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Papilio machaon
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| Photo Information |
| Copyright: Irenka Vasaliut (irenka) (4) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2007-04-07 |
| Categories: Insects |
| Exposure: f/4, 1/400 seconds |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2007-05-30 15:10 |
| Viewed: 578 |
| Points: 4 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
This striking butterfly is yellow with black wing and vein markings and a wingspan of 8 to 10 cm. The hind wings of both sexes have a pair of protruding tails which give the butterfly its common name. Just below each tail is a red eye spot.
The Swallowtail is present throughout the entire Palearctic region through Russia to China and Japan (including the Himalayas and Taiwan) and across into Alaska and Canada. In Asia it is reported as far South as certain oases in Saudi Arabia and Oman and the high mountains of Yemen.This butterfly is widespread in Europe but is limited to a few areas in the Norfolk Broads of East Anglia in the United Kingdom where it is the UK's largest resident butterfly (the Monarch Danaus plexippus being slightly larger but only a rare vagrant).
There are 37 subspecies. It is often common and not threatened as a species. The butterfly has a strong and fast but frequently breaks off to hover over flowering herbs and sip nectar. It frequents the alpine meadows and hillsides and is fond of 'hilltopping'. In lower elevations it can also be seen visiting gardens.
There are usually two to three broods in a year, but in northern areas the species may be single-brooded. In some places like the UK some will pupate and emerge in the same year and others will overwinter as pupae before emerging the following year a situation known as being partially double brooded.
Females lay eggs singly on plants of the umbeliferae family. The caterpillar spends the first part of its life with the appearance of a bird dropping, an effective defence against predators. As the caterpillar grows larger it becomes green with black and orange markings. The caterpillar still has a defence against predators in the form of an organ called an osmeterium which consists of retractable, fleshy projections behind its head that can release a foul smell.
Unlike other swallowtails, this species specialises in using plants of family Umbelliferae. |
parvulescubio, phlr has marked this note useful
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bun venit pe TN Irenka
asa cum ti-am mai spus, o poza reusita. Focusul e f bun, la fel si profunzimea, daca erau aripile in plan deschise, era si mai bine. Dar in wild nu e intotdeauna asa cum vrem, nu?
succes pe mai departe,
si sa stii ca mai asteptam imagini.
Lucian.
Hello Irenka,
Warm welcome to TN!! Wonderful first post ...
BG is distracting as it is the same colour as the butterfly and the head and eyes are not totally vissible. The out of focus material in the bottom left corner is distracting as it appears to be closer to the eye.
Also, please enter your equipment so we can see what was used to take the pics.
Excellent first post!! Look forward to your other posts!
TFS
Liz
c nasol:)))
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