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Caterpillar Danaus Plexippus


Caterpillar Danaus Plexippus
Photo Information
Copyright: Ricardo Tames Vargas (RII) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 485 W: 0 N: 884] (2812)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-12-11
Categories: Insects
Camera: Sony Cybershot DSC-F828
Exposure: f/4, 1/60 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Caterpillars, CATERPILLARS OF AMERICA [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2005-12-13 2:31
Viewed: 5130
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Spanish]
Caterpillar Danaus Plexippus.

Reino: Animalia
Filo: Arthropoda
Clase: Insecta
Orden: Lepidoptera
Familia: Nymphalidae
Genero: Danaus Plexippus

The Butterfly King like all the Lepidopterons have a complete metamorphosis, that is to say, it goes by several very defined development stages before arriving to the mature state. The metamorphosis has a duration from three to five weeks, depending on the environmental conditions, and it is carried out in the following way:

a) egg Phase. The mature female deposits more than 500 little eggs in the back of the leaves of the plants of the gender Asclepias, generally one for plant. The little eggs is of the size of the head of a pin, of creamy white color and in a conical way, this phase has a duration from 3 to 12 days depending on the environmental conditions.

b) larva Phase or caterpillar. Of the little eggs they are born the larvas or caterpillars that are of white color with fine grooves of orange black and yellow color, with a well developed head. Their cylindrical body is formed by thirteen segments; they have the salivary glands modified to produce silk. In this phase they feed of leaves of Asclepias that although poisonous for most of the animals they are not it for the caterpillars, on the contrary, the poison accumulates in its body without making them I damage and it serves them as protection against the birds that are its predatores. During the following two weeks, their development is very quick because its size increases from 200 to 300 times, being its rigid skin, too small for what has to move it five times during that time, once it reaches the appropriate size he/she gets ready for the following stage.

c) chrysalis Phase or pustule. The caterpillar stops to eat and she abandons the plant where she was born to look for an appropriate place to become chrysalis. Clean their bowels and he/she knits a small pad under a branch and of her it hangs for the later part of the abdomen forming a “J” with their body, it changes skin for it finishes time and of their mouth it leaves a silk thread to form the cover that will protect it. In one hour he/she becomes a chrysalis of yellow green color, gradually it changes form and he/she becomes hard becoming of green blue color with golden and black points. After eight to ten days the chrysalis is translucent being able to observe the wings of the butterfly.

d) Mature Phase or Imago. After two weeks of apparent inactivity, it breaks the covered with the pustule or chrysalis and it goes out the butterfly with their wrinkled and humid wings. The butterfly begins to pump fluids toward her wings so that they are unfolded and dry off, when these reach her stability and normal size, the adult is clever to carry out his flight and to reproduce. The butterfly feeds of the nectar of the flowers of different species of plants.
phlr, Janice, dew77, petrudamsa, scottevers7, moemf, Dave, wallhalla15, Ninfa, marhowie, h_sedghi, soccer has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • phlr Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1241 W: 129 N: 881] (2814)
  • [2005-12-13 3:56]
  • [+]

Nice shot of this caterpillar!
Very good BG, Ricardo!
Beautiful colours it has!

Ricardo - super shot of the Monarch caterpillar. Excellent composition, perfect BG, stunning colours and sharpness. Well done, thanks...
Janice

Hello Ricardo!
What a fantastic subject!!!
Great colours and looks superb on dark BG!

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2005-12-13 4:50]
  • [+]

Hello Ricardo!
Wonderful capture.Colors,dark BG,contrast,lighting and framing are excellent.TFS..:-)

La larva parece buena y tiene colores agradables y vivos. Debe intentar cosechar esto en un ángulo diferent y mover el tema del centro. Daría más dinamismo a la fotografía.

Saludos, Petru

Hi Ricardo,
Excellent shot here. I think the exposure is really good on this fill flash shot. I like the composition, and the dark backround. A real beauty with great notes.
Scott

  • Great 
  • moemf Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 116 W: 0 N: 160] (701)
  • [2005-12-13 9:06]
  • [+]

Hi Ricardo

Great last couple of posts. I like this one for the colour against the dark BG. Very good sharpness.

Thanks

Reinier

  • Great 
  • Dave Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 525 W: 47 N: 674] (2173)
  • [2005-12-13 10:56]
  • [+]

Striking colors Ricardo! Very beautiful against the dark background!
Well done!
Thanks,
Dave

Great macro Ricardo. Colorfull with very good sharpness and very good details. Very good job. Well done.

  • Great 
  • Ninfa Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 112 W: 3 N: 204] (747)
  • [2005-12-14 22:46]
  • [+]

Hola Ricardo, una composición sencillamente rica en líneas, disfruto de recorrer cada línea de esta bella oruga.. Interesentes detalles ligeramente captados en los tentáculos, Me gusta la nitidez de su cabeza y la de las patas del lado del abdomen (que parecen zapatitos)..Saludos Cordiales.*Ninfa Urania*

Good detail and color Ricardo. Your subject stands out very well against the black BG.
Just a bit burned from your flash? Try using a diffuser over your in-camera flash to soften and fill. Well done.

  • Great 
  • tjasa Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 100 W: 0 N: 84] (647)
  • [2006-01-14 6:34]
  • [+]

Hej RII!
Great collourful picture! I like black background and so strong foreground! Nice and interesting animal ;) Have a nice day!
Tjaša

Hi, I like your (small at the moment) collection of American caterpillars, and just wanna ask about the black background, was it some intent, and maybe you'd better choose a more natural colour

¡Qué close-up! Los colores y los detalles son impresionantes. Saludos desde Caracas, Yvonne

Ricardo,

A very colourful pic you have. Great POV and BG. TFS,
Sheriff

  • Great 
  • cam Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 87 W: 0 N: 78] (360)
  • [2006-06-10 1:47]
  • [2] [+]

Hello Ricardo
A familiar caterpilar to Quebec,the monarque is very aboundant here at the end of summer.
You have a good contrast with a slightly overexposure on the white,but so lightly as to not disturb at all.
Good work overall
Charles

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