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Small Copper


Small Copper
Photo Information
Copyright: Heinz Koloska (wallhalla15) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1767 W: 58 N: 3350] (13829)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-07
Categories: Insects
Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50, Raynox DCR 150 macro lens
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/250 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-11-02 12:17
Viewed: 1244
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 46
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Small Copper
The Small Copper or the Common Copper, Lycaena phlaeas. is a butterfly of the Lycaenids or Blues family.
Appearance and behaviour

A common and widespread little butterfly easily identifiable in the UK. (There are similar species in continental Europe). The upperside forewings are a bright orange with a dark outside edge border and with eight or nine black spots. The hindwings are dark with an orange border. Some females also have a row of blue spots inside the orange border and are known as form caeruleopunctata The undersides are pattenered in a similar way but are paler. The black spots on the forewings are outlined in yellow and the dark colouring is replaced by a pale brownish, gray. The hindwings are the same brown/grey colour with small black dots and a narrow orange border. The larva varies in colour, usually green but sometimes with a purple stripe down the middle of the back and along each side.

In bright sun it is a very active little butterfly with the males setting up small territories which they will defend vigorously against rival males or indeed any unlucky passing insect. Even the shadow of a large bird passing overhead is enough to get him going. Females are pursued mercilessly and mating usually occurs low down in vegetation.
Distribution and habitat
It is found in a wide variety range of habitats from chalk downlands, heathland, woodland clearings to churchyards and waste ground in cities and can be found almost anywhere in south/central England and Wales although never, it seems, in large numbers. Its distribution becomes more patchy in northern England, Scotland and Ireland. It is widespread and common across Europe, Asia and North America, and also found in North Africa.
Life cycle and ecology
Depending on the habitat Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and Sheep's Sorrel (Rumex acetosella) are the two main foodplants although other Docks (Rumex) species are occasionally used. The eggs are laid singly on the underside of foodplant leaves and the young larvae feeds on the underside of the leaf creating "windows" by leaving the upper epidermis of the leaf untouched. Pupation takes place in the leaf litter and the pupa is thought to be tended by ants. There are between two and three broods a year, fewer the further north you go. In exceptionally good years a fourth brood sometimes occurs in the south and adults can still be seen flying into November. The butterfly overwinters as a larva.
Silke, batu, uleko, Argus, phlr, jrobertop, flashpoint, gracious, Juyona, thor68, Alex99, Janice, undoredo, hester, anel has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Silke Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 727 W: 98 N: 1694] (5406)
  • [2007-11-02 12:33]

Hello Heinz! Hello my neighbour in the TN gallery!
Superb composition here -- I love the delicacy of the details and the richness of the colours
TFS
silke

  • Great 
  • batu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1060 W: 290 N: 3953] (13364)
  • [2007-11-02 12:34]

Guten Abend Heinz,
noch ein Feuerfalter! ... und den in gewohnter Qualität von dir.
Die Zeichnungen von Flügeloberseite und -unterseite sind hervorragend scharf abgebildet. Der einzigartige Blickwinkel, perfektes Licht und die brillanten aber natürlichen Farben führen zu einer vollends gelungenen Komposition.
.. noch ein Feuerfalter soll heißen: Peter Stoeckl hat haute L. dispar eingestellt und ich in den letzten Tagen virgaureae, alciphron und tityrus.
Einen schönen Abend wünscht dir, Peter

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3824 W: 190 N: 11393] (35107)
  • [2007-11-02 14:05]

Hello Heinz,
You made a fine capture of this Small Copper from an unusual but very effective POV that gives us a view of both upper and undersides of the butterfly in good sharpness throughout.
Excellent lighting and colours and a fine composition.
Well done and TFS!
Ivan

Beautiful light and background in this pleasant composition Heinz.
Very nice work.
Cheers
Steve

Hello Heinz!
Excellent lighting and colours and a fine composition.
Vera

Hello Heinz.
Great capture of this exuberant butterfly!
Excellent contrast and colors.
Very good sharpness and POV.
Congratulations for the wealth of details.
Well done!
Best regards,
José Roberto

  • Great 
  • dejo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 375 W: 51 N: 519] (2238)
  • [2007-11-02 15:22]

Hello Heinz,
Great shot of this beautiful butterfly!
Nice angle and colors
Dejan

very superb capture Heinz
well focused in a green bg
rich colors and details

best regards sERGIO

Hello Heinz,
Excellent pose of the butterfly well captured!
perfect sharpness, vivid colour and so much details
the exposure and focus is spot on!
very well done and composed
cheers
Tony

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2999 W: 162 N: 984] (2877)
  • [2007-11-03 1:30]

Hello Heinz,
This is a lovely capture in beautiful light that you've saved up for now. I like the pose of the little Copper and details are very sharp and colours beautiful. Just a bit of noise in the background but a lovely composition.
Many thanks and regards, Ulla

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2264 W: 10 N: 2633] (15577)
  • [2007-11-03 1:33]

Hola amigo,
preciosa macro...
color y sensacional macro,
buen trabajo y pov,
saludos

Hallo Heinz,
rasante Pose, sehr feurig und lebendig. Elegant und dynamisch komponiert. Herrlich dazu die satt kontrastierenden Grün- und Blaugrün-Nuancen des weich gezeichneten Hintergrunds. Wer braucht hier noch ein Tropenhaus im Angesicht solch einer Farbenpracht in den Wiesen von Bueren.
Mit Dank und herzlichen Grüßen,
Peter

hello hienz,
beautiful capture, very nice pov offering both sides of the wings, sharp image with good details, lovely colours,
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Liebe Heinz,
ich werde nicht müde, diesen Schmetterling zu sehen. Du hast mit dem Durchlicht und den halb offenen Flügeln gut getan. Das Bild ist wunderbar geworden!
Beste grüsse
Dieter

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3586 W: 143 N: 5690] (18601)
  • [2007-11-03 10:38]

Hi Heinz.
What acute butterfly you have pictured. I like wonderful diagonal composition and your POV. The sharp insect image and blurred pleasantly BG harmonize very well. Lights and colours are very nice and framing is so exact. My best wishes and TFS. Well done.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
  • [2007-11-03 12:07]

Oh Heinz, a lovely photos of the tiny Small Copper butterfly - I love these little fellows.
You show him well, nice and sharp and very colourful
BRAVO!
Janice

Hello Heinz,
You bring here very pretty little butterfly!
Outstanding focusing on its head with excellent details and sharpness, also lovely colours and interesting POV, well presented!!
TFS and best wishes,
Kevin

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1381 W: 126 N: 5246] (23469)
  • [2007-11-04 1:11]

Hello Heinz, another fine shot from you of this beautiful butterfly, well composed, sharp and good exposure. The POV is great and the background is great. Thanks,

Mario

bonjour heinz
mise a part le bruit present sue le BG,le papillon est tres beau net et coloré.
j'aime aussi beaucoup le point de vue.
laurent

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1515 W: 18 N: 3165] (11638)
  • [2007-11-05 11:38]

Hi Heinz

Stunning POV! Beautiful colours, lovely DOF and wonderfully composed. It is just a lovely shot

TFS

Karan

Hi Heinz, superb butterfly with splendid details, great colors and excellent sharpness, lovely see both faces of wings, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1726 W: 0 N: 3927] (15770)
  • [2007-11-06 1:52]

hallo Heinz,
Sehr hübsche Darstellung des kleinen Feuerfalters auf der schiefen Bahn!;-) Schöner Farbkontrast mit dem Hintergrund. Ich staune zu lesen, dass man ihn noch bis in den November sehen kann..
Im Moment regnet es, also keine Schmetterlinge.
Liebe Grüsse aus Bern
Anne

Hallo Heinz,
ich habe auch mal 'ne TN-Pause gemacht und freue mich sehr, Dich heute hier zu sehen - mußte mir gleich mal ansehen, was Du so in der letzten Zeit eingestellt hast - und da ist mir dieser feurige Kerl gleich ins Auge gestochen.
Tolle Farben, schöne Pose, ein schöner Fang, Dein Feuerfalter. Dieses Jahr was kein Schmetterlingsjahr bei uns, ich habe kaum welche gesehen, schade.
Also Danke für Deinen hier, viele Grüße
Sabine - wishnugaruda

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