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Holly Blue Butterfly


Holly Blue Butterfly
Photo Information
Copyright: Robert Brown (Robbrown) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1303 W: 96 N: 2158] (6054)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-04-25
Categories: Insects
Camera: SONY DSC F-707, Carl Zeiss 9.7-48.5, Digital ISO 100
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/800 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-04-28 17:59
Viewed: 860
Points: 16
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Another Image from the visit to the Attenborough Gravel pit nature reserve.
This one is a 1st veiw for me to, not seen one before, and it was not till I got the image home that I nailed the ident for it.
It is a Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) and a male one at that. I know this because his wings on the inside are an even metalic blue where as hers have a wide darker area on the outer edges of the wings.
This is one of the spring generation of this 2 generations a year butterfly, nothing unusual in this you say> what is different is that the spring generation lays its egg on the flowers of Holly (Ilex) these finally emerge as butterflies in July these ones go and find Ivy flowers to lay their eggs on.Though just to spoil the whole thing about the 2 generations eating different foods if nether of these are available they will put up with any of the following flowers, Gorse (Ulex) , Dogwood (Cornus) , Spindle (Euonymus) and Bramble - Blackberry (Rubus).
Size wise this is quiet a small butterfly being only 1 1/4 ins - 32mm acros the wings when open.
Seen here sitting very briefly on a Stinging nettle (Urtica major) leaf, I got four images and somebody walked behind me, even though I was kneeling in the middle of the path with the camera , I had just spent 20 minutes walking up and down this path folowing it and waiting for it to settle for a moment, for this chance of an image.
Adjustments
Levels
sharpen with USM
Crop to size
Use Save As to preserve the Exif Data
Other images from the Attenbourgh Nature Reserve
Cuckoo Flower
Wolf Spiders
Speckled Wood Butterfly
Syrphus ribesii Hoverfly
Hope you like them
sAner, AndyB, hummingbird24, zenitlady, phlr has marked this note useful
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To sAner: Distance from ButterflyRobbrown 1 04-28 18:34
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Critiques [Translate]

Very nice macro Robort.
This little butterfly is a beauty. It's common here but most people don't see because it's so small, I have post one earlier.
Very good details, colours abd details.
Very well done.

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1648 W: 79 N: 1438] (4742)
  • [2005-04-29 3:39]
  • [+]

Hello Rob,

This is an excellent capture. The details on the beautiful butterfly are very sharp and the colors are lovely. What I like most is the fantastic BG formed by the big green leaf. Very nice. POV & DOF are excellent. The first macro I saw a few months ago was a macro by Jaap (Carper) of this butterfly and I loved it. Your shot is very good. How close were you? TFS!

Regards,
Pieter

What a Lovely, fluffy butterfly.. I dont associate hair with butterflies, but this is lovely. Love the blue.

TFS
Elize

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1586 W: 32 N: 1350] (3980)
  • [2005-04-29 3:52]

A nice capture.
I've yet to see one of these, fingers crossed I do on my trekking tomorrow.The forecast is good :-)
Nice detail on this one,the exposure is very good.
Good work,TFS

  • Great 
  • Graal Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 787 W: 31 N: 20] (5002)
  • [2005-04-29 13:29]

Very good macro. Good details, nice colours and interesting note. Well done.
Have a nice weekend.
Aleksander

He is a beauty Robert, and well named.
Until joining TN, I had no idea that there were so many blue varieties of butterflies.
This one is well captured and has great detail. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Hello Rob! Love the butterfly's "stockings!" What an unusual one, and did you ever do a wonderful job! The details on the antennae and the fringes on the wings are great! Interesting how you brought out the luminescence in the lower light. Great DOF for a macro on those nettles, too! Really like this one! Thanks! Linda

  • Great 
  • phlr Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1276 W: 133 N: 874] (2804)
  • [2005-06-10 13:22]

A small and very beautiful blue butterfly! Also common in Portugal!

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