<< Previous Next >>

Parnassius hardwickei


Parnassius hardwickei
Photo Information
Copyright: Alan Cassidy (accassidy) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 114 W: 81 N: 345] (1220)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 1984-07
Categories: Insects
Camera: Pentax LX, Pentax F 100/2.8 macro
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Butterflies of the other countries of Asia [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-01-21 11:26
Viewed: 586
Points: 10
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Parnassius hardwickei The Common Blue Apollo

Trek Nature seems a little short of Parnassius species, considering their attractiveness and apparent value to interested parties. So here is an example from Nepal that is new to TN.

Parnassius hardwickei Gray, 1831, occurs from N.India, Chitral - Sikkim, Kasmir, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan. It has two broods, in Spring and Summer, and these appear to be slightly different in their markings, at least in Nepal. This is the summer form, taken in the wet season in July. The red sub-apical spots are larger than in the Spring form as are the blue hindwing markings. The larvae have been reported on Saxifragaceae.

This individual was found crawling in the grass on a cool, damp morning and I was able to grab a few shots before it warmed up and flew away. I have been trawling through old slides, to bring back fond memories of the past and came across this wonderful thing. I have cleaned up the image as best I can without spending an age on it. Surprisingly, I hardly had to sharpen it at all, just 40/0.3/2 in the USM, after resizing. The wing scaling is naturally as b/w as it shows here and the body inevitably has a lot of fur, as the picture was taken at 9,600 feet elevation.

Searching the internet for more information on hardwickei has proven fairly fruitless. But it has brought to my attention the Nanda Devi National Park, Uttarakhand, India and the nearby Valley of Flowers. It sounds like a place I really must get to one day. One can live in anticipation.
XOTAELE, jusninasirun, dalmatinac, peter_stoeckl has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
None
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Hola Alan.
Hermosos colores y estupenda macro.
Buenos detalles, nitidez y contrastes.
Saludos, JL.

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1988 W: 5 N: 5524] (20880)
  • [2008-01-21 12:59]

Hi . Have just got home late from work so just a note to say nice picture for now.
TFS
Nick..

Hello Alan,
This is a good picture and detailed textures of this butterfly. Superbly clear image from under those grass. like the hairy wings which is rather long compared to what I'm accustomed to in Malaysia.
Regards,
Jusni

Hi Alan. Well, one learns something every day. Butterflies with fur and it makes sense. Lovely details and very pleasant colour scheme on this stunning creature. Regards. Klaudio.

Hi Alan,
that is a very attractive Parnassian that is new to me - having the chance to meet such a beauty is one more good reason visit the Himalaya region of Northern India. The quality is really good for a scan-in from a historical analog image that is very well worth to be shown. The image is clear and sharp, and showing the butterfly from a well chosen angle to make it a lively shot with one side of wings perfectly well within focus. Maintaining natural colours is always a problem when scanning old slides, but very often an improvement can be achieved by a little postwork level adjustment (hope you don't mind me trying a little workshop).
In Austria, we may meet three different species of Parnassius, none of them as colourful as this one, but still very exciting to see.
Thank you for showing!
Best regards,
Peter

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF