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Callophrys rubi


Callophrys rubi
Photo Information
Copyright: Filipe Caetano (Filipe_Caetano) Silver Note Writer [C: 5 W: 0 N: 79] (368)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-02-26
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon D70, Sigma 150mm F2.8 APO Macro DG HSM
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/320 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-07-18 2:00
Viewed: 7897
Favorites: 8 [view]
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Family: Lycaenidae

Genus: Callophrys

Species: C. rubi (Linnaeus, 1758)

Appearance, behaviour and distribution

The Green Hairstreak is a small butterfly, which is still widespread across most of the UK, although many colonies have been lost in recent years. Widespread across Europe and North Africa and eastwards through Asia well into Siberia. The upperside is a uniform dull brown with two paler patches on the male's forewings made up of scent scales. The undersides are a bright green with a thin white line, often reduced to a faint row of dots or even missing altogether. They never rest with their wings open.

Life cycle and foodplants

It has what is probably one of the largest range of foodplants of any British butterfly. Early butterfly collectors thought that the only foodplant was Bramble (blackberry) Rubus fruticosus hence its scientific name, but as its habits became better understood the list grew and will probably continue to do so. Depending on the habitat it will use Common Rock Rose Helianthemum nummularium, Bird's-foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, Gorse Ulex europeans, Broom Cytisus scoparius, Dyer's Greenweed Genista tinctoria, Bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus, Dogwood Cornus sanguinea, Buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica, Cross-leaved Heath Erica tetralix and Bramble. This range of foodplants means that it is able to use a range of habitats including chalk downland, heathland, moorland and woodland. The eggs are laid singly and the caterpillars are green with yellow markings along the back. Like other members of the family they are rather sluglike. They are not known to be tended by ants like some lycid larvae but the pupae, which are formed at ground level, emit squeaks which attract ants and it is thought that ants will always bury any that are found. Green Hairstreaks overwinter as pupae and have one brood a year.
meyerd, haraprasan, phlr, siggi, anel, loot, Hil, inked, rodosranger has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Filipe,
best Callophrys ever on TN! You had to work hard with the light to catch the reflexes of the scales right. Excellent pose, background, POV, sharpness. Well done, Filipe!
Best regards
Dietrich

Good composition and good background. TFS

Hi Filipe,
Yet another classic macro shot of the beautiful butterfly,Good POV,DOF, BG & COMPO, only I wish you could give some space at top&bottom is what I felt. I think you are letting out the butterflies one by one from your magic box [camera] :).TFS

Hi Filipe,
A lovely capture of this marvelous looking hairstreak. Very well composed with sharp details. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hi Filipe!

Wow, that's a great picture! The colours are superb, the lighting is perfect and the butterfly is ... a beauty! I also like the diagonal composition and the richness of details very much.

Kind regards

Markus

  • Great 
  • phlr Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1237 W: 130 N: 882] (2821)
  • [2008-07-18 5:52]

One of the most beautiful Lycaenidae that exists in Portugal!
Excellent shot Filipe!

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3097 W: 109 N: 12399] (52850)
  • [2008-07-18 7:05]

Hello Filipe
Great shot. Good colour. Sharpness, detail and clarity are spot on. Nice work.
Best regards,
Siggi

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2008-07-18 12:20]

Hello Filipe,
Wonderful photo in superb sharpness and details. Very beautiful clear colours, also in the BG. Great POV and composition.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 3053 W: 3 N: 8715] (40574)
  • [2008-07-18 12:55]

Bonsoir Filipe,
Un de mes papillons préférés et quelle image! Splendide prise, magnifiques couleurs et composition. Excellente netteté aussi. Parfait quoi!
Un grand merci
Anne

Hello Filipe,
This photo is wonderful! Perfect sharpness and composition, beautiful colours and background. Nothing to add, it speaks by itself. One of my favourite!
Cheers,
Catherine

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5524 W: 722 N: 4163] (11276)
  • [2008-07-18 15:33]

Hi Filipe

Boa vinda para trás meu amigo.

Superb shot of this little Green Hairstreak beauty.

Magnificent details from the open range of the DOF, brilliant lighting on the subject that ensured that the stunning colours really come to show causing a feast on the eyes, a splendid BG that compliments the subject perfectly, and a super composition with the diagonal twig delivering this lovely butterfly into the photo.

Great work and TFS.
Regards
Loot

This is beautiful Filipe. All your photos are so sharp and richly saturated. I love the simplicity of the composition and the wonderful out of focus background. You must have amazing patience to not only find a suitable subject but capture it with your camera in a perfect composition.

TFS
Evelynn : )

  • Great 
  • Hil Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 696 W: 13 N: 1407] (5035)
  • [2008-07-21 17:11]

Hi Filipe

What an amazing shot of the Green Hairstreak Butterfly.
Nicely composed with a great POV and a fine pose.
The details are excellent and you have captured the irridescent scales perfectly.
I would love to see one in real life.

Hil

  • Great 
  • inked Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 132 W: 0 N: 249] (771)
  • [2008-10-19 23:54]

hi Felipe,
just stunning!! awesome work, tfs
Gethin

Hello Filipe,
superb macro with the beautiful butterfly! Great colours, composition and details!

Best regards, Leonid

Stunning Green Hairstreak shot Filipe! beautiful light on the wings, and excellent clarity in the details.

Well taken!

Regards,
Matt

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