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Scarce Swallowtail


Scarce Swallowtail
Photo Information
Copyright: Catherine Dijon (CatherineD) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 431 W: 15 N: 1870] (6743)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-06-21
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon EOS 40 D, Canon EF 100 mm F2.8 Macro USM
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/1250 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-07-14 9:40
Viewed: 439
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Iphiclides podalirius ssp. feisthameli

The Scarce Swallowtail is a butterfly found in gardens, fields and open woodlands. It is found in places with sloe thickets and particularly orchards. It is also called Sail Swallowtail or Pear-tree Swallowtail.
It is widespread throughout Europe with the exception of the northern parts. (Wikipedia)
The forewings are white or yellowish and have a black margin. Nearby the body is a little black area. Between these opposites there are five tiger-strips. The long strip in the middle has a light-coloured core.
The underside is a copy of upside, but there are some differences. The black band on the margin is a fine strip there. The next tiger-strip is filled out white or yellowish. The long strip in the middle has a clear light-coloured core there.
The Scarce Swallowtail is registered on the Red List of endangered species of Austria as highly endangered (Roteliste and Butterflycorner)

I remember the Scarce Swallowtail as one of the most beautiful butterfly of the Ourthe river valley, in Belgium. It was when I was young. But this species has disappeared from the major part of Belgium, except a few limited meadows. Then, I was very happy to see numerous of them on Ikaria island, especially on shrubs of Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus).
________________________________________________________
Le Flambé est un papillon de grande taille (les ailes antérieures mesurent 32 à 40 mm) aux ailes jaune pâle barrées dans le sens du corps par 6 grandes bandes noires. Les ailes postérieures se terminent chacune par une petite queue effilée noire à pointes jaunes. L'extrémité de ces ailes porte des petits croissants bleu clair. L'ocelle situé à l'angle anal est bleu entouré de noir et est surmonté d'une bande courte orangée.
Les sexes sont presque semblables. La femelle est plus grande et souvent plus claire.
Les ocelles et les pointes du bout des ailes postérieures simulent une tête, les ocelles évoquant des yeux et les pointes des antennes. Les prédateurs sont donc surpris de la direction de fuite de la proie et attaquent alors de façon privilégiée cette partie du corps.
Le Flambé fait partie de mes souvenirs d’enfant. En Belgique, c’était l’un des plus beau papillons de la vallée de l’Ourthe. C’était… malheureusement.
À partir de 1980, le Flambé a disparu de petits sites de la vallée de la Semois, de la Molignée, et de zones plus importantes comme la Lorraine et la vallée de l'Ourthe.
L'aire actuelle de répartition wallonne de l'espèce est assez limitée puisqu'elle se réduit à quelques pelouses calcaires de Fagne-Famenne-Calestienne. Même dans ces régions, l'espèce s'est particulièrement raréfiée, ce qui justifie son statut d'espèce menacée de disparition en Wallonie et d'espèce "vulnérable" sur la liste rouge (version 2005). Source de l’article et pour en savoir plus : Biodiversité Wallonie.

C’est donc avec une grande joie que j’ai pu observer le grand nombre de Flambé sur l’île d’Ikaria, particulièrement sur les buissons de gattilier (Vitex agnus-castus).
jojo1984, cataclysta, Argus, goatman04, nglen, horias, jconceicao, jlinaresp, valy67, nasokoun, SelenE has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To nglen: Thank you!CatherineD 1 07-14 14:59
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Critiques [Translate]

bonjours Catherine!
tres belle composition en diagonale! j aime beaucoups les couleurs naturelles la nettetée!
merci pour ton partage
a tres bientot
Joffrey

Hi Catherine
Very elegany image. I like background color and delicate flowers. Butterly is beautiful. Great artistic shot
TFS
Krzysztof

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3831 W: 190 N: 11410] (35161)
  • [2009-07-14 9:51]

Hello Catherine,
A great capture of I. podalirius in a technically excellent image and I like the diagonal composition in superb lighting.
Nice to view!
Thanks and best regards,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • Arjun Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 359 W: 7 N: 1114] (5420)
  • [2009-07-14 10:02]

hi catherine,
excellent picture of this sword tail.
very nice composition, the perch is very nice. BG is also awesome
TFS

  • Great 
  • thor68 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 792 W: 138 N: 1312] (5642)
  • [2009-07-14 10:02]

this is really beautiful! :-) excellent composition of the pretty swallowtail sitting on the branch with the nice pink
blossoms. sharpness, details, colors and lighting are perfect.
well done & best wishes, thor.

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2411 W: 94 N: 5569] (17712)
  • [2009-07-14 10:13]

Hello Catherine,
Great diagonal composition in this photo. Very beautiful clear colours and excellent sharpness an details. The light on the flowers and butterfly is gorgeous. Very nice plain BG.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • cirano Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 656 W: 0 N: 228] (4954)
  • [2009-07-14 10:23]

Slav Catherine,
Wonderful diagonal composition of this butterfly on the flower.Very good sharp and details,nice colors.Thanks for sharing.
Dûrzan

Hello Catherine,

A lovely capture with beautiful colors & fine details. Well done & TFS.

Regards

Umar

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2924 W: 34 N: 8671] (32310)
  • [2009-07-14 11:17]
  • [+]

Hi Catherine. I have yet to see one of these beutiful Butterflies. This is a first class closeup. Which you have taken with sharp focusing and fine detail. Your use of the light has given natural looking colours. A very nice pose on the flower buds. I am going to put this into my favorites, Very well done TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • horias Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 396 W: 59 N: 864] (4060)
  • [2009-07-14 11:49]

Hi Catherine,
Another great capture....lovely BG, colors are great. Congratulation!
Horia

Ciao again Catherine, superb macro with fantastic swallowtail, lovely diagonal composition with beautiful blurry BG, fine details, splendid sharpness and wonderful colors, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1978 W: 6 N: 5527] (19673)
  • [2009-07-14 12:02]

Salut Catherine,c'est une composition vraiment fantastique,une perle dans ta galerie de cette anne' vraiment de tres haut niveau.Mais la photo d'aujourd'hui est vraiment exceptionelle,sois pour le papillon,sois pour le point de vue,la lumiere,la nettete'.....2 points ne sont pas suffisant! Mes plus gros compliments,LUCIANO

hello Catherine
WAUWH this is so Beautiful!!
great sharpness and very good composition
SUPER
greeting lou

  • Great 
  • cloud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 297 W: 71 N: 758] (4703)
  • [2009-07-14 13:30]

Hello Catherine,
Splendid composition and framed very well. Interesting is light and colours. I like such uncommon photo.
Regards, Pawel

Hello Catherine,

Fantastic photo.
Natural colours with great definition.
lighting and composition are splendid.
I liked the note.

Hello Catherine,


Beautiful work, very good set. I am very pleased with the composition of the flower detail and cross the butterfly in the upper left third. I believe that the light was difficult to handle. You made very good tones and filled with excellent color balance and naturalness.

Beautiful work, well documented.

Thank you !

Jesús

  • Great 
  • valy67 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1880 W: 59 N: 2915] (8733)
  • [2009-07-14 23:25]

Bonjour Catherins !
Je rêve de rencontrer ce papillon un jour, mais je suppose qu'il a disparu de l'Alsace aussi, en même temps qu'il a disparu de la Belgique... Dommage... Mais en tout cas, cette photo est magnifique. La netteté et les détails sont impeccables, les couleurs discrètes sont très agréables, la composition, le POV et l'arrière-plan flou sont magnifiques. La branche fleurie qui fait une diagonale est très jolie. Félicitations !
Valérie.

hello Catherine
exceptional composition and use of afternoon light the colours looks very good, the POV also with result that it distinguishes,great macro capture and photo
TFS thanks for sharing
Nasos

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 657 W: 15 N: 1636] (6365)
  • [2009-07-15 7:47]

Hello Catherine
Wonderful capture with neutral BG and great details on subject.
Regards
Razvan

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2405 W: 63 N: 4227] (13822)
  • [2009-08-05 14:57]

Salut Catherine,
Color harmony, exposure handling, focus, sharpness, details, POV, setting and composition look so nice
Merci,
Selen

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