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Polyommatus icarus


Polyommatus icarus
Photo Information
Copyright: Paras Bhalla (parasbhalla) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 328 W: 0 N: 833] (3288)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-08-02
Categories: Insects
Camera: Sony Cybershot DSC P150
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/80 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-09-30 0:44
Viewed: 198
Points: 40
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
General Information on "Common Blue" from WiKiPedia:

The Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.

Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Papilionoidea
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Tribe: Polyommatini
Genus: Polyommatus
Species: P. icarus

Binomial name Polyommatus icarus (Rottemburg, 1775)


Appearance, behaviour and distribution:

Male uppersides are an iridescent lilac blue with a thin black border. Females are brown with a row of red spots along the edges. They usually have some blue at the base of the wings and, especially in Ireland and Scotland, are mostly blue but always have the red spots. Undersides have a greyish ground colour in the males and more brownish in the females. Both sexes have a row of red spots along the edge of the hindwings (extending onto the forewings though generally fainter, particularly in the males where they are sometimes missing altogether). There are about a dozen black centered white spots on the hind wings, nine on the forwings. The white fringe on the outer edge of the wings is not crossed with black lines as it is in the Chalkhill and Adonis Blues, an important difference when separating these species, particularly the females.

It is Britain's (and probably Europe's) most common and most widespread blue, found as far north as Orkney and on most of the Outer Hebrides. Males are often very obvious as they defend territories against rivals and search out the more reclusive females. A range of grassland habitats are used: meadows, coastal dunes, woodland clearings and also many man made habitats, anywhere where their food plants are found.
It is widespread in Europe, North Africa and temperate Asia.

Recently, Polyommatus icarus was discovered in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada by Ara Sarafian. An amateur entomologist, he had been observing the butterfly from 2005 to 2008. He contacted the Canadian National Collection of Insects in Ottawa where the butterfly was identified as P. icarus, a new alien butterfly to Canada and North America. The butterfly seems to be well established and is extending its range from year to year (Source: http://www.entsocont.com/Newsletter_Dec_2007.pdf).

Lifecycle and food plants:

The main food plant on most sites is Bird's foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus). Others used include Black Medick Medicago lupulina, Common Restharrow Ononis repens, White Clover Trifolium repens and Lesser Trefoil Trifolium dubium. Eggs are laid singly on young shoots of their food plants.

The caterpillar is small, pale green with yellow stripes and as usual with lycid larvae rather slug-like. Hibernation occurs as a half grown larvae. They are attractive to ants but not as much as some other species of blues. The chrysalis is olive green/brown and formed on the ground where it is attended by ants which will often take it into their nests. The larvae creates a substance called honey dew, which the ants eat while the butterfly lives in the ant hill. In the south of Britain there are two broods a year flying in May and June and again in August and September. Northern England has one brood flying between June and September. In a long warm year there is sometimes a partial third brood in the south flying into October.

(Source of above mentioned information: WiKiPedia)
yasemin, rousettus, nikosrio, siggi, Mikolaj, horias, goldyrs, nglen, Gert-Paassen, roges, boreocypriensis has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Paras... Beautiful catch and well framed. I liked the pose. Thanks to share.
Kind regards,
Leyla

  • Great 
  • joska Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 417 W: 0 N: 1039] (5576)
  • [2009-09-30 0:53]

Very good presentation, nice colors and details!

Hi,
Good composition and colors, good details on the butterfly. tfs.
nagraj.v

Hello Paras,
what a nice capture of beautiful Common Blue, with sharp details, great POV and composition. green of leave nicely contrasted with its beautiful colors. Thanks for sharing, best wishes my friend
Ahmet

Nice capture, beautifull colors, sharp details an excellent POV,
TFS, best regards,
Nikos.

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1343 W: 0 N: 2585] (9117)
  • [2009-09-30 3:03]

Hi Paras,
lovely presentation of this blue. Very sharp and very clear. the pose by the blue is always exciting. The eys are very agile and you have shown in very well.

regards,
Foozi

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1385 W: 56 N: 4777] (16434)
  • [2009-09-30 3:56]

Hello Paras.
Lovely shot - I like the contrast in colour between the leaf and the butterfly and the sharp details on the wings.
Best regards Siggi

Hello Paras! Nice light and bright, good colours, very good sharpness. Perfect exposure. Well done!

Ciao Paras. Again very good light and natural colours. Nice compo.

Roberto

Hello Paras,
a nice picture of with fine and natural colours.
It's not pin sharp but sharp enough with your quite long shutter speed for close-up. It's well composed and I like it have a lot more space in the front.
Well done.

/Gert

Paras
Yes, a great capture today!
Lovely colors, beautiful details, good POV!
Horia

hello Paras
very nice composition
good light and beautifulcolours
great details
greeting lou

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2411 W: 94 N: 5569] (17712)
  • [2009-09-30 8:33]

Hello Paras,
It's Common Blue day today. Excellent photo in very nice bright colours and good sharp details. Good POV, composition and OOF BG.
Regards,
Peter

I wonder how you get the almost graphic like texture in your BG!
Very beautiful, Bro!
Goldy

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1978 W: 6 N: 5527] (19673)
  • [2009-09-30 9:02]

Hi Paras,very great close-up ot the king of automn....impressive sharpness,beautifuls naturals colors and excellent composition too.My best compliments,have a nice day,Luciano

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2924 W: 34 N: 8671] (32310)
  • [2009-09-30 10:02]

Hi Paras . This is a first class close up of this Common Blue butterfly. Which you have taken with fine detail and sharp focusing. With natural colours. well done TFS.
Nick..

Hi Paras,

very nice close up from this butterfly.
Good pov and dof.
Fine colours.

Gert

Ciao Paras, lovely little butterfly with fine details and excellent sharpness, splendid natural colors, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • roges Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 620 W: 0 N: 561] (3236)
  • [2009-09-30 12:20]

Hi Paras,
Exceptional macro.
And the description is top, congratulations.
Best regards,
Adrian

Namastay MF Paras,

Extraordinarily beautiful macro capture of a commpn blue from nice POV with neat details and fine composition.
TFS and have a nice night!
Cheers,

Bayram

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