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eye to eye...


eye to eye...
Photo Information
Copyright: Michal Grabowski (cedryk) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 967 W: 50 N: 1722] (5270)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2003-06-11
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon Coolpix 5000, 28-105 mm, @ ISO 100
Exposure: f/7.6, 1/121 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Lepidoptera: Moths, Lepidoptera: Butterflies and Moths 2, European Butterflies and Moths., Moths of Europe 1 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2005-11-20 20:35
Viewed: 4884
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
... with a Lime Hawk-moth
Mimas tiliae (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Sphingidae

Wingspan: 60-80mm. Sexually dimorphic; a very distinct species, not confusable with any other sphingid of the area despite being highly variable. Ground colour brown, grey, yellow or green. Sexual dimorphism marked: normally, the forewing ground colour is brownish in females and decidedly green in males, but there are many exceptions. The wing pattern is also very variable, the dark median band of the forewing being entire, narrowly interrupted, or completely absent. Gynandromorphs are also quite common. Sexual dimorphism is also evident in body-shape: the female abdomen is straight and fat because most eggs are already fully formed when the female emerges. The male abdomen, on the other hand, is strongly curved and slender.

ADULT BIOLOGY
Rarely found outside deciduous woodland areas, where a preference is shown for open river-valley vegetation, rich in Tilia and Ulmus species; avenues of trees lining suburban and urban roads and parks; plantations and orchards of cherries (especially in central Europe); and warm, wet mountain sides overgrown with Alnus viridis. Up to 1500m in the Alps.

After emergence during the morning, many adults are to be found resting on the trunks of host-trees, where they have expanded their wings. Subsequently, most prefer to hang suspended amongst foliage. It is here that mating pairs are to be found -- the male hanging below the female and remaining in this position for up to 20 hours before dropping to the ground and flying off at dusk. The female takes flight shortly after dusk and almost immediately commences egg-laying. However, they are active for only a short period and two hours after sunset few adults are still flying. The adults do not feed and are not attracted to flowers, but large numbers of males come to light or a virgin female.

Females of this species are generally active from 22.50h until 01.40h, males from 23.10h until 02.50h.

FLIGHT-TIME
Univoltine in northern Europe, from the end of May to early July; in southern regions bivoltine, in May and August.

DISTRIBUTION
Across central and southern Europe to Transcaucasia, Daghestan, Azerbaijan, northern Iran and western Siberia. Absent from Ireland, Scotland, northern Scandinavia and Arctic Russia, being only recorded as far north as Ob"yacheva in european Russia.

On the Iberian Peninsula this species is recorded from northern Spain and northern Portugal, with a small population in the mountains of central Spain.

HOSTPLANTS
Many species of Tilia, Ulmus, Alnus and Prunus (cherry, ornamental or wild).
Also, in northern and central Europe, Betula pendula, Quercus, Corylus avellana, Acer, Malus, Sorbus. In southern areas of Europe also on Juglans regia, Castanea sativa and Aesculus hippocastanum.

Sphingidae of the Western Palaearctic
cecilia, annagrace, glazzaro, sgo, sAner, dew77, phlr, sandpiper2, TAZ, scottevers7, fiyo, Luc, slrnovice2, peter_stoeckl has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Unusual moth, excellent DOF and POV.

Alli

Nice detail and color, well taken.

Greg

  • Great 
  • sgo Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 137 W: 32 N: 239] (718)
  • [2005-11-21 0:27]

Good morning Michal
and many thanks for a very good shot of the green form of Mimas tiliae! Super in details of front section! Thank you very much too for the reference to a very exhaustive source of information as to Sphingidae!
Goran

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1455 W: 74 N: 1426] (4750)
  • [2005-11-21 2:04]

Good shot, sharp details and interesting note. The crop on the left is a little too tight imo. Well done & TFS!

Regards,
Pieter

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4432 W: 248 N: 4028] (13270)
  • [2005-11-21 4:08]

Hello Michal!
Wonderful close up.Lighting,details,POV,framing,eye contact and composition are excellent.TFS...:-)

Hi Michal,
this moth is so beautiful, like velvet.
Your POV was excellent, I like the low position, as you said, eye to eye.
Sharpness and colours are very good, thanks
Sabine - wishnugaruda

  • Great 
  • phlr Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1237 W: 130 N: 882] (2821)
  • [2005-11-21 4:39]

Such a beauty!
Wonderful colors it has!
Great job on this photo!
Excelent details!
Very useful notes too!

Exellent shot, perfect sharpness and great exposure using the flash. Good POV and DOF.

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2005-11-21 7:18]

What a beautiful and interesting Moth that you have well captured! I also appreciate the big complementary note... Congratulations Michal and thanks for sharing.

Hi Michal
An excellent shot on an unusual moth. The color and detail look perfect to me. Your notes are superb here. Great job!
Scott

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1053 W: 5 N: 3475] (15161)
  • [2005-11-21 9:49]

Hello Michal,
amazing close up; sharpness, colors, light, composition, everything is good! TFS

  • Great 
  • Merlin Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 445 W: 267 N: 455] (1713)
  • [2005-11-21 13:12]

A nice angle on a very nice moth. Exposure, sharpness and POV all good.
Thanks, Nigel.

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1538 W: 5 N: 2240] (12636)
  • [2005-11-21 21:05]

Belles couleurs et jolie contraste.

Félicitations pour la netteté!

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1835 W: 301 N: 4287] (14767)
  • [2005-11-21 21:46]

Personal assessment of the photo: very good.
Capacity of evocation in me: strong.
Strong visual impact.
Aptness of the photo for the site: excellent.
Personal assessment of the note: complete.
Thank you very much Michal for sharing a so beautifull picture and for the enjoyment which it give to me.

Hi Michael. Lovely portrait of this moth. I like your eye to eye POV. The colours, exposure and composition are great with good detail as well. It's a great job, well done :)

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