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quite a rare pest


quite a rare pest
Photo Information
Copyright: Michal Grabowski (cedryk) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 966 W: 52 N: 1693] (5184)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-05-04
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon 350D, Canon 18-55mm EF-S f/3.5-5.6 II USM, @ ISO 200, Hoya UV Filter
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/500 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-10-01 16:41
Viewed: 738
Points: 6
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hi Friends,
Today I want to present you quite a rare find in Poland. The caterpillars of:

Aporia crataegi (Linnaeus, 1758) - Black-veined White
Subfamily: Pierinae
Family: Pieridae

The species used to be a pest of fruit trees in many European countries completely defoliating plantations. But... it's a long gone past. Why? Not surely known - chemisation may be a part of the answer. In a number of countries it becomes much less frequent, in UK and in Netherlands it is extinct now. In Poland it occurs more or less over the entire territory but is very local and infrequent. In fact, these caterpillars are the only I have seen in Poland so far. The only imagines I saw in southern Europe, but never took a picture. Actually you may see them on several good pictures on TN (eg. here or here). However, there's none good picture of caterpillar so I believe this can be a nice supplement :-)

What about their habitat and feeding habits? They occur on meadows with scrub or cultivated areas with fruit trees. Larvae feed on various fruit tree species (Prunus), Blackthorn and Hawthorns (Crataegus)as well as on other bushes. Adults fly from April till July. Once they were known to appear in large flocks, often migrating for long distances - now... well, you know the answer.
Janice, cataclysta has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3318 W: 149 N: 6113] (18646)
  • [2008-10-01 23:58]

Hello Michal
These are a hairy pair of caterpillars. Well captured, nie and sharp and good focus.
And what beautiful adults they turn into.
TFS
Janice

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 226 N: 6845] (24727)
  • [2008-10-02 14:30]

Hi Michal,
a great capture of these two pests.
They sure are hairy! :-)
Very good DOF.
Great light.

Well done,
Joe

Czesc Misiu
Dla mnie toi jest naprawde ciekawa prezentacja. Fotka jest bardzo ladna, gasienice fajnie ustawione po przekatnej kadru, tlo rozmyte, ostrosc dobra. Nigdy nie widzialem tego motyla a tym bardziej gasienicy ;-)
Pozdrawiam
Krzysiek

Witaj Michale
Bardzo ladnie pokazales te gasienice. Zdjecie jest wspaniale. Kolory i ostrosc pokazujace kazdy wlosek zadziwiaja.
Rok temu robilam takie okazy. Przy okazji zobacze jak mi wyszly :).
Gratuluje i pozdrawiam - Roma

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