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Like a Bird Dropping


Like a Bird Dropping
Photo Information
Copyright: Ivan Kruys (Argus) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2885 W: 169 N: 8419] (26122)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-05-29
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon 400D, Canon EF 300 f4L + Canon 1.4 converter
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/500 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-05-30 7:59
Viewed: 548
Points: 48
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is my first, with all its imperfections, post of a Geometer moth on TN.

Geometrids, or loopers, are moths whose caterpillars walk by drawing the rear part of the body that has ‘false’ legs to meet the front part with ‘true legs’ to form a loop. The front part is then raised and stretched forward and the process is repeated by the rear part. In this way it is said to ‘measure the earth’, which is what ‘geometer’ means.

Geometrids comprise a large super-family of moths and are found in all tropical and temperate regions of the world.

This species is Epirrhoe tristata, or Small Argent-and-Sable moth. It has two generations a year: one in the late spring and the second in the late summer. The larval host plant is Bedstraw, Gallium mollugo and G. verum. It is locally common throughout most of Europe; at low altitudes in the North and higher altitudes in the South

Most species of butterflies and moths protect themselves by their appearance, if not by speed of flight. Many do this by camouflage, others by means of mimicry. Well patterned moths like this one with white as the dominant colour mimic bird droppings when they settle. This one looks like a whitish splash: others look like more solid droppings.

This species flies mainly at night, though it is also active by day. When resting on a light-coloured tree trunk it can also escape notice by camouflage.

Even at a distance of 2 meters with my telephoto lens it was easily scared away and I had to take this shot at a POV that does not allow total sharpness.
Even so, I though it worth sharing on TN to show that a moth that mimics a bird dropping can also be pretty.

This shot was slightly cropped and after size reduction sharpened. I decided that the degree of noise did not warrant treatment.

PaulH, SkyF, angybone, jeanpaul, jaycee, ramthakur, phlr, jmp, horia, jcoowanitwong, anel, XOTAELE, mikou, peter_stoeckl, jmirah has marked this note useful
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To Mana: ThanksArgus 1 05-30 10:59
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2390 W: 194 N: 1991] (8113)
  • [2007-05-30 8:21]

Hello Ivan,
nothing much wrong with this capture, you did very well with capturing this moth.
The DOF is good but good be slighlty increased , but the important details are nice and sharp. Very well composed as well, your main subject is very well placed in the frame and the OOF looks great.
TFS..Sky

Nature has a some clever methods. And even though it looks like bird poopie, it's still lovely. Wonderful composition.

nice focus a little more DOF to get the head in focus would be nice.

Bonjour Ivan
Belle présentation et belle prise en macro avec ce joli papillon ,les couleurs et la nettetée sont très bonnes, belle composition .
Au revoir et félicitation ....JP

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1989 W: 8 N: 5274] (17097)
  • [2007-05-30 10:37]

Hi Ivan,

What an unusual pattern on this beautiful butterfly. The colors and details are wonderful. It shows up so well against the green leaf.

Jane

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1817 W: 29 N: 5281] (17302)
  • [2007-05-30 10:42]
  • [+]

Hi Ivan,
A beautiful bird dropping - and the first one to be. Neat, sharp and nice colours. Lovely patterns and very elegantly poised. Excellent POV to capture it diagonally and a smooth green BG to have a nice contrast. Amigosh......this is too many good words for a dropping.
TFS (the moth pic.)
Sumon

Never thought birds' droppings could look so attractive if arranged in a pattern, Ivan :-)!
This lovely moth looks more like a butterfly with its wings open.
Despite POV problem you speak of, it is a great capture.
Thanks and regards.

Hi Ivan,
that's a beauty, I never saw such a moth, the colours are beautiful and noble, a wonderful and interesting shot, thanks and greetings
Sabine - wishnugaruda

  • Great 
  • batu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1036 W: 290 N: 3483] (11590)
  • [2007-05-30 16:07]

Hello Ivan,
thank you for posting this bird dropping able to fly also upwards. Nice presentation of the complex wing pattern, in particular of the left fore- and hindwing. Depth of field appears rather narrow (f5.6). Eventually, a smaller aperture would have been advantageous.
Best wishes, Peter

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1836 W: 94 N: 2341] (8407)
  • [2007-05-30 16:34]

Hi Ivan,
Wiht all its imperfections, this a really nice moth. Next capture would be better and we surely wait for it.
TFS, José M.

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2171 W: 232 N: 4055] (13483)
  • [2007-05-30 16:46]

Hi Ivan

Even this is, hust as you said, not entirely sharp, you are right - something that looks like bird dropping can indeed be beautiful :)
Nice capture considerring the temper of this little fellow, charming natural colors and lovely composition.

Bravo and TFS
Horia

Hi Ivan,
Nice picture with intricate wing marking is clearly seen. Colors are vivid. The image is well composed. Also thanks to your informative note. Regards,
JC

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-05-30 23:54]

Hello Ivan

A well composed shot of this moth.The details and patterns show well.I like the way you composed the shot.Very good natural colours.Very informative notes.TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1277 W: 0 N: 2341] (9848)
  • [2007-05-31 2:00]

hello Ivan,
Nice to see also some of these Geometer Moths on TN. They have so interesting patterns, even if at first sight they may look dull. I also noticed, that they are quite difficult to photographe, always flying away at the slightest approach.
Best regards
Anne

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1086 W: 29 N: 3294] (11787)
  • [2007-05-31 3:55]

Hi Ivan,

fascinating insight into nature's power of design and camouflage. I like the POV and composition.

tfs,

Paul

sorry, points tomrrow :o)

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1030 W: 4 N: 2702] (12410)
  • [2007-05-31 4:18]

Ivan, very correct shot and lovely. It looks like it just came out of painting exhibition. The subject is very good. TFS Ganesh

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1010 W: 64 N: 1255] (5132)
  • [2007-05-31 5:30]

Fantastic capture, Ivan!
What a beautiful moth, even if it mimics a bird dropping :)
Excellent angle, sharpness, POV, DOF and composition, and much interesting note.
Greetings and TFS
Maite

Hola Iván.
Una estupenda mariposa con un colorido algo extraño para mi ya que no la había visto antes.
Buen bg y acertado y original POV.
Saludos, JL.

  • Great 
  • mikou Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 863 W: 73 N: 1348] (5265)
  • [2007-05-31 15:04]

Hi Ivan.
Well composed this capture.I like this moth with very interesting geometric drawing on wings.Your capture with nice POV shows here this moth very well with pleasant nature colors.DOF is little shallow and BG is pretty blurred.Well done.
TFS,with greeting Milos.

bonjour, tres joli ce papillon mais surtout couleurs originales
bien vu, merci , a bientot
edith

Bonjour,
Bel aérodynamisme et bon cadrage.
Bonne journée.
clnaef

Hello Ivan,
that's a pretty well composed image, coming with well explaining notes, clearly demonstrating a bird dropping camouflage. Exposure on white parts is hard to meet correctly with all those dark parts around, and for getting a sharper image it will be necessary to go for a shorter focal length and therefore to approach much closer than two meters, a hard thing to do with these alert moths. Nevertheless, it is very pleasing to see that Geometrid in its natural habitat, and you have captured it in an aesthetically very pleasing way. For the exact ID with so many similar looking species in Europe I guess it will need a Geometridae specialist, or quite a time spent on Chris Jonko's site http://www.lepidoptera.pl/.
Thank you! With best regards,
Peter

Preciosa aunque el blanco muy potente jeje.
GRACIAS por tu ayuda en la identificación del Bombylius major. Ya lo corrgí. Un placer gente tan amable como tú. Un saludo desde España Ivan.

Hi Ivan,
Very well captured with great comp, detail and color. Very well done.

TFS
Jim

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