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Plebejus Argus


Plebejus Argus
Photo Information
Copyright: Livio Carroccia (livius) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 179 W: 0 N: 300] (1169)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-08-03
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon D50 Digital SLR, Sigma 18-200mm f 3.5-6.3 DC OS Hsm
Exposure: f/8, 1/500 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-01-07 4:00
Viewed: 838
Points: 40
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Genus: Plebeius
Species: P. argus

Appearance, behavior and distribution
So named due to the silvery blue metallic spots on the underside hind wings. The upperside are a rich, deep iridescent blue in the males with a black border and the characteristic Lycid white fringe. on the hindwings there is a row of inconspicuous black spots along the bottom edge. Females are dark brown with orange spots at the edges. On some sites the female has blue colouration but never as extensive as the male and she always possesses the orange spots. The undersides are a typical "Blue" design. The ground colour is silvery grey with blue suffusion at the base of the wings in the male and brown in the female. There are a number of black spots, each outlined in white and a row of orange spots along the outer edge of the hindwings, extending onto the forwings in the female. It is next to these orange spots that the "silver-studs" can be seen. Most easily confused with the Common Blue, it is generally slightly smaller and in the male the blue is a darker shade. The Common Blue also has an additional black spot at the base of the underside forewing. It is still widespread and locally common across Europe, Asia as far as Japan.

Lifecycle and foodplants
Eggs are laid on or near the ground, often near Ants nests and pass through the winter hatching in the spring in late March or early April. They have a wide variety of foodplants; on heathland the favourites include Heather Calluna vulgaris, Bell Heather Erica cinerea, Cross-leaved Heath Erica tetralix and Gorses Ulex spp. On grasslands Bird's-foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus, Common Rock-rose Helianthemum nummularium, Horseshoe Vetch Hippocrepis comosa and Wild Thyme Thymus serpyllum are used. The larvae have a close relationship with ants and produce a honeydew-like liquid to feed them. In return the ants will protect the larvae from predators. Black ants Lasius niger and Lasius alienus are the two most commonly associated ant species. In some European countries ants have been seen carrying the larvae. Pupation takes near and often inside ant nests where they continue to secrete Honey Dew until the Butterfly emerges. It is single brooded with butterflies on the wing from July until mid August.





Genere e specie Plebejus argus

Famiglia Licenidi (Lycaenidae)
Nome comune Argo
Dimensioni E' una farfalla di 20-30 mm di apertura alare.
Caratteristiche morfologica Le ali nel maschio sono di colore blu-violetto, bordate di nero; nella femmina sono marroncine.
Generazioni annuali Il bruco è dotato di processi cutanei che secernono un liquido zuccherino di cui si nutrono le formiche, con le quali convivono; si incrisalida nei formicai.In Emilia Romagna compie 2 generazioni all’anno e gli adulti sfarfallano in maggio-giugno e agosto. Sverna come uovo.
Distribuzione - habitat E' comune in tutta l’Italia dalla pianura alla montagna, fino a circa 2000 m di quota.
Piante nutrici Il bruco è polifago, ma predilige le Leguminose.
Alex99, Morigann, siggi, Argus, Silvio2006, maurydv, gracious, jusninasirun, boreocypriensis has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

nice colours and sharp , good DOF,
septimiu

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3585 W: 143 N: 5672] (18539)
  • [2009-01-07 6:20]

Hi Livio.
Wonderful close-up of this small beauty. I am impressed with sharpness of the picture and excellent work of your zoom lens. Details are ultimate and BG is fine too. Lights and colours are great. Well done and all the best.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1378 W: 56 N: 4747] (16330)
  • [2009-01-07 6:51]

Hello Livio,
Very good composition. Good background. Excellent sharpness.
Beautiful butterfly.
Best regards Siggi

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3821 W: 190 N: 11376] (35063)
  • [2009-01-07 7:26]

Ciao Livio,
A fine macro of a female P. argus taken from a difficult POV but you have managed to get most of her in focus with fine sharpness and compose the image well with a fine OOF natural BG.
Thanks for sharing this,
Best regards,
Ivan

Ciao Livio, bella farfallina, ti sei reso difficile la vita con un POV pribitivo, ma il risultato è ottimo, magnifici i colori, bravo, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1978 W: 6 N: 5527] (19673)
  • [2009-01-07 8:43]

Ciao Livio,questo e' uno degli amici della nostra estate,molto diffuso.La tua foto e' particolarmente piacevole perche' presa da un punto difficile e perfettamente a fuoco,complimenti,Luciano

Ciao Livio,
bellissima immagine di Argo in cui hai privilegiato la splendida composizione, senza trascurare gli ottimi dettagli della farfalla, molto belli i colori e la luminosità con uno stupendo OOF BG, un ottimo scatto senza un'ottica specifica per la macro.
Complimenti e grazie.
Maurizio

Hi Livio,
Excellent capture of this beautiful butterfly; great POV and composition, sharp fine details and bright natural colours.
TFS
Pekka

Ciao Livio. Mi piacciono questi POV anche se a volte - per me sempre - è impossibile mettere a fuoco tutto l'insetto. Comunque complimenti per la presa generale trattandosi di un insetto minuscolo.

Roberto

Ciao Livio,
Many thanks for sharing this fine and beautiful macro with it's quality!
the exposure and focus is perfect with a good dof!
I loved the light and colour in this shot
well done
ciao
tony

  • Great 
  • Nilson Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 442 W: 0 N: 427] (3110)
  • [2009-01-08 13:49]

Hello Livio
Nice shot with good colors and details, the composition is amazing. I liked the wings of this butterfly is very different
Congratulations
Nilson

Hello Livio

A lovely capture of this small argus.
The colours are very good.
You have managed a very good POV with good DOF.
well focused showing the markings well against a beautiful OOF BG.
TFS

Wolf

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
  • [2009-01-11 2:33]

Hello Livio
I do like these pretty little Blue butterflies and you show this one well.
Very good focus and the spotty antennae stand out so sharply.
The flower are pretty too
TFS
Janice

bella composizione,Livio
ottima cromia del BG con buoni dettagli delle ali..peccato per la zona in ombra che impedisce di vedere la testa e gli occhi della argus..

cioa sERGIO

Not much time this evening Livio,
But a well deserved :)
Howard

Hi Livio,

Beautiful framing of argus at the tip of this small flower. I like this wide perspective with shallow focus in silencing the background. Beautiful sharp image and well done.

Best regards,
Jusni

  • Great 
  • clnaef Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 778 W: 67 N: 645] (6814)
  • [2009-02-02 11:05]

Bonjour,
Un joli cliché plein de poésie.
Bonne soirée.
clnaef

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1899 W: 36 N: 5579] (18518)
  • [2009-02-04 21:30]

Hi Livio,
Wonderful shot of this beautiful blue butterfly with such lovely colours and details on its tiny wings. Great lighting and I like your POV to portray it on those flowers. Very nicely composed.
TFS.
Sumon

Ciao amico Livio,

A fine macro capture of a P. agestis fron wonderful POV with nice details and excellent composition.
TFS and have a nice day MF!
Cheers,

Bayram

Hello Livio
a fine capture of this Plebejus Argus taken with very sharp details,
the colors are very beautiful, i like also the pose on this white flowers, the BG and the DOF
Have a great evening
Jacqueline

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