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Painted Lady


Painted Lady
Photo Information
Copyright: Gert Paassen (Gert-Paassen) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 398 W: 0 N: 1603] (5239)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-07-13
Categories: Insects
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-07-11 21:29
Viewed: 358
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Dutch]
Today a butterfly that in the summer comes to middle and north Europe.
They do not survive the winter here.
They live in south Europe and North Africa.

Latin name - Vanessa cardui

A strong migrant which boosts its populations in northern Europe by annual migrations from its breeding grounds in the south. It seems not to be able to survive the winter further north, so it is scarce some years, common others.

Only possible confusion is with the extremely rare migrant Vanessa virginiensis which has to come from north America.

Description

The Painted Lady has a wingspan of about 2 to 2 1/2 inches (5 to 6 cm). The upper side is orange and black, and the underside is rose pink with black and white patterning and four eyespots on its hindwing. The shaggy body and adjacent wing surface are tan.

Range and Habitat

The Painted Lady is the most widely distributed butterfly in the world, which is reflected in one of its common names, Cosmopolite. Hostplants for the spiny caterpillars are diverse, ranging from composites to Boraginaceae, Malvaceae, Fabaceae, Verbenaceae, Rosaceae, Polygonaceae, Apiaceae, and Rhamnaceae--making them easy to rear. Nectar plants are also diverse, with a preference for thistles.

Natural History

They survive through the winter in the southwestern United States, Baja California, and Sonora. Farther north, the first frost destroys the populations and might stimulate some to migrate south for the winter, but this does not happen regularly.

If adequate rain occurs in the winter it can stimulate a northerly dispersal and repopulation of the butterflies in the United States, Canada, and Iceland. This spring dispersal can sometimes be quite phenomenal, with millions moving through a region over a seven to eight week period. They come to rest for a quick nectar break on a diversity of plants before continuing their northward movement.

Related or Similar Species

Two closely related and very similar species in our region are Vanessa annabella, the West Coast Lady, and Vanessa virginiensis, the Virginia Lady.
gracious, scshekar, cloud, siggi, maurydv, uleko, haraprasan, Juyona, jaycee, Vinster, CeltickRanger, anel has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Gert!
Excellent image of the Painted Lady!
good pose with perfect exposure and focus in beautiful colouration!
well done and have a great weekend!
cheers
Tony

  • Great 
  • Ken52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 663 W: 98 N: 1260] (4181)
  • [2008-07-11 21:58]

Exceptional butterfly photo with outstanding details, excellent DOF with nice clean background and wonderful exposure. The sharpness is amazingly precise with perfect edges!

Hi Gert,

Its butterflies all over, nice to see your picture of painted lady, good BG, POV, you could have still reduced space at the back I felt.TFS.

  • Great 
  • cloud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 110 W: 60 N: 211] (1859)
  • [2008-07-11 22:58]

Hello Gert,
Very good composition and light, flower and butterfly with clear BG.
Regards, Pawel

Clįsica y elegante toma. Sobresalientes colores y un atractivo fondo. Buen enfoque.
Saludos Gert: J. Ignasi

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 289 W: 3 N: 788] (2822)
  • [2008-07-12 0:29]

Hi Gerd,

This is a beauty! The colors and patterns of the butterfly are wonderful. Marvelous details and a beautiful flower. A lovely picture.

Siggi

Stupenda macro di Vanessa cardui, eccellenti POV e Composizione con un delicato e neutro BG che esalta la bellezza di questa farfalla, ottima definizione dei dettagli, magnifici i colori. Grazie e complimenti. Ciao Maurizio

Hi Gert,
Superb close up!
Nice sharp detail and great DOF.
Well done.
TFS Malgosia

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2468 W: 168 N: 7464] (23588)
  • [2008-07-12 3:56]

Hello Gert,
Splendid view of this lovely Lady posing beautifully for you! Impressive details and lovely colours against a nice and smooth background.
Many thanks and have a nice weekend, Ulla

Hi Gert,
A nice capture of this beautiful vanessa. Very good details and a lovely composition. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2042 W: 6 N: 2025] (13277)
  • [2008-07-12 6:08]

Hola Gert,
preciosa macro y excelentes colores y foco...
agradable trabajo,
saludos

Hi Gert,
This is a very nice capture of a specie that we also have here. I like this plain green background that makes it stand out very well! You captured excellent details in good exposure. I haven't seen them here yet this summer. They might come soon. Thanks,
Claudine

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1788 W: 8 N: 4639] (15001)
  • [2008-07-12 9:39]

Hi Gert,

Your Painted Lady is picture perfect. The pose is wonderful showing both sides of the wings in excellent detail. Clarity and sharpness are exceptional. The colors natural and beautiful. Background and composition are magnificent. This is a special beauty.

Jane

Hi Gert

Excellent detail, lighting, POV and exposure. Lovely DOF to make the butterfly stand out. First Class.
Vinny

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-07-12 22:02]

Hello Gert

Just marking the post for now

Rob

Hi Gert
Beautiful composition with wonderful color and fine detail
tfs jon

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1174 W: 0 N: 1980] (8393)
  • [2008-07-13 5:32]

hello Gert,
Very pleasant presentation of Vanessa cardui. The colours are very subtle, the background nice and blurred, may be the flower is a little too much cut.
Thanks and best regards
Anne

hello Gert

excellent shot of this butterfly with his flower, fine POV and framing,
beautiful warm luminosity of the image, excellent sharpness
and details, i love the uni-colored background, TFS

Asbed

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