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Wing how from stained-glass window
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| Photo Information |
Copyright: Marx Kol (Marx44)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 53 W: 71 N: 245]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (1563) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2007-07-16 |
| Categories: Insects |
| Exposure: f/5.6, 1/500 seconds |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Theme(s): Summer Colours [view contributor(s)] |
| Date Submitted: 2007-07-22 3:53 |
| Viewed: 323 |
| Points: 4 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Butterflies this such flying gems.
Queen of Spain Fritillary,
Issoria lathonia
Distribution: North Africa and Europe, absent from the UK and central and northern Scandinavia. A very rare immigrant to S England but in some "years of abundance" records may total 30 or 40. Becoming temporarily resident occasionally, a colony may last several years (e.g. Minesmere, SE England in the early 2000s).
Identification: The large dominating silvery spots on the underside hindwing are distinctive. Similar spots also appear on the forewing apex, a unique feature. Spring brood butterflies are said to have greenish dusting around the wing edges and basally. They are also smaller than the summer brood. The butterfly can often be differentiated on the wing by the distinctive wing shape - there is a bulge at the apex which gives a kink in the outer margin unlike any of the other fritillaries which are smoothly curving.
Flight time: Effectively all year in the right places and with the right temperatures. The 2007 season has started very early with sightings in early February in warmish (8°C) but sunny conditions. Certainly these temperatures are not normal in Switzerland at this time of year, but the butterflies were ready to fly in good numbers.
Habitat: Hot dry places, often amongst cultivation. In Switzerland it is associated strongly, but by no means exclusively, with vineyards at low levels in the Valais.
Behaviour: A migrant, more northerly populations being reinforced annually by migration from the south.
Additional notes: The underside pearly markings are stunning. They make this one of the joys of the summer. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have photographs that really do this justice. |
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Hello Marx,
Beautiful, great color saturation and Pov, TFS
Donna:o)
Hello Marx,
Good natural light coming through...
Well composed.
TFS
Annick
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 528 W: 6 N: 1022]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(4074)