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Sorrel Sapphire


Sorrel Sapphire
Photo Information
Copyright: Ram Thakur (ramthakur) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3027 W: 114 N: 8096] (26185)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-08-11
Categories: Insects
Camera: Sony DSC-P200
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Butterflies of Asia, Beautiful Butterflies [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-09-27 13:06
Viewed: 897
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I shot this small butterfly at Shimla, India. It was so small I had to squat on the ground to shoot it at close range. It was frisky alright but obliged me with a few shots.
The shot is not all that clear and the flower it is sitting on is over-exposed.

SORREL SAPPHIRE

Sorrel Sapphire (Heliophorus sena) is a small butterfly found in India that belongs to the Lycaenids or Blues family.

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Superfamily: Papilionoidea

Family: Lycaenidae

Genus: Heliophorus

Species: H. sena

Lycaenidae

Description

The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, are also known as the gossamer-winged butterflies. They comprise about 40 % of all known butterfly species (Venktesha, 2005). Subfamilies include the blues Polyommatinae, the coppers Lycaeninae, the hairstreaks Theclinae and the harvesters Miletinae. Adults are small, under 5 cm usually, and brightly coloured, sometimes with a metallic gloss. The male's forelegs are reduced in size and lack claws.
Larvae are often flattened rather than cylindrical, with glands that may produce secretions that attract and subdue ants. Their cuticles tend to be thickened, and they do not thrash when ants are present as do most caterpillars (Pierce et al., 2002).

Ecology

Lycaenids feed on various kinds of food including ferns, conifers, fungi, lichens, cycads, homopterans (aphids) and ant larvae.
Not all Lycaenidae butterflies need ants, but about 75% of species associate with ants (Pierce et al., 2002). The term used to describe this is a 'myrmecophilous' relationship.
These relationships can be mutualistic, parasitic, or predatory, depending on the species. In some species, larvae are attended and protected by ants while eating a plant, and the ants receive sugar-rich honeydew from them, throughout the larval life. In other species, only the first few instars are spent on the plant, and the remainder of the larval lifespan is spent as a predator within the ant nest. It becomes a parasite, feeding on ant regurgitations, or a predator on the ant larvae (Pierce et al., 2002) The caterpillars pupate inside the ant's nest and the ants continue to look after the pupa. Just before the adult emerges the wings of the butterfly inside the pupal case detach from it, and the pupa becomes silvery. The adult butterfly emerges from the pupa after 3-4 weeks, still inside the ant nest. The butterfly must crawl out of the ant nest before it can expand its wings.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliophorus_sena
Argus, fartash, eruyanik, red45, uleko, elefantino, jmp, marhowie, wallhalla15, dew77, mikou, pablominto, Juyona has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Ram,
Beautiful macro shot, nice composition with good detail on the butterfly, lovely colours.
Regards.

hAyAti

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2765 W: 150 N: 7969] (24819)
  • [2006-09-27 13:15]

Wow, Ram, what a beauty! Sharp and well presented. Reminds me of something between the blues and the hairstreaks of Europe, and they are like this one, lycaenids.
Thanks for showing this dazzler!
Regards, Ivan

Hey Ram
Great shot, very nice,
excellent,buddy


Fartash

Hi Ram,
Again a very nice species you captured! Looks like a hard subject but you did it well.
Thank you,
Ersin

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2816 W: 75 N: 7977] (26975)
  • [2006-09-27 13:27]

Hello Ram!

Very nice POV, composition and details on this small but beautifull butterfly. I love red/white, spiky patterns on its wings. Pity that flower is slightly overexposured.

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2582 W: 170 N: 7867] (24879)
  • [2006-09-27 13:36]

Beautiful close-up shot of this lovely butterfly that looks like a hairstreak. Nice and sharp and I love the pattern on the underwings. (Shimla is supposed to be a haven for birds and butterflies!)
Thanks, Ulla

Hello Ram, nice shot really well composed and detailed.
The white is a little OE.
Good info notes.

Andrea

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1836 W: 94 N: 2340] (8406)
  • [2006-09-27 14:12]

Hi Ram,
This butterfly is really beautiful for its colors and drawings. It worths a post by the butterfly itself.
Best regards my friend,
José M.

  • Great 
  • tjasa Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 101 W: 0 N: 84] (645)
  • [2006-09-27 14:13]

Hey Ram!
Great catch of this butterfly!
Nice collours, POV, details and sharpness!
Well done!
Tjaša

Nice post Ram,
Even with the whites OE, the beauty of this "Beauty" comes through very well.
Good detail and color, and an overall pleasing frame..
Excellent note,
Well done & TFS!

Hello Ram,
beautiful butterfly shot. POV, BG, good details, colors and framing are great. The flower is a little bit OE. Thanks for sharing.
Gr.
Heinz

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2006-09-27 17:06]

Hello Ram,
Lovely close up.POV,vivid colors,contrast,sharpness and composition are wonderful.Yes,flower is a little overexposed but overall great work!
TFS...:-)

  • Great 
  • mikou Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 863 W: 73 N: 1348] (5265)
  • [2006-09-28 1:51]

Hi Ram,
excellent macro.I like composition and colours (white is too).Good details.Very nice.TFS

Regards Milos

Hello Ram,
Very good details in the butterfly!
I like the composition, well balanced and with fine dynamics...
Seems like the white part of the flowers is a bit overexposed but not in a disturbing way...
I appreciate the good natural colours!
Greetings,
Pablo -

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2108 W: 6 N: 2116] (13589)
  • [2006-09-28 4:29]

Hola Ram,
Precioso FG, bonito colorido de la butterfly, y encuadre y pov excelentes... solo la flor blanca está un poco overexposed, buen trabajo, y muchos saludos

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