankaj,

A wonderful project and a wonderful collage. You did an excellent job. Each picture is sharp with natural colors. This could be used in a textbook.

Jane

Wow..all of that work for a wonderful outcome in this montage of time. You tend to put a herculean effort into many of your presentations, whether they are complex in imaging as here or in the single image...whatever your thought process is, you pass it along in the style of a very good teacher.
Bob

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2765 W: 150 N: 7969] (24819)
  • [2008-08-17 9:35]

Hello Pankaj,
A well executed and very interesting montage showing the various stages of development of a Common Lime Butterfly.
Like many of its genus Papilio, it shows how the caterpillars change their mode of camouflge from looking like bird droppings in the early stages to green camouflage among the leaves and stems of Citrus.
Thanks for sharing this fine contribution,
Best regards, Ivan

Hi,
very good collage of the butterfly life cycle. Well done. i should appreciate your curiosity and patience to photograph this beautiful metamorphosis. fantastic.

Hi, Pankaj,

wow, this is wonderful and very educational : ) very nice captures of the entire metamorphosis process. thanks for sharing.

chrs,
Man Yee

Hi Pankaj,
I like the collage very much. Shows all the development in one picture. I might have a try at something like it with some old pictures I have. Thanks
Alan

What a great sequental collage showing the metamorphosis in a butterfly. It is also a perfect and significant document Pankaj! Well done my friend!
TFS!
Cheers,
Bayram

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1107 W: 6 N: 3062] (11322)
  • [2008-08-17 12:35]

Hi Pankaj,this is a work to show on the National Geographic Magazine!!!! Incredible series of wonderfulls pics,i haven't others words to comment a fantastic work like that,this time 2 points are not enough,thanks a lot for share and have a nice week,luciano

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2130 W: 9 N: 5959] (22526)
  • [2008-08-17 12:54]

Hi Pankaj. This is a very good set of picture showing us the life from the new caterpillar to the Beautiful butterfly again. You have set the picture out making a fine display. all with good detail and colour. and to go with them very interesting notes. well done TFS. worth 10/10

Nick..

  • Great 
  • mariki Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1062 W: 64 N: 2225] (9165)
  • [2008-08-17 13:49]

Hello Pankaj,

Very beautiful and educative series of pictures. The pictures are very sharp and with very good colours. Very well done,
Cheers,
Mariki

Hi Pankaj,
Superb idea, a multiple image, a great effort to share the metamorphosis of this wonderful buteerfly. And accompanied with a very good and interesting note
Cheers
Hernán

Hello Pankaj,
Beautiful collage,Hats off to your excellent work and patience
simply great.
very well done,
tfs

  • Great 
  • vral Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 60 W: 1 N: 191] (871)
  • [2008-08-17 23:52]

Hello Pankaj,

You’ve presented a wonderful combo of this biological process of conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the form and colors of this Lime Butterfly's life cycle.

All images are clear and informative. Your patience has produced a perfect example of learning nature through observation.
Thanks a lot for sharing
vral

I am deeply impressed with your questing spirit which drove you to plant the lime saplings and then watch and record the process of metamorphosis of a Lime Butterfly from the Caterpillar to the full grown state, Pankaj.
You have presented the stages very effectively through this nine-image collage. It would make a wonderful learning device my teacher colleagues could use in their life science classes. ( I'm going to get it done, actually.)
The images are very sharp and clear and are so graphic nothing is left to imagination.
Bravo for doing a great job and best regards.

  •      
  • nagraj Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 248 W: 44 N: 574] (2368)
  • [2008-08-18 1:29]

Hi pankaj,
one has to appreciate your keen interest and patience in documenting the metamorphosis of this lime. simply marvelous! tfs.
nagraj.v

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 996 W: 4 N: 2570] (11874)
  • [2008-08-18 4:41]

Hello Pankaj, You know what after reading your and HP I am also planting something which will attract these butterflies. You are so lucky and blessed to watch such a superb reproduction system. We are too lucky to see this shot. Excellent composition and hats off. Ganesh

Pankaj,
What PATIENCE!!! Fantastic.
The consumtion of the lime tree was really nothing compared to the images you were able to register.
OUTSTANDING WORK.!!! Congratulations.
Mario with friendly greetings from Canada.
P.S. EXCELLENT collage work.
Please see your e-mail via TN re: collage. Thanks.

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