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Monarch Caterpillar


Monarch Caterpillar
Photo Information
Copyright: Helene Provencher (chouette) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 302 W: 0 N: 843] (3000)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-08-02
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Canon EF 100mm F2.8 Macro USM
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/400 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-08-07 9:41
Viewed: 2120
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 64
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Monarch Danaus plexippus

Wing span: 3 3/8 - 4 7/8 inches (8.6 - 12.4 cm).

Identification: Upperside of male is bright orange with wide black borders and black veins; hindwing has a patch of scent scales. Upperside of female is orange-brown with wide black borders and blurred black veins. Both sexes have white spots on borders and apex.

Life history: Adults warm up by basking dorsally (with their wings open and toward the sun). Females lay eggs singly under the host leaves; caterpillars eat leaves and flowers. Adults make massive migrations from August-October, flying thousands of miles south to hibernate along the California coast and in central Mexico. A few overwinter along the Gulf coast or south Atlantic coast. Along the way, Monarchs stop to feed on flower nectar and to roost together at night. At the Mexico wintering sites, butterflies roost in trees and form huge aggregations that may have millions of individuals. During the winter the butterflies may take moisture and flower nectar during warm days. Most have mated before they leave for the north in the spring, and females lay eggs along the way. Residents of tropical areas do not migrate but appear to make altitude changes during the dry season.

Flight: In North America during spring and summer there may be 1-3 broods in the north and 4-6 broods in the south. May breed all year in Florida, South Texas, and southeastern California.

Caterpillar hosts: Milkweeds including common milkweed (Asclepius syriaca), swamp milkweed (A. incarnata), and showy milkweed (A. speciosa); and milkweed vine in the tropics. Most milkweeds contain cardiac glycosides which are stored in the bodies of both the caterpillar and adult. These poisons are distasteful and emetic to birds and other vertebrate predators. After tasting a Monarch, a predator might associate the bright warning colors of the adult or caterpillar with an unpleasant meal, and avoid Monarchs in the future.

Adult food: Nectar from all milkweeds. Early in the season before milkweeds bloom, Monarchs visit a variety of flowers including dogbane, lilac, red clover, lantana, and thistles. In the fall adults visit composites including goldenrods, blazing stars, ironweed, and tickseed sunflower.

Habitat: Many open habitats including fields, meadows, weedy areas, marshes, and roadsides.

Range: Southern Canada south through all of the United States, Central America, and most of South America. Also present in Australia, Hawaii, and other Pacific Islands.


I took this photo at the butterfly house of Domaine de Maizerets, Québec.

Hope you like it! Thanks for viewing and comments.


Speed: 1/400
F-Stop: f/7.1
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 100mm
Exposure compensation: -1/3
Manual focus
mbasil, horia, mogens-j, Dando, fyapici, vanderschelden, wallhalla15, marhowie, hibou, jeanpaul, liziafa, batu, RAP, JanArie, liquidsunshine, manyee, coasties, sandpiper2, TAZ, SkyF, pierrefonds has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2172 W: 218 N: 4383] (14902)
  • [2006-08-07 9:44]

A very beautiful shot, Helene!

Superb colors, nice sharp details, great POV and DOF and a very beautiful pale BG. Also very good framing and composition.

Bravo and TFS
Horia

Great macro, Helene! Great details and lighting. Nice job with the neutral background, too. I like the habitat depicted on the bottom of the shot. Even the frame is nice. My personal taste would be to crop a little from the top for more of a panorama, but that's just a personal preference. Well done!
Mike

Excellent capture of this Monarch caterpillar Helene. Amazing sharpness and wonderful details. Colours look great and the background is well blurred. Fascinating how the caterpillar can be different in colours – sometimes even more colourful than the adult image. You did a great job here. Personally I would prefer a little more space in front of the subject.

Very informative note.

Mogens

  • Great 
  • Dando Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 637 W: 32 N: 792] (3084)
  • [2006-08-07 10:01]

Hi Helene, this is a truly excellent macro. The details, colours, exposure, lighting and overall composition are outstanding. Brilliant work my friend and TFS.
Dean.

Hi Helene!
No more words. Perfect. TFS.
TECHNIQUE
Composition : 5
Sharpness : 5
Colour : 5
Depth Of Field: 5
Point Of View : 5
Background : 5
Contrast : 5
Focus : 5

PRESENTATION
Framework : 5
Note : 5*

Selamlar / Regards.
Fevzi.

Bonjour Hélène,
Wow! Qu'elle belle macro et composition. J'aime beaucoup les couleurs, la nettetée ainsi que le beau BG. Bravo!
Claudine

Helene,
Beautiful vivid colours. Good compo and focus.
TFS
Annick Vanderschelden

  • Great 
  • Aramok Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 885 W: 101 N: 1425] (4931)
  • [2006-08-07 10:55]

I can't really say much other than WOW - that is a really nice shot - you must be please with it.

great detail and excelletn DOF, POV, sharpness and colours.

TFS
Emma

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1515 W: 18 N: 3165] (11638)
  • [2006-08-07 11:09]

Hi

Just making a quick stop as I am working away from home and I am on a computer at work.

Lovely shot. Amazing colours, POV, BG and details

Karan

Hello Helene,
Very nice..Just FANTASTIC! :)

Great macro shot Helene. Great sharpness, details, clarity and nice DOF. Great colours, POV and composition too. Thanks for sharing.
Gr.
Heinz

  • Great 
  • hibou Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 216 W: 1 N: 329] (1617)
  • [2006-08-07 12:05]

Bonjour Hélène,

Tout simplement SUPERBE ! Le sujet, les couleurs, la composition, les détails, bref ... une tout est parfait. Bravo !
Donald

Hi Helene,
your shot is perfect - wow, the colours are so brilliant and the sharpness excellent.
Very well done, thanks
Sabine - wishnugaruda

Salut Helene
Magnifique photo en macro de cette belle petite chenille .J'aime beaucouo tous les détails et les belles couleurs ainsi que la belle présentation.
Merci et au revoir ....JP

Hi Helene,
Very good close-up.
Excellent sharp, details and colors.
Nice composition.
Well done!
TFS Malgosia

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2009 W: 122 N: 2581] (8424)
  • [2006-08-07 14:04]

marvelous shot Helene,
good pov and very good sharpnes, great colourful composition and fine quality, very good job.
gr. jaap

Gorgeous shot this is truely perfect in all aspects, the subject itself is really cool looking. :)

  • Great 
  • batu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1059 W: 290 N: 3946] (13340)
  • [2006-08-07 14:53]

Hallo Helene,
an pretty good presentation of the Monarch caterpillar. Nice colours and excellent sharpness. Unfortunately, the head of the spesimen is hidden by the flower.
Best wishs,
Peter

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2006-08-07 15:35]

Agregado a mis Favoritos Helene... perfecto DOF y nitidez para retratar con bellos tonos una gran oruga, contra un fondo limpio.
Gracias...
Saludos... Ricardo

Add to my Favorite Helene... perfect DOF and clarity to depict with beautiful tones a great caterpillar, against a clean bottom.
Thank you...
Greetings... Ricardo

A very beautiful image, Helene.
Very sharp and beautiful colors.
I like this photo very much!
greetings Jan-arie

Lovely capture Helene,
The details are nice, clear and sharp.
Good colours, lighting and exposure. DOF is spot on and the POV is good.
Well composed and excellent notes.
Thanks for posting, have a great week.

  • Great 
  • chiliu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1494 W: 0 N: 1175] (6494)
  • [2006-08-07 18:20]

Hi Helene,
Fantastic shot! Excellent camera work, very sharp image, clean background, beautiful colours and very well composed.
Thanks for sharing!

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3066 W: 231 N: 6160] (21048)
  • [2006-08-08 2:15]

Wow, Helene... The sharpness on this Monarch caterpillar is superb!
And the colors are fantastic.
What a gorgeous eyeful.
TFS. : )

Hi Helene

Great work. All the techo stuff looks spot on. Good colours and nice to view. :-)

Excellent colours ang great light for this beautiful photo, Helene!fantastic sharpness and BG
Best regards
JJ

Very good capture, well ballanced and exposed.
Good sharp image and good DOF and OOF background.

  • Great 
  • nimou Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 148 W: 1 N: 687] (3169)
  • [2006-08-08 8:55]

Good details, nice composition and lovely colours. Regards

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2006-08-08 12:26]

Elle jolie cette chenlle avec son pyjama rayé ;-) Sérieusement c'est une belle macro et de qualité. Compliments Hélène et merci pour le partage.

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2233 W: 188 N: 1929] (8127)
  • [2006-08-13 8:04]

Bonjour Helene,
this looks wonderful, excellent composition. Great POV and DOF. The wonderful neutral bg lets this caterpiller stand out very well. Beautiful sharp details and lovely colors.
TFS..Sky

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1381 W: 126 N: 5246] (23469)
  • [2006-08-17 17:28]

Quelle belle macro ! Bravo pour ce super résultat. Excellente composition et superbe technique ! Merci !

Mario

  • Great 
  • Zeno Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 451 W: 0 N: 975] (8383)
  • [2007-03-27 4:54]

Hi Helene,

This is how macro should be. Eveything's just perfect: colors, sharpness, lighting, POV and DOF. Great capture!

regards,
Zeno.

Bonsoir Hélène,

Une belle image de cette chenille du monarque, la photo a une bonne composition, netteté et de jolies couleurs. Bonne soirée.

Pierre

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