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Monarch Butterfly.


Monarch Butterfly.
Photo Information
Copyright: Luis Leal (Luis52) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1110 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-10-25
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon D700, 55mm Micro Nikkor f2.8
Exposure: f/4, 1/1500 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-10-30 18:09
Viewed: 218
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Monarch Butterfly is the king of the insect world. Even though they are small creatures, they do phenomenal things. First, they develop from tiny eggs, to a caterpillar, become a chrysalis, and finally transform into a beautiful butterfly. They migrate, traveling great distances to over winter in a temperate climate. Amazingly enough, not one butterfly makes the entire round-trip journey. Winter butterflies are sluggish and do not reproduce. In spring they return to summer homes and breed along the way. Their offspring return to the starting point.

Danaus plexippus is the scientific name for the Monarch Butterfly. Related species in the family are found on all continents except the polar regions, wherever milkweed and related plants are found. It also provides the Monarch with an intriguing form of protection, since the milkweed juices assimilated by the Monarch make it poisonous to predatory birds. The beautiful orange color of the Monarch butterfly serves to teach predators that their intended meal might be toxic. Not all milkweeds produce cardiac glycosides, therefore not all Monarchs are poisonous. However, the warning orange color serves to disguise poisonous from the non-toxic Monarch.

MIGRATION
Each Autumn, thousands of Monarch Butterflies gather in southern Canada to migrate south. Some of these butterflies travel over 2,900 kilometers, just to overwinter in places such as Michoacan, Mexico in a small town called Angangueo. Other Monarch Butterflies also overwinter in Cuba, and Pacific Grove, as well as Newark, California. In sanctuaries such as the one in Angangueo, Michoacan in Mexico there are millions of these gorgeous butterflies. From morning until about 1:00pm, they are most active. You can see them flying around and almost blocking the sky. You will hear the fascinating sound of their wings flapping. During their long flight there is a great danger from predators.

The orange markings of their wings advertise the unmistakable fact that they might be a dangerous meal.

The early ancestors of the Mexican people were the Mayans and Aztecs. They frequently included butterflies in their cultural arts. The Borboico Codex shows evidence of this popular insect.

Saludos
Luis52.
Heaven, Mikolaj, nasokoun, Juyona, anemone, goldyrs, livius, jmirah, Alex99, CeltickRanger, marianas, nglen, maurydv, MMM, parasbhalla has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Heaven Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 808 W: 108 N: 1732] (6042)
  • [2009-10-30 23:17]

Hi Luis!

It's a pleasure to read the fascinating notes about this superb butterfly. It makes us so small... Your picture is very beautiful and reveals all the details and characteristics of the Monarch at best.

Kind regards

Markus

Hello Luis! Amazing butterfly, amazing flowers, wonderful scene, nice light and bright, beautiful colours, good exposure and sharp. Well done!

hello Luis
beautiful scene and composition with fine clarity and splendid output in colours,a little drawing result!
TFS thanks for sharing
Nasos

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2261 W: 10 N: 2629] (15559)
  • [2009-10-31 1:21]

Hola Luis,
sobria macro,
preciosa compo y colorido,
con original bg.
muchos saludos para todos.

Hello Luis.
Perfect macro, clear details and colours.
TFS and Kind regards,
Özgür

While the technicalities of this shot remain excellent, as usual, Luis, what strikes me most is the simplicity of this composition!
Simple...yes, but most beautiful!
Kind regards,
goldy

Hello Luis
impressive sharpness, colours and details on these little Monarch from a very interesting POV. Great hand of light and exposure with optimal focusing.
Livio

Hi Luis
Excellent capture of the hard to photograph butterfly...Superb color and detail...TFS
Jim

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3584 W: 143 N: 5669] (18531)
  • [2009-10-31 5:41]

Hi Luis.
I am glad to see you here again. You have shared a very attractive shot of a most beautiful butterfly. I have never met this species. Pictured beauty looks on alone flower perfectly. Simply great direct POV, Sharpness and detail reproduction of the insect are stunning. Nice use of 55 mm macro lens and wide enough aperture. BG is fine. Is it cloudy sky? My best wishes and TFS.
Alexei.

hello Luis

like Nature Morte style very beautiful photo of the butterfly and his flower,
shot with fine POV, fine focus excellent sharpness and details, TFS

Asbed

Luis
Great Monarch Butterfly capture!
Great details and colors.
Mariana

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2907 W: 34 N: 8619] (32124)
  • [2009-10-31 12:17]

Hi Luis. This is a pure beauty . One of the best close ups of a Monarch Butterfly i have seenfor a long time. You have taken it with fine detail and natural colours . I like the pose on the yellow flower against the plain BG. Well taken TFS.
Nick..

Hola Luis,
a very beautiful piucture of this mariposa, very good sharpness and splendid natural colours, a pleasing composition with a lovely pose on the flower
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 921 W: 0 N: 1985] (8905)
  • [2009-10-31 13:34]

Hello Luis
Another great composition.Good POV and sharp image.Good detail and lovely colors.Excellent text also.
TFS Michel

Hi Luis,

A superb macro capture of the beautiful butterfly with nice details!
I like the sharpness and POV here with great show of natural colors. A great contrast can be seen between the colors of the butterfly and the bright yellow flower on which the butterfly is perching.

Very well done!

best regards,
Paras

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