<< Previous Next >>

Broad-winged Charaxes jasius


Broad-winged Charaxes jasius
Photo Information
Copyright: Marcello Romano (marcellr) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 208 W: 38 N: 1012] (3514)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2003-09-06
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon Coolpix 4300
Exposure: f/2.8, 1/180 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-01-22 6:41
Viewed: 4710
Points: 40
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
LEPIDOPTERA, NYMPHALIDAE

Charaxes jasius (Linnaeus, 1767) / Two Tailed Pasha

The Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius) is a butterfly which can be seen only in the Mediterranean regions.
Identification: Unmistakable. The size (wingspan: 75 - 85 mm), colouration, twin tails and striped underside markings are unique in the European fauna.
It flies in two broods, in May/Juli and August/September.
Habitat: Wooded hillsides with plenty of Strawberry Trees, Arbutus unedo, the larval food plant.
Male are fiercely territorial, chasing away any large butterfly that comes near before returning to a favoured perch, which may be a bare rock, or the lower branches of a lone tree or bush.


******

In Africa tropicale volano più di un centinaio di specie diverse di Charaxes.
Alle nostre latitudini vive solo una specie, ma non ha certo niente da invidiare alle sue congeneri più esotiche.
La Charaxes jasius è un maestoso Ninfalide che può raggiungere e superare gli 80 mm. di apertura alare, uno fra i più bei Ropaloceri europei.
Presenta alcune caratteristiche uniche.
Infatti vive in un solo ambiente, tipico delle nostre latitudini: la macchia mediterranea, che accoglie fra le diverse essenze che la compongono la sua unica pianta nutrice, il coloratissimo corbezzolo (Arbutus unedo).
Questa farfalla, che spesso si vede volteggiare sulle cime degli alberi con un volo possente e rapido ha una territorialità così spiccata, da renderla particolarmente combattiva ed aggressiva, specialmente nel periodo riproduttivo.
Ciascun individuo, soprattutto di sesso maschile, difende e sorveglia un territorio molto vasto.
Per farlo, alterna a brevi momenti in cui sta posato all’estremità di rametti di A. unedo spesso secchi e morti (magari in seguito ad un incendio) presenti fra gli arbusti sempreverdi, altri periodi, più o meno lunghi, in cui parte in un volo di perlustrazione per individuare eventuali intrusi che vengono cacciati via con notevole accanimento.
Nei luoghi dove è stata oggetto di attente osservazioni questa farfalla è stata vista lanciarsi all’inseguimento non solo di altre specie di farfalle o di altri maschi della sua stessa specie, ma anche di piccoli uccelli!
Vive in Sicilia solo negli ambienti di macchia mediterranea, lungo la fascia costiera, spingendosi al massimo fino a 700-800 metri d’altitudine.
Non è facile da fotografare, soprattutto ad ali aperte, in quanto non si lascia avvicinare facilmente.
Sfruttando le sue abitudini, però, una volta individuato il “posatoio”, si può attendere con pazienza, (una tecnica simile a quella utilizzata per fotografare le libellule): state certi che prima o poi tornerà nello stesso punto!
cataclysta, mariki, uleko, Ena, haraprasan, fartash, dejo, Silvio2006, javig, vanderschelden, nirmalroberts, Argus, Alex99, Maite, peter_stoeckl, Christopher_PL has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To batu: Come fotografare da vicino la C. jasiusmarcellr 1 01-22 14:40
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Hi Marcello
It is dificult to take the photo of these beauty. He is big and fast. Very good job. Nice saturated colours, good OOF background and pretty good sharpness
I like it very much
Krzysztof

Hello Marcello,

Very beautiful composition. Good POV and focus. Very nice colours.
Cheers,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2008-01-22 7:50]

Hello Marcello,
Wow, what luck to see this fabulous butterfly. It looks as if it belonged in the rainforest. I'd love to see it! Excellent sharpness and beautiful colours. I love its pose on the bending grass. A lovely composition!

  • Great 
  • Ena Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 324 W: 61 N: 594] (2454)
  • [2008-01-22 8:09]

Ciao Marcello,
Bellissima farfalla, molto colorata e dettagliatissima!
Saluti
Ena

Hi Marcello,
A beautiful capture of this nice looking swallowtail .Lovely colors, very good composition and fine details. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hello Marcello
Excellent shot of this beautiful butterfly,
Perfect details,composition and BG,Welldone.

Regards
Fartash

  • Great 
  • dejo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 344 W: 51 N: 520] (2242)
  • [2008-01-22 9:28]

Hello Marcello,
wonderful butterfly captured, lovely species, great colors!
Great DOF and details and wonderful pose
Great shot
best regards,
Dejan

Hi Marcello,
Excellent the way the insect stands out from the background. Very interesting subject and a fine composition with excellent detail. Well done.
Alan

  • Great 
  • batu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1079 W: 293 N: 4497] (16383)
  • [2008-01-22 10:07]
  • [+]

Ciao Marcello,
great and beautiful - a jasius from this point of view. What did you that the butterfly did not take off upon your approach?
Colours and light are superb.
This is also for depth of field and sharpness.
Best wishes, Peter

Ciao Marcello, splendida farfalla con magnifici colori, è la prima volta che la vedo grazie, tecnica perfetta come tuo solito, bravo, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2008-01-22 12:05]

Grande come sempre,meno male che almeno questa e' un po' stagionata..scommetto che stai gia' preparando la spedizione per il week-end..ehhee,ciao e complimenti,Luciano

  • Great 
  • javig Silver Note Writer [C: 9 W: 0 N: 20] (134)
  • [2008-01-22 13:34]

Ciao Marcello,

I have never seen this fabulous buttefly despite it live in Spain, your photo is very good, great composition, sharpness and colors

I love it! I hope to see this species!

Thanks for sharing,

Javi.

Hello Marcello,
Beautiful butterfly. Excellent sharpness. Nice compo.
Well done...
TFS
Annick

Hi Marcello,
Excellent capture. Good POV and composition. Sharp details. Vivid colours. TFS.
- Nirmal

No había visto nunca esta Mariposa Marcello y lo cierto es que es espectacular. La enfocaste de maravilla y aprovechaste perfectamente la iluminación natural. Te quedó expléndida.

En cuanto a mi foto, está captada con la Canon G3, con la que curiosamente conseguia (creo) unas fotografías que en la mayor parte de las ocasiones no igualo con la Canon 400D.

Abrazo: J. Ignasi Tejdor

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2008-01-24 2:52]

Ciao Marcello,
Superb capture of a fresh specimen of C. jasius with fine sharpness and POV in a great composition. IT almost looks like an in-flight capture!
This is a species that I dream to see and photograph though years ago when I was young I have seen several Charaxes species in Africa.
Grazie,
Ciao,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2008-01-25 9:52]

Hi Marcello.
I like wonderful subject: impressive ear and amazing butterfly on it. Both are reproduced greatly. Superb colours, sharpness and details. I like excellent DOF and nice blurred BG. Well done and TFS.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 998 W: 65 N: 1270] (5199)
  • [2008-01-29 7:41]

What a marvellous beauty!!!
How splendid this shot! I love those intense colors. The butterfly is a marvel and you did a great picture with it.
Thank you very much!!!
See you later
Maite

Hello Marcello,
what a spectacular, mighty, unusual, exotic looking butterfly capture. A most lively, well detailed and powerfully colourful picture report, certainly a rare chance you have taken to picture this rapid flyer at short rest with its wings spread. This document really looks unusual. Most pictures that I know of this species are showing it with wings closed. Thank you!
With best regards,
Peter

Wow!
Very good picture of one of the most beautiful butterflies in Europe. Great composition - thanks

Chris

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF