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Argynnis paphia


Argynnis paphia
Photo Information
Copyright: Mircea Costina (mirceax) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 231 W: 56 N: 1354] (6247)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-07
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon D50, Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG Macro
Exposure: f/11, 1/200 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Romania butterflies [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-08-21 11:25
Viewed: 952
Favorites: 3 [view]
Points: 44
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia) is a European species of butterfly, which was in decline for much of the 1970s and 1980s but seems to be coming back to many of its old territories. It is also the largest species of fritillary.

The Silver-washed fritillary is deep orange with black spots on the upperside of its wings and has a wingspan of 54-70 mm, with the male being smaller and paler than the female. The underside is green and unlike other fritillaries has silver streaks instead of silver spots, hence the name silver-washed. The caterpillar is black-brown with two yellow lines along its back and long reddish-brown spines.

Adults feed on the nectar of bramble, thistles and knapweeds and also on aphid honeydew. the silver-washed is a strong flier and more mobile than other fritillaries and as such can be seen gliding above the tree canopy at high speed. It preferered habitat is thin, sunny deciduous woodland especially oaks but has been known to live in coniferous woodland.

The male possesses scent scales on the upperside of the forewing that run along veins one to four. The scent produced from these scales attracts females and helps to distinguish it from other species. Unusually for a butterfly, the female does not lay her eggs on the leaves or stem of the caterpillar's food source (in this case violets) but instead one or two metres above the woodland floor in the crevices of tree bark close to clumps of violets.

When the egg hatches in August, the caterpillar immediately goes into hibernation until spring. Upon awakening it will drop to the ground and feeds on violets close to the base of the tree. The caterpillar usually feeds at night and usually conceals itself during the day away from its food source but during cool weather will bask in the sunny spots on the forest floor on dry, dead leaves . It will make its chrysalis amongst the ground vegetation and the adults will emerge in June.

http://en.wikipedia.org
Pentaxfriend, Necipp, XOTAELE, Proframe, lawhill, phlr, snowfalken has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Mircea,

What a beautiful colours BF shot
Sharpness, details, colours, POV and lighting are SUPERB
Lovely compo

TFS Thijs

Hello Mircea,

Whay can I say? Perfection!

MIke

Hello Mircea excellent details really beautifull shot, quality work tfs rgds necip.

Hello Mircea, lovely colors on this butterfly, perfect focus with very good DOF and superb background,
great macro-shot,
well done,
Pat

Hi Mircea,good compsition and marvelous colours.TFS
Friendly,Mich

Fantastic shot, Mircea, I love to see the glittering in the wings and the colours are wonderful, thanks
Sabine - wishnugaruda

Perfecta imagen con unos detalles realmente increíbles! Una iluminación fabulosa con esos detalles de las alas...
Mi enhorabuena por tan perfecto trabajo.
Hasta pronto, JL.

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1381 W: 126 N: 5246] (23469)
  • [2007-08-21 12:54]

Bonjour Mircea ! Ta photo de ce papillon est vraiment une macro exceptionnelle. Superbe background bien flou, exposition parfaite et piqué du tonnerre ! (Bravo pour le f11 !) Le sujet est très joli aussi ! Bravo !

Mario

Hi Mircea
Beautiful perfect exposure. Great colors and composition. Great homogenous OOF buckground
Very good job
Best greatings
Krzysztof

Gran composición de esa bella Argynnis. Delicados colores y buen fondo.
Saludos Mircea.

Hello mircea,
Beautiful macro super colorful, sharp focus
and composition well done. TFS. Best regards/Lawhill

What a great joy to look at this perfect macro image Mircea.
Technically flawless shot with superb composition, sharpness, DOF and exposure.
Very beautiful details, contrast and colors.
The soft background with the darker greens and black tones, against wich the butterfly and flower do stand out excellent, is very pleasing.
Thanks for sharing and the perfect note.
Best wishes,
Harry

Hi Mircea,

Wow, this is going to my favourites. Excellent detail on the wings, really. The composition is so nice, the BG perfect, the colours sublime, and the picture is so nicely presented. I really cannot see a single nit. It doesn't look like it was taken in direct sunlight, but you handled that so well that it is certainly not a nit. Like I was told recently, don't let it go to your head, but to me this picture is perfect. Very well done.

Jan-Hendrik

The colors are gorgeous Mircea. It is just a wonderful photograph. The flower and the butterfly stand out so well against the OOF dark background.

TFS
Evelynn : )

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 226 N: 6845] (24727)
  • [2007-08-22 1:23]

WOW!
I never knew how beautiful this butterfly was!
I'd only seen its upperwings.
A perfect photo in every way.
Composition draws the eyes to the beautiful iridescence on the wing, POV clearly shows the colours and patterns, excellent isolating DOF, perfectly contrasting BG and the flower its perched on is great!
Very well done,
Joe

Hi Mircea!
Excellent colors, POV and DOF. Fantastic composition. Well done!
regards
Dorota

  • Great 
  • rdfoto Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 372 W: 0 N: 719] (3295)
  • [2007-08-22 12:35]

Bonjour Mircea
Superbe prise d'un papillon que je n'ai jamais observé, excellente gestion de l'exposition couleurs, netteté, cadrage, Bravo
Amicalement Robi

Salut Mircea,

O compozitie de exceptie cu un subiect foarte frumos! Imi place profilul pe care l-ai surprins atat de bine si care iese in evidenta pe fundalul superb. Imi place faptul ca ai incadrat si floarea care echilibreaza atat de bine compozitia. Culorile sunt absolut minunate si si contrastul foarte bun. Ai surprins detalii perfecte iar diafragma f/11 ti-a permis obtinerea unei profunzimi mari a campului vizual. Felicitari! Multumesc!

Salut,
Eddie

Mircea

What a great shot of this attractive Fritillary

Excelelnt sharpness and composition
Great DOF. I love the sheen on the underside of the rear wing.

Chris

mircea,

wonderful colors!and superbe sharpness where it should be!nice BG!for me it is the perfection!
tfs
caroline

  • Great 
  • reina Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 260 W: 1 N: 328] (2024)
  • [2007-09-04 23:41]

Wonderful colours on the wings, never saw this butterfly so great oppertunity to learn. Great job with lighting and subject on the flower makes the picture even more interesting. Good note as well.
Thanks for sharing, Reina

Hello Mircea.

Excellent image, nice composition and colors.

Regards.
Jose Luis.

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