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Junonia orithya. (38)
peter_stoeckl Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1629 W: 287 N: 3646] (10219)
Junonia orithya.
Blue Pansy at High Noon.

Junonia orithya (Linnaeus, 1764)
Synonym: Precis orithya
Blue Pansy,
male.

Genus: Junonia
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Family: Nymphalidae
Order: Lepidoptera

Wingspan: 70 mm


High noon on a hot day in downtown Jaipur. Where to go? The gardens of the Jaipur Museum of Astronomy were a good place to visit for those who love to stay in free air under a blue sky. While enjoying the sight of beautiful women in colourful saris among the numerous visitors – a most pleasant view I am not allowed to share with you here on TN – a few butterflies also caught my attention, one of them restlessly patrolling a small territory within the gardens.

That butterfly came to sit on the ground repeatedly for a few moments, clapping its brilliantly iridescent blue wings. When closing its wings it almost disappeared in perfect camouflage against the ground. Indians know that butterfly well - the "Blue Pansy".

“The Blue Pansy (Junonia orithya) is a medium sized Nymphalid butterfly of South Asia which occurs in open areas, often sitting on bare ground. This species has a stiff flap and glide style of flight and maintains a territory driving away other butterflies that may enter it.” Wikipedia.

Distribution: Madagaskar, dry areas of tropical Africa, Arabia, India, Ceylon, Burma, New Guinea, Northern Australia.

Larva on Justicia procumbens, J. micrantha, Lepidagathis prostrata, Ipomoea sp., etc.

By clapping its wings while sitting on the ground in bright sunshine, the butterfly seems to be busily sending a strong signal of presence – maybe inviting females to visit, or to keep male competitors from invading his territory.

To get an idea of the behaviour of repeated "disappearance" and sudden appearance, please klick here.


The camera:

SONY DSC-H5, 3072 x 2304 pixel, sRGB, 16mm, F/4, 1/1000sec., ISO-125; no tripod, no flash; 29.10.2006, 12:07 local time.


Postwork:

Photoshop Elements, slightly cropped, downsized to the web, selectively sharpened, noise removal on BG, brightness, contrast and saturation adjusted.


References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junonia_orithya

http://ftp.funet.fi/index/Tree_of_life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/nymphalidae/nymphalinae/junonia/index.html

Thank you for looking.
Have a very good day.
Altered Image #2

peter_stoeckl Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1629 W: 287 N: 3646] (10219)
Clapping wings.
Edited by:peter_stoeckl Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1629 W: 287 N: 3646] (10219)
Now you won’t see me.

Now you do.

Junonia orithya L., male,

marking his territory by sending optical signals in regular intervals by opening and closing its wings over and over, again and again.
Altered Image #1

peter_stoeckl Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1629 W: 287 N: 3646] (10219)
Clapping wings
Edited by:peter_stoeckl Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1629 W: 287 N: 3646] (10219)
Now you see me.

Now you don’t.


Junonia orithya L., male,

marking his territory by sending optical signals in regular intervals by opening and closing its wings over and over, again and again.

Thank you for looking.