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Lycaena phlaeas


Lycaena phlaeas
Photo Information
Copyright: Luciano Gollini (lousat) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1978 W: 6 N: 5527] (19673)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-10-16
Categories: Insects
Exposure: f/4, 1/1600 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-10-17 4:28
Viewed: 210
Points: 50
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Family: Lycaenidae

Genus: Lycaena

Species: L. phlaeas

The Small Copper, American Copper or the Common Copper, Lycaena phlaeas, is a butterfly of the Lycaenids or Blues family. It is 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 caterpillars (larvae) are usually green, but some have a purple stripe down the middle of the back and along each side.It is widespread and common across Europe, Asia and North America, and also found in North Africa south through Ethiopia.
It 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 found in a wide variety range of habitats from chalk downlands, heathland, woodland clearings to churchyards and waste ground in cities.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.The eggs are laid singly on the underside of foodplant leaves and the young caterpillar 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 further north. In exceptionally good years, a fourth brood sometimes occurs in the south and adults can still be seen flying into November. The species overwinters as a caterpillar.Depending on the habitat, Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and Sheep's Sorrel (Rumex acetosella) are the two main food-plants, although other Docks (Rumex spp.) are occasionally used.

Lycaena phlaeas (Linnaeus 1761) Argo bronzeo.
Descrizione
Licenide dalle ali anteriori rosso-dorate, con fascia marginale scura e macchie nere. Le ali posteriori sono brune con margine posteriore rossiccio e dentellato; portano, inoltre, un abbozzo di appendici caudali. Inferiormente, la livrea è di tonalità fulva con macchie nere orlate di giallo sulle anteriori e colore bruno-grigiastro sulle posteriori, con sparsi piccoli puntini neri.

Biologia
In genere due o tre generazioni, talvolta anche quattro in dipendenza dalle condizioni climatiche. Il bruco, lungo non più di 15 mm, si presenta tozzo e col corpo verde percorso lateralmente da due linee rossastre. Si nutre di Poligonacee (gen. Rumex e Polygonum); quelli dell'ultima generazione svernano e riprendono lo sviluppo e la conseguente ninfosi nella primavera successiva.

Distribuzione ed ecologia
Diffusa con alcune sottospecie dalle regioni orientali nordamericane al Giappone. Quella europea, presente in tutto il continente, oltre che in Nordafrica, è una delle farfalle più comuni, spingendosi dalla pianura ad oltre i 2000 m. Nel territorio la si osserva facilmente nelle radure boschive e nelle campagne coltivate.
Heaven, Alex99, horias, eqshannon, marianas, nasokoun, nglen, Juyona, cirano, Noisette, boreocypriensis, siggi, goldyrs has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Luciano!

Your picture is superb! It's particularly due to the special background. One can't distinguish what it is, the blurred effect and the lightplay make it very interesting. Moreover, it leads to the sharp shapes of the butterfly with all its details and superb colours. A fine picture!

Kind regards

Markus

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3585 W: 143 N: 5672] (18539)
  • [2009-10-17 4:36]

Hi Luciano.
What an attractive POV and composition of the shot. Both buds of the plant and sweet butterfly are represented by the best way. Simply great lighting, wonderful colours and terrific details. Well done. Great work.
Alexei.

Great macro capture of this butterfly with nice colours of the wings.Best regards.Alin.

Ciao Luciano. Eccone u'altra che se ne frega del freddo. Fantastici e brillanti i colori e ottima profondità di campo. Il dettaglio sul fiore è pauroso. Intrigante lo sfondo.

Roberto

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1725 W: 0 N: 3924] (15760)
  • [2009-10-17 5:17]

Bonjour Luciano,
Il y a donc encore des papillons chez vous, le dernier peut-être pour cette année. Là L. phlaeas semble te faire un petit coucou de par derière ces boutons de fleur.
Image très charmante.
Une bonne fin de semaine
Amitiés
Anne

Cioa Luciano, POV insolito ed efficace, magnifico lo sfondo, che mi sembra di aver già visto qualche giorno fa, ottimi colori e fantastici dettagli, piccolo capolavoro, bravissimo, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2395 W: 94 N: 5542] (17634)
  • [2009-10-17 6:59]

Hello Luciano,
Very beautiful photo from a special frontal POV. Great clear colours. Good sharpness and details. Very nice composition.
Regards,
Peter

Luciano
Wonderful portrait!
Great details, lovely colors.
Horia

hello Luciano
great composition with good sharpness and beautiful colours
greeting lou

A very nice setting of colours and patterns. they all blend together so well. Patterns is teh key word here Luciano!
Bob

Hello Luciano,

A beautiful macro with lovely coloration & under wings patterns/details. Fantastic POV, pose & BG.

Very nicely done & TFS.

Best wishes

Umar

Luciano
Wonderful colored capture!
Lovely details.
Mariana

  • Great 
  • Ishi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 162 W: 0 N: 973] (3718)
  • [2009-10-17 10:00]

Hi Lucian,

Lovely image from an usual POV. Great take, as usual. I'm fascinated by the different color of the wings!

TFS! Enjoy the weekend,

Ishi

buona sera my friend Luciano!
exceptional scene,the composition with the flower the surreal background,they create with marvellous colours and details a superb photo! bravo!
TFS thanks for sharing
Nasos

Ciao Luciano,

Interstingly, you captured the butterfly in "Eye-to-Eye" contact. This is a lovely capture of butterfly with superb details. The blurry BG is great. I like the great contrast between the colors of the butterfly and green BG. The sharpness and POV are perfect.

best regards,
Paras

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2912 W: 34 N: 8640] (32202)
  • [2009-10-17 12:26]

Hi Luciano. This is a different POV looking at the underside of this butterfly. Still taken with good detail and natural colours. A good pose on the unusual plant. well taken TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2264 W: 10 N: 2632] (15573)
  • [2009-10-17 12:57]

Hola amigo,
original macro,
encuadre y colorido hermoso.
finos detalles,
saludos Luciano.

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 226 N: 6845] (24727)
  • [2009-10-17 13:16]

Ciao Luciano!
How have you been?
A very nice photo of this beautiful butterfly.
Excellent BG.
Very sharp.

Well done,

Joe

Bonsoir Luciano,
Intéressante composition, très dynamique. Très joli ces différentes de teintes entre les ailes, probablement grâce à l'orientation de la lumière du flash. Et cette fois, je sais: à l'arrière-plan ce sont des arbres! Bon dimanche,
Catherine

  • Great 
  • cirano Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 656 W: 0 N: 228] (4950)
  • [2009-10-17 14:27]

Slav Lûcîano,
An excellent macro shot of this butterfly from taken a great POV with nice colours and perfect sharpness.TFS and best regards,
Dûrzan

Bonjour Luciano
superbe photo avec un point de vue très original qui nous montre le dessous de son corps et de ces ailes, il a l'air de nous regarder dans les yeux
magnifiques details sur le papilon et sur la plante envahie par une toile d'araignée, belles couleurs at beau BG
Passe une bonne nuit et u bon dimanche
Jacqueline

Hi and Good Morning Luciano,

You captured thjis beauty from an unusual but perfect POV providing all underwing pattern and details with wonderful composition. The different colouration of the wings are also interesting. Beautiful macro in all around MF!
TFS and have a nice Sunday!
Cheers,

Bayram

Ciao Luciano
Belle vue du dessous pour ce "Cuivré commun" ( en français)
Je l'aime beaucoup pour les beaux dessins qu'il a sur ses différentes faces.
Merci
Amitiés
Laurent

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1378 W: 56 N: 4747] (16330)
  • [2009-10-18 1:29]

Hello Luciano,
your butterfly shots are always very special due to your different approach and i really like your pov here, well composed shot, sharp image with good details,well done,
Best regards Siggi

How did you manage this shot, my friend Luciano!
This is most amazing!
I love the exposure and the composition!
Bravo!
Goldy

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