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Eye to Eye.


Eye to Eye.
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter Stoeckl (peter_stoeckl) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1629 W: 287 N: 3647] (10221)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-07-03
Categories: Insects
Camera: Minolta Dimage 7Hi
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2006-02-26 6:58
Viewed: 1655
Points: 38
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Eye to Eye.

Apatura iris, the Purple Emperor, detail of hind wings.

As much as the blue iridescence, a pair of red eye spots with black centres and a little white spot on the hind wings call the attention of spectators. That signal seems to aim at a different target group than the blue iridescence.

As noted the day before, the blue iridenscence is shown by males only. So the iridescence seems to by a signal for communications between the sexes, telling the females: Look here, I am an attractive guy! And telling the other males: Get out of my territory! Target group: Same species, both sex partners and rivals.

The other target group for signals is: different species, possible predators. Attacks from aggressors often seem to be diverted by concentric dark spots towards the hind edge of the wings - away from the body, thus giving a butterfly a good chance to escape. That “false head theory” offers a good explanation to the fact that a lot of butterflies tend to show eye spots near the margins of their hind wings, and that many of them can be met with that area of wings torn off.

At the hindwing markings of Apatura iris, however, evolution seems to have gone a further step forward. The two dark eye spots on the hind wings include conspicuous red borders that make the spots resemble eyes of mammals with striking similarity - a little white spot in the centre even indicating the lustre on the eyes. These pairs of red bordered blinking eye spots in combination with two red tooth-like streaks seem to suggest a dangerous predator’s face – like a marten - to the actual butterfly predators, birds – in order to chase them away.

That seems to work well. According to my own observations for more than two decades, Apatura iris seems to stay much less attacked by birds than its less clearly marked cousin Apatura ilia (pictures of that species to follow). I have not met a single Apatura iris with eyespots torn off, but quite a number of Apatura ilia that are showing less “sophisticated” dark spots only.

How Mimicry by evolution can develop to work that well is a real miracle, sometimes. But is does.

The picture has been cropped from a 5 megapixel photograph showing the whole butterfly, taken 2004 07 03, 17:00, in the Rohrwald forest near Vienna, same location as presented yesterday, sRGB, 51mm, f/5.6, 1/250sec, ISO-100, no tripod, no flash. The cropped picture was taken to Photoshop, sharped, BG was cleaned. The 5 megapixel initial resolution is not sufficient for getting any “closer”.

Thank you for looking. Have a very good day.
dew77, extramundi, SkyF, phlr, wallhalla15, wuta, Merlin, manyee, fiyo, anavazao, Janice, PDP, scottevers7, AndyB, thistle, crissie78 has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Merlin: Frame workshoppeter_stoeckl 4 02-28 06:05
To extramundi: Framepeter_stoeckl 1 02-27 07:14
To wallhalla15: Schillerfalter auf Steinenpeter_stoeckl 1 02-27 07:10
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2006-02-26 7:18]

Hello Peter!
Very intersting POV again.Well seen and composed.Colors,
details,sharpness and framing a lot.Have a nice day too.
TFS...:-)

Olá,
Bela macro, belas cores e detalhes bons.
TFS.
Debi

It looks to me between a mixture of a bird and a deer :)
Again very creative and artistic, besides the great quality.
I know you are not friend of frames, but this time it would fit perfect from my personal taste, of course.
Thanks very much for sharing. Regards, Felipe.

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2233 W: 188 N: 1929] (8127)
  • [2006-02-26 8:30]

Hallo Peter,
eon sehr schoene Ausschnitt. Fast wie eine Venedige Maske, gerade richtig zur Karnevalszeit. Die Farben und Schaerfe der Details sind unglaublich scharf. Excellenter Bildschnitt.
Gruesse...Sky

  • Great 
  • phlr Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1241 W: 129 N: 881] (2814)
  • [2006-02-26 10:17]

Excelent macro Peter!
Full of details!
The "eyes" of the buterfly's wings are GREAT!
It looks like a face!
Very good job!
TFS!

Hallo Peter,
danke für die sehr interesante Information. Rundum eine hervorragende Presentation des Schillerfalters. Ich habe mitlerweile schon mehrere Fotos vom Falter gesehen. Seltsam nur - jedes Mal hockt der Bursche auf steinigen Untergrund. Auf jeden Fall wieder einmal ein sehr schönes Foto. Danke Dir.
Gruß
Heinz

  • Great 
  • wuta Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 856 W: 2 N: 617] (2142)
  • [2006-02-26 12:17]

Hello Peter ,very good macro photo , good colours sharpnes details and the eyes ,good job ,greeting Teunie .

Hi, Peter:
I'm enjoying these adventurous crops of macro subjects - maybe we could run an ID competition? This is a very attractive image, but I agree that it needs a frame. I use them or not according to whim, but I've tried making one for this image - I hope you like it.
Nigel.

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3067 W: 231 N: 6168] (21076)
  • [2006-02-26 16:16]

Hi Peter,
This is absolutely magnificent.
Nothing more to say. : )
TFS. : )

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 987 W: 5 N: 2762] (10618)
  • [2006-02-27 5:54]

Hello Peter,
Excellent macro,
Very good lighting, sharp and detailed image, very nice colours

wow,
great macro with strong blue colour! Nice detail, composition and sharp!
Good note!
ana:)

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
  • [2006-02-27 23:46]

Hi Peter, how beautiful this looks. Absolutely wonderful face and colours. Well shown, TFS
Janice

  • Great 
  • TPAKT Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 114 W: 23 N: 19] (87)
  • [2006-02-28 10:35]

Ïðèâåò Peter.
First has thought, that the African mask. Very beautifully.Full of details! It not macro - is micro/

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2006-02-28 14:14]

Hello Peter, very interesting view and nice detials and colours. You did a great job on the exposure - there's loads of details in the whites. Well done.

Hi Peter,
The vivid colors and metalic sheen really jump off the screen at you on this shot. Very sharp detail in this ultra closeup. Looks Great!
Scott

Hello Pieter,
Excellent details and colors in this closeup. Great impact. I guess this makes me an "eye" witness? :-} Very well done.

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1391 W: 32 N: 1350] (3982)
  • [2006-03-01 19:47]

Hello Peter,
A very good close up view.
Very good exposure and excellent detail,even the tiny scales can be seen.
Your note is very interesting.
Great work.

TFS

Hello Peter,
That's a very nice shot. I like the idea of showing important details. This, along with the note, makes a superb whole.
Picture has very nice quality and lovely colours.
Very well done on this one!

That is a symmetry.
Nice photo

  • Great 
  • rimas Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 155 W: 3 N: 610] (4273)
  • [2006-03-09 8:24]

A beautiful macro shot Peter!
Very good details of hind wings, great colors. Wonderful composition and exposure.
Congratulations

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