Photos: Earth >> Europe >> Italy >> Umbria >> Perugia >> Norcia

Register

  << Previous Next >>

Lycaena virgaurea


Lycaena virgaurea
Photo Information
Copyright: Roberto Innocenzi (cobra112) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 581 W: 9 N: 1179] (6492)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-08-01
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon D40X
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-09-02 4:04
Viewed: 318
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Subphylum:Hexapoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

(unranked):Rhopalocera

Superfamily:Papilionoidea

Family: Lycaenidae


The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide,[1] whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 40% of the known butterfly species. The family is traditionally divided into the subfamilies of the blues (Polyommatinae), the coppers (Lycaeninae), the hairstreaks (Theclinae) and the harvesters (Miletinae); others include also the Lipteninae, Liphyrinae, Curetinae and Poritiinae. A few authorities still include the family Riodinidae within the Lycaenidae. The monotypic former subfamily Styginae represented by Styx infernalis from the Peruvian Andes has been placed within the subfamily Euselasiinae of the family Riodinidae. Adults are small, under 5 cm usually, and brightly coloured, sometimes with a metallic gloss. The male's forelegs are reduced in size and lack claws. Larvae are often flattened rather than cylindrical, with glands that may produce secretions that attract and subdue ants. Their cuticles tend to be thickened. Some larva are capable of producing vibrations and low sounds that are transmitted through the substrates they inhabit. They use these sounds to communicate with ants. Adult individuals often have hairy antenna-like tails complete with black and white annulated appearance. Many species also have a spot at the base of the tail and some turn around upon landing to confuse potential predators from recognizing the true head orientation. This causes predators to approach from the true head end resulting in early visual detection. Lycaenids are diverse in their food habits and apart from phytophagy, some of them are entomophagous feeding on aphids, scale insects and ant larvae. Some Lycaenids even exploit their association with ants by inducing ants to feed them by regurgitation, a process called trophallaxis. Not all Lycaenid butterflies need ants, but about 75% of species associate with ants. The term used to describe such ant association is myrmecophily. These associations can be mutualistic, parasitic or predatory, depending on the species. In some species, larvae are attended and protected by ants while feeding on the host plant, and the ants receive sugar-rich honeydew from them, throughout the larval life. In other species, only the first few instars are spent on the plant, and the remainder of the larval lifespan is spent as a predator within the ant nest. It becomes a parasite, feeding on ant regurgitations, or a predator on the ant larvae. The caterpillars pupate inside the ant's nest and the ants continue to look after the pupa. Just before the adult emerges the wings of the butterfly inside the pupal case detach from it, and the pupa becomes silvery. The adult butterfly emerges from the pupa after 3-4 weeks, still inside the ant nest. The butterfly must crawl out of the ant nest before it can expand its wings. Several evolutionary adaptations enable these associations and they include small glands on the skin of the caterpillars called pore cupola organs. Caterpillars of many species except those of the Riodininae have a gland on the 7th abdominal segment that produces honey dew and is called the dorsal nectary gland (also called Newcomer's gland). An eversible organ called the tentacular organ is present on the 8th abdominal segment (third segment of thorax in the Riodininae) and this is cylindrical and topped with a ring of spikes and emits chemical signals which are believed to help in communicating with ants. As many as 30% of world's threatened butterflies are lycaenid.
Lycaena virgaurea
diurnal butterfly of the family of the Licenidi. Beautiful butterfly from the advanced livery of an unmistakable red-orange-gold with black edge in the males, while the female yellow is gilded with a small series of black specks. It is found fin' beyond i 2000 mt, on the mountain’s meadows untill to the edges of the forests. A single generation from beginning june to september. The nutrice plant of the caterpillar is the romice.

I Lycaenidae (LEACH, 1815) sono un'ampia famiglia di Lepidotteri che comprende circa il 40 % di tutte le specie di Ropaloceri conosciute. Le specie appartenenti a questa famiglia si nutrono con vari tipi di cibo, incluse felci, conifere, funghi, licheni, cycas, e larve di formica. La famiglia si suddivide nelle seguenti sottofamiglie:
• Curetinae
• Liphyrinae - spesso considerata una tribù delle Miletinae
• Lipteninae - spesso considerata una tribù delle Poritiinae
• Lycaeninae
• Miletinae
• Polyommatinae - spesso considerata una tribù delle Lycaeninae
• Poritiinae
• Riodininae - considerata da alcuni Autori una famiglia valida
• Theclinae - spesso considerata una tribù delle Lycaeninae


Lycaena virgaurea
farfalla diurna della famiglia dei Licenidi. Bella farfalla dalla livrea superiore di un inconfondibile rosso-arancio-oro con bordo nero nei maschi, mentre la femmina è giallo dorata con una piccola serie di macchioline nere. Si trova fin'oltre i 2000 m di quota, sui prati montani e ai margini dei boschi. Una sola generazione con sfarfallamento da inizio giugno a settembre. La pianta nutrice del bruco è il romice.
goatman04, siggi, boreocypriensis, maurydv, jlinaresp, bahadir, Noisette 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 lousat: Nikoscobra112 1 09-02 14:10
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Hello Roberto...My neighbor for today,

A great capture with beautiful radiant colors, sharpness & fine details. Nicely done & TFS.

Regards

Umar

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1376 W: 56 N: 4736] (16296)
  • [2009-09-02 5:17]

Hello Roberto.
Fantastic capture! The butterfly is beautiful the details show really well, the OOF background is nice and soft.Best regards Siggi

Ciao amico Roberto,

An awesome macro capture of this beautifully coloured Lycaenid from top with wonderful vivid colours and details. Nicely composed and framed too.
TFS and cheers,

Bayram

Ciao Roberto,
una fantastica macro di maschio di Virgaurea, tanto bello da competere con il maschio della più rara Dispar (che anche tu hai avuto la fortuna di fotografare), straordinarie nitidezza dei dettagli e bellezza dei colori, inoltre ne hai ricavato una stupenda composizione.
Grazie e complimenti.
Maurizio

hello Roberto
super picture so ful of beautiful colours
great sharpness
greeting lou

  • Great 
  • joska Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 409 W: 0 N: 1022] (5492)
  • [2009-09-02 6:07]

Congratulations, very nice photo, interesting composition!

Ciao Roberto,

Beautiful picture, very, very deep! the butterfly seems to be crossing in flight over the fund!, colors are beautiful, mostly the orange of the insect's wings, very good vertical composition.

TFS!

Jesús

Ciao Roberto, bella farfallina dai vivaci e brillanti colori, ottima nitidezza, bravo, ciao Silvio

Ciao Roberto
superb close up shot of this beautiful butterlfy. Nice composition and vertical framing!
TFS and regards, Bahadır

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1978 W: 6 N: 5527] (19673)
  • [2009-09-02 12:25]
  • [+]

Questo e' un colpone,altro che la mia.Non l'ho mai vista e penso che sia davvero difficile da gestire come colore,ho visto tanti arancioni sparati violentemente qui su TN...la tua e' perfettissima....quando c'e' la classe c'e' tutto..ehehe..molto bello anche il taglio verticale e la composizione.Buona serata,LUCIANO (Certo che le foto di Nikosrio sono proprio belle,hai visto che lucentezza?)

Ciao Roberto
Quel beau travail !!!
La couleur est très naturelle, et la lumière très belle
Merci
Amicalement
Laurent

Hello Roberto
a great shot of this Scarce Copper, i like his bright orange color
great sharp details and lovely composition
very well done and have a good night
Jacqueline

ciao Roberto!
due ottime catture di Lycaena virgaurea con buobna focalizzazione e dettagli...il pov mi sta anche bene,pero' sembra che a questa povera licenide "manchi l'aria"...a mio parere manca dello spazio ambientale

buona serata sERGIO

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF