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TOXIC BEAUTY


TOXIC BEAUTY
Photo Information
Copyright: Radomir Jaskula (cicindela) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1045 W: 0 N: 2256] (6570)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-07-21
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon Coolpix 5400, 35-105 mm 1:4,5-5,6, @ ISO 50
Exposure: f/74099368.0
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): European Butterflies and Moths., Moths of Europe 1, Insects around the world, Insects' World, Dedications at TrekNature Part Two, Insects (Insecta) [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-01-26 8:03
Viewed: 983
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 54
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Today a meeting with a toxic beauty ;>

Arctia caja (Linnaeus, 1758) - Garden Tiger (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae: Arctiinae)

Family Arctiidae (tiger moths) includes about 11,000 species living mainly in tropical areas. In central Europe there are only about 50 species, and this presented on the photo is one of only 45 known from Poland.

But what is interesting in these moths? For me there are especially defence strategies :>
As you can see on the picture the first and the second pair of wings are in different coulours. The second pair has an intensive red colour with huge blue “eyes”.
Of course the first defence method is a camouflage. But what to do if is does not work? The answer is very simple: to frighten an enemy! :> When a moth shows the “eyes” it wants to say “do not disturb me - I am bigger that you think!”. Moreover, the contrast beetwen red and blue colours clearly suggests that probably the moth is toxic or noxious. Of course it is sometimes happened that the moth is attacked. But the huge blue "eyes" are the target so all important parts of body (especially head and thorax) are still safe :)

But what Arctiidae moths to do to be toxic? Also this time the answer is simple.
In many species larvae acquire distasteful or poisonous chemicals from their host plants, and later they may retain them in the adult stage. Interesting is that in some species also adult individualts can acquire these substances, but regurgitating on decomposing plants and sucking up the fluids.

So here we have toxic larvae and toxic adults, but what about the eggs? Are they safe? Yes! :>

In Arctiidae family we can observe very primitive but amazing protection of eggs. Of course adult females do not stay with their eggs to protect them against predators. They do not hav time for it. They do something much more interesting. It is really amazing but females transfer the defenses to their eggs! Interesting is that males often participate in this protection - during a copulation they sometimes transfer these chemicals to females.


This photo was taken during my entomological studies in Lebskie Bagno Nature Reserve (near Lebork, N Poland). This specimen was atractted to the light. As you can see here not only insects were observed by me in this place :>

And last but not least, I would like to dedicate this photo to my Polish friend and lover of butterflies – Joanna (cafecream). Who knows, maybe after this photo you will like moths too? ;>
Bufo, red45, cafecrem, RAP, yllen, cataclysta, ramthakur, uleko, extramundi, jmp, peter_stoeckl, phlr, Juyona, manyee, coasties, eruyanik, cedryk, goutham_ramesh, ankag, jcoowanitwong, izler, nainnain, CatherineD, vanderschelden has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To peter_stoeckl: garden tigercicindela 2 01-27 12:05
To extramundi: mothcicindela 3 01-27 10:30
To eruyanik: mothcicindela 1 01-27 09:13
To coasties: mothcicindela 1 01-27 09:08
To manyee: garden tigercicindela 1 01-27 09:06
To Juyona: toxic beautycicindela 1 01-27 08:55
To zumoduvas: garden tiger :)cicindela 1 01-27 08:24
To jmp: moth :)cicindela 1 01-27 08:10
To BEHRAD: mothcicindela 1 01-27 08:00
To uleko: garden tigercicindela 1 01-27 07:49
To ramthakur: mothcicindela 1 01-27 07:42
To Maite: moth :)cicindela 1 01-27 07:30
To yllen: garden tiger mothcicindela 1 01-27 07:18
To RAP: moth speciescicindela 1 01-27 07:13
To cafecrem: cma :)cicindela 1 01-27 07:08
To Bufo: garden tigercicindela 1 01-27 06:59
To cataclysta: niedzwiedziowkacicindela 1 01-26 10:47
To red45: cmacicindela 3 01-26 09:40
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2806 W: 75 N: 7857] (26309)
  • [2007-01-26 8:49]
  • [+]

Czesc Radek!

Swietne zdjecie, bardzo ciekawy zwierzak. Notka jest rewelacyjna, mozna sie z niej dowiedziec mase interesujacych rzeczy. Czy nie jest tez tak, ze jaskrawe barwy tej cmy jednoczesnie odstraszaja drapiezniki, bedac niejako 'wizytowka' toksycznosci? Tak jak to ma miejsce np. u krasnikow?

Ostatnia czesc notki wprawila mnie w oslupienie - od kiedy moja zona jest twoja dziewczyna???

I really like this moth!!!! Amazing colour and fantastic close-up.
I'm really impressed of this shot.
More, please...

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2007-01-26 8:56]
  • [+]

Coincidimos en la publicación de mariposas hoy!.
Gran macro Radomir con intensos colores muy bien saturados mostrando con total claridad y foco la belleza de esta especie.
Me encanta la conformación de sus alas como nos relatas en tus notas con agradable contraste sobre el tronco del fondo.
Sólo te recomendaría rotar ligeramente la composición para romper la simetría y brindarle un toque más estético a la presentación... pero como siempre es un punto de vista personal.
Gracias y saludos... Ricardo

We coincide in the publication of butterflies today!.
Great macro Radomir with intense colors very well saturated showing with total clearness and focus the beauty of this species.
I love the conformation of its wings like you relate us in your notes with pleasant contrast on the trunk of bottom.
only I would recommend you to rotate the composition lightly to break the symmetry and to offer a more aesthetic touch to the presentation... but as always it is a personal point of view.
Thank you and regards... Ricardo

  • Great 
  • yllen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 248 W: 0 N: 16] (623)
  • [2007-01-26 9:25]
  • [+]

Hola Radomir:
Good shot! Es una hermosa macro, donde se destaca a perfecciòn la mariposa y sus colores tan contrastantes. ¡Excelente! Buen punto de vista y un foco y profundidad adecuados. La nota es muy ilustrativa.
Gracias por compartir!
Saludos.
Nelly

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 978 W: 64 N: 1189] (4886)
  • [2007-01-26 9:53]
  • [+]

Hello Radomir
What a beautiful moth! And what an excellent shot!
Lovely colors and composition with a perfect sharpness and beautiful presentation. Excellent note too, very valuable.
TFS
Best wishes
Maite

Czesc
Wreszcie jakis fajny motyl. Bardzo ladna fotka. Dzisiaj krytyka od troche inej strony. Zdjecie pozowane wiec mozna bylo wybrac ciekawsze tlo i lepiej podzialac z glebia ostrosci. Czepiam sie :-0
Krzysiek
PS Sprawdz linki w notce drugiego nie ma.

Another super capture -- of a beautiful moth this time from you, Radomir.
The focus is razor sharp and the colours extremely rich.
TFS.
Ram

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2378 W: 164 N: 7139] (22556)
  • [2007-01-26 11:15]
  • [+]

Hello Radomir,
Excellent illustration of this Garden Tiger moth which I've had the luck to see a few times. Great sharpness and beautiful natural colours. Nice neutral background. Interesting note too.
Many thanks, Ulla

Very nice picture which shows an example of perfect exposure.
Beautiful subject too, congratulations.
BTW, what kind of F value is that? :)
Regards, Felipe.

Hi Radomir
Nice shot.
Good compsition and colours.
I like it.
Regards

Behrad

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1836 W: 94 N: 2338] (8400)
  • [2007-01-26 11:41]
  • [+]

Hi Radomir,
Wonderful details, pose, pov and colors and excellent note.
TFS, José M.

Hello Radomir.

Excellent picture, very good details and colors.


Regards.
Jose Luis.

Hello Radomir,
beautiful, high quality capture of this equally beautiful moth that never failed to impress me since I was a child. For reasons unknown I have not seen the adult moth again since many years, so I am quite happy to see it so well presented here with its highly distinctive warning colours and patterns.
Thank you, and best regards,
Peter


P.S.:
Months ago I posted an old photograph of the related and very rare high alpine Arctia flavia. If you are interested to look at that:

http://www.treknature.com/gallery/Europe/Austria/photo55241.htm

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2000 W: 6 N: 1953] (13047)
  • [2007-01-26 16:56]
  • [+]

Magnífico encuadre y bello insecto, buenos detalles y agradable color y tonos, el pov es interesante... saludos

What a beauty indeed, Radomir. : )
This moth has amazing markings and beautiful colors.
You caught it in a fantastic POV and good light.
Excellent notes.
TFS. : )

Hi Radomir

Wow... impressive shot. Lovely colours. Nice work. TFS.

Wonderful species and great notes! Use of flash are superb and pov is best to show him.
Great post Radomir!
Ersin

  • Great 
  • cedryk Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 954 W: 57 N: 1604] (4949)
  • [2007-01-27 20:28]

Czesc,
Fajna fotka - jak widzisz wlasnie z tego rodzaju jaki jest lubiany na TN :-) Jedyna uwaga techniczna to taka, ze majac lampe blyskowa i szeroki kat w aparacie mozna byloby wyciagnac wieksza glebie ostrosci, tak zeby konce skrzydel tez byly ostre.
Poza tym bardzo OK!
Serdecznosci,
Michal

  • Great 
  • Bufo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 436 W: 72 N: 1007] (4233)
  • [2007-01-29 3:34]
  • [+]

Hello Radomir,
what a fine capture of this Garden tiger. To be honest, I only saw one in the shower of a camping ground in Denmark. You did better, in a nice place for a photo. Good note on the species. The seldom seen blue parts come out really well.
Compliments, Jacob

Hi Radomir,
First, thanks for viewing my pictures :-)
This picture is amazing. I like the presentation here, the colors , pov and the exposure is amazing too
TFS
Goutham

  • Great 
  • OzBY Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 181 W: 2 N: 303] (1049)
  • [2007-02-22 11:07]

Hello Radomir,

Great picture of this moth.
Great color, background and position.

Oz

Hello Radomir:
This is a colorful moth. Well focused and exposed picture. I know a lot more about Tiger Moths after reading your informative note. TFS and regards,
JC

How beautiful!

  • Great 
  • izler Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1245 W: 78 N: 852] (7464)
  • [2007-10-27 13:47]

selam radomir
nowadays i am interested in moths species of our country, Turkey as you know. this is interesting and beautiful species
i like composition, point of view, lighting, colours, details and note
thanks for sharing
regards
izler

hello
effectivement il y a une grande ressemblance avec ma diffusion d'hier soir
j'ai du aller loin pour retrouver cette image qui est parfaitement bien nette et les couleurs superbes, bonne macro, bon focus
je viens de visiter ta galerie qui est superbe.
merci encore
amicalement
edith

Hello Radomir,
This is a wonderful capture, with great colours and sharpness. I like it very well. I will make a link to your shot because I will upload a photo of the caterpillar of this species. TFS,
Catherine

Well done, Radomir.
Extraordinary photo...
TFS
Annick

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