<< Previous Next >>

Polyommatus icarus


Polyommatus icarus
Photo Information
Copyright: Luciano Gollini (lousat) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1107 W: 6 N: 3062] (11322)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-09-10
Categories: Insects
Exposure: f/4, 1/120 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-09-15 16:24
Viewed: 325
Points: 52
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
They are 2 males from an unusual point of view.

Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Superfamily: Papilionoidea

Family: Lycaenidae

Subfamily: Polyommatinae

Tribe: Polyommatini

Genus: Polyommatus

Species: P. icarus

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

Polyommatus icarus
(Rottemburg, 1775)
Argo azzurro
Lycaenidae

30-35 mm. - Comune in tutta Italia.
Piccolo lepidottero dallo spiccato dimorfismo sessuale. I maschi con ali superiormente blu e con riflessi violacei, margini soffusi di nero e contornati di frange bianche. Le femmine hanno livrea marrone con riflessi bluastri. Le parti inferiori, in ambedue i sessi, sono grigiastre o marrone chiaro, con macchie nere contornate di bianco e serie complete di lunule arancioni puntate di nero.
La specie, svernante allo stadio di bruco, compare da aprile in poi con due o tre generazioni annuali. Le larve vanno alla ricerca di varie Papilionacee (gen. Medicago, Genista, Trifolium, Lathyrus, Ononis, Lotus, ecc..); si presentano verdi con linea medio dorsale più scura e fianchi percorsi a livello degli stigmi da una fascia biancastra. La ninfosi dura circa due settimane.

L'areale abbraccia Europa ed Asia temperata, presente anche in Nordafrica e Anatolia. In Italia è specie alquanto diffusa dal livello del mare ai 2000 m. Nel territorio è tra i più comuni lepidotteri, lo si riscontra in cespuglieti, siepi e margini boschivi. (note in italiano fregate dal sito di Silvio Sorcini)
boreocypriensis, jrobertop, eqshannon, jaycee, Silvio2006, gracious, bahadir, siggi, robgra, cataclysta, Miss_Piggy, crs, gpeler has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To eqshannon: thanks!!lousat 1 09-15 17:11
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Ciao Luciano.
What beautiful visual ... A show of colours!
A fantastic composition with excellent chromatism and luminosity.
You have been very happy with this perspective!
The note is very informative.
Cheers,
José Roberto

Two males = unusual point of view....here in the US we call that Don't ask. Don't tell...and joking aside...that kind of behavior would be considered normal in some mammals outside of usn' supposed humans...and this also brings up a valid point. It animals have no emotions...and we suppose that they are only guided by instinct...then what exactly IS instinct? Can it be quantified? Can we even do a counter transference.. (psychiatric talk)....well for what it is worth it is a fine image albeit an unusual pose as you say...
Bob

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1909 W: 8 N: 4974] (16081)
  • [2008-09-15 17:28]

Hi Luciano,

An unusual and a wonderful pov. Either you have a way with butterflies or you were in the right place at the right time. Amazing to see these two different views of the male Common Blue. Wonderful colors, excellent details, and superb compositition. I had to chuckle at Bob's remarks because I was thinking the same as he was.

Jane

hello Luciano

very beautiful image of these butterflies
and WOW ! with the colour tones of the first one
and also i love the yellow colored flowers,

very fine POV and i love the way diagonally
is framed on the image, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1811 W: 29 N: 5243] (17176)
  • [2008-09-15 22:32]

Hi Luciano,
Outstanding shot of these two butterflies and you show both the upper and under wings so skillfully here. Lovely colours and details and you have handled the natural lighting so well here. Very neat and sharp image. Excellent POV and composition. Thanks for sharing this fine image.
Sumon

Hello Luciano, superb macro shot of this beautiful pair. Wonderful details and composition. TFS.
Regards, Deniz

Ciao Luciano,
Good shot of the Common Blue!
the exposure and focus is perfect with good sharpness, nice colour and details
well done
ciao
Tony

wonderful capture of this pair of butterfly. Excellent exposure and DOF. Great sharpness. TFS.
Greetings,
Bahadır

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 475 W: 11 N: 1334] (4670)
  • [2008-09-16 0:27]

Hi Luciano,
Beautiful butteflies, perfect focus! Details, color, sharpness, POV and composition are excellent. Well done. Congratulations...
Regards Siggi

Hi My friend! What a great duo! Perfectly captured and focused. I also photographed this species from Izmir but they have more bluish uperwings in here. Wonderful composition with vivid natural colours once more! I love your compositions evertime my friend!
Have a nice Tuesday!
Cheers,

Bayram

Bonjour Luciano,

Excellente composition avec un angle de vue idéal et un excellent arrière-plan dont les couleurs jaunes et vertes sont séparées par la diagonale. Très bonne netté. La lumière et les couleurs sont très belles. C'est une façon également très originale de pouvoir voir les deux côtés des ailes sur la même image.
Bonne journée,
Mariki

Czesc Luciano.
Excellent composition. We can see butterfly in two positions . Very good sharpness and beautiful yellow flowers. The whole looks great.
I greet Robert.

Hi Luciano,
Mükemmel fotoğraf.

Hi Luciano,
A nice capture of these beautiful common blues. Very well composed with sharp details. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hi Luciano
Maybe it is not perfectly sharp but POV and moment is great. Also nice light and good not disturbing background
TFS
Krzysztof

Hallo Luciano
This is a great image with soft colours and patterns. I love the way your subject fills almost the entire frame. It just brings out the details so much clearer and closer. I like the plain yellow flowers on which you photographed this butterflies, as it creates the ideal background setting. Kind regards and thanks for sharing.
Anna

Merhaba Luciano,renkler,kerkinlik ve kompozisyonuyla harika bir fotoğraf.Çok güzel bir makro,ellerine sağlık :)

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 996 W: 4 N: 2570] (11874)
  • [2008-09-16 10:12]

Hello Luciano, WoW what a clear shot. Excellent sharpness and wonderful clarity. Ganesh

Ciao Luciano, bella composizione....peccato solo che ci sarebbe voluta un pò più di profondità di campo ma le due Icarus sono davvero belle catturate in uno scatto davvero insolito.
Livio

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1355 W: 72 N: 2875] (9497)
  • [2008-09-16 10:51]

Hello Luciano,
Wonderful colour collection. Great clarity. Very original POV. The sharpness and composition are excellent.
Reagards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • crs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 404 W: 0 N: 630] (2535)
  • [2008-09-16 11:44]

Hello Luciano,

What anice shot with these two butterflys. Your photo has a very nice light rendering delicate color tones. there is a good contrast between insects and flower beneath.

Thank you for sharing,
Cristian

Come ho già detto a Silvio è molto difficile beccarla con le ali aperte. Dettaglio fenomenale per quello in primo piano un po' meno per l'altro, in compenso illuminatissimo.

Roberto

ciao Luciano,
bella presa con la visione integrale(esterno-interno) delle ali della Common Blue.

ciao sERGIO

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1883 W: 245 N: 6168] (21966)
  • [2008-09-16 14:10]

Luciano, this is superb!
I just love the vibrent colours.
Very good DOF that has kept both butterflies in focus.
Sharp with fine detail.
Excellent DOF.

Very well done,
Joe

Ciao Luciano eh queste note rubate, a buon rendere..
Non avevo mai visto una coppia di Polyommatus gay, veramente originale...
Bella dopia cattura da un POV veramente insolito, ma che stavano combinando?
Bravo cioa Silvio

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 362 W: 0 N: 369] (1475)
  • [2008-09-19 21:34]

Hello Luciano,
a very sharp and clear shot of this butterfly.
Great perching position and splendid mix of colours with the flowers.
Very pleasing and unique shot.

regards,
Foozi

Beautiful.

Dear Luciano ,
Very nice image.
Amazing light and vivid colours.
Very well done

Regards
Saeed

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF