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Polyommatus icarus female


Polyommatus icarus female
Photo Information
Copyright: Harm Alberts (Harm-digitaal) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 108 W: 7 N: 1844] (7009)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-06-10
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L USM Macro
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/500 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): European Butterflies 3 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-06-13 4:38
Viewed: 751
Points: 16
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Polyommatus icarus female / Common Blue female / Gemeiner Bläuling oder Hauheckel-Bläuling weibchen / L'Argus Bleu ou L'Azuré de la bugrane femelle / Icarus blauwtje vrouwtje.

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

Appearance, behaviour and distribution
Male uppersides are a beautiful 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 quite often, 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 Britains (and probably Europe's) commonest and most widespread blue, Found as far north as the Orkneys 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 foodplans are found. It is Widespread in Europe, North Africa and temperate Asia.

Lifecycle and foodplants
The Main foodplant on most sites is Birds-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 foodplants.

The caterpillar is small, pale green with yellow stripes and as usual with lycid larvae rather sluglike. 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. 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.
Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Blue

Harm
phlr, coasties, magal, Aramok has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Harm

The subtle colours in this shot are very pleasing to the eye. Very clear with sharp details. The quality is excellent. Nice work. Thanks.

  • Great 
  • magal Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 224 W: 0 N: 313] (1241)
  • [2006-06-13 5:44]

Beautiful shot!
The subject in sharp focus and all else blurred - excellent.
Mark

Hallo Harm,

I really like this picture. Good focus, DOF and nice composition. Well done.

Jan-Hendrik

Well taken against the light.
Good sharpness and composition.
Good OOF background.

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2233 W: 188 N: 1929] (8127)
  • [2006-06-13 8:02]

Hello Harm,
this is lovely, excellent POV, sharpness and colors. Beautiful light and superp composition.
TFS..Sky

Crip and enjoyable: a great capture. I wonder if the cropping might be slightly tighter on the right? Just a thought.

  • Great 
  • phlr Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1241 W: 129 N: 881] (2814)
  • [2006-06-14 7:07]

Excellent photo of this common Lycenidae Harm!
Very good on POV, colours, and BG!
Excellent DOF and details too!
Deserves more then 2 points!
Keep on going and TFS!

  • Great 
  • Aramok Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 885 W: 101 N: 1425] (4931)
  • [2006-06-14 15:44]

great shot with excellent POV and DOF.

TFS

Emma

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