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Lycaena phlaeas


Lycaena phlaeas
Photo Information
Copyright: Luciano Gollini (lousat) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-07-28
Categories: Insects
Exposure: f/4, 1/300 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-07-28 7:33
Viewed: 2357
Points: 52
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Family: Lycaenidae

Genus: Lycaena

Species: L. phlaeas

The Small Copper, American Copper or the Common Copper, Lycaena phlaeas, is a butterfly of the Lycaenids or Blues family. It is a common and widespread little butterfly easily identifiable in the UK. (There are similar species in continental Europe.)
The upperside forewings are a bright orange with a dark outside edge border and with eight or nine black spots. The hindwings are dark with an orange border. Some females also have a row of blue spots inside the orange border and are known as form caeruleopunctata. The undersides are pattenered in a similar way but are paler. The black spots on the forewings are outlined in yellow and the dark colouring is replaced by a pale brownish, gray. The hindwings are the same brown/grey colour with small black dots and a narrow orange border. The caterpillars (larvae) are usually green, but some have a purple stripe down the middle of the back and along each side.It is widespread and common across Europe, Asia and North America, and also found in North Africa south through Ethiopia.
It can be found almost anywhere in south/central England and Wales although never, it seems, in large numbers. Its distribution becomes more patchy in northern England, Scotland and Ireland.
It is found in a wide variety range of habitats from chalk downlands, heathland, woodland clearings to churchyards and waste ground in cities.In bright sun it is a very active little butterfly with the males setting up small territories which they will defend vigorously against rival males or indeed any unlucky passing insect. Even the shadow of a large bird passing overhead is enough to get him going. Females are pursued mercilessly and mating usually occurs low down in vegetation.The eggs are laid singly on the underside of foodplant leaves and the young caterpillar feeds on the underside of the leaf creating "windows" by leaving the upper epidermis of the leaf untouched. Pupation takes place in the leaf litter and the pupa is thought to be tended by ants. There are between two and three broods a year, fewer further north. In exceptionally good years, a fourth brood sometimes occurs in the south and adults can still be seen flying into November. The species overwinters as a caterpillar.Depending on the habitat, Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and Sheep's Sorrel (Rumex acetosella) are the two main food-plants, although other Docks (Rumex spp.) are occasionally used.
Argus, meyerd, Arjun, nglen, thor68, cloud, MMM, jaycee, CeltickRanger, Dis. Ac., goldyrs, goatman04, albert, eqshannon, Noisette has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To albert: merciiiilousat 2 07-30 06:46
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2791 W: 0 N: 6696] (25839)
  • [2009-07-28 7:42]

Hi Luciano,
beautiful yellow wings with good contrast of black spots. Very lovely and pretty.
Sharp indeed and your butterfly collection is really wonderful.

Regards,
Foozi

Ciao Luciano, bella macro di una deliziosa Lycaena, magnifica nitidezza e splendidi colori naturali, ottimi dettagòli, grande qualità, bravo, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • horias Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 837 W: 58 N: 2084] (11033)
  • [2009-07-28 8:00]

Luciano,
What a wonderful Lycaena phlaeas...sharpness, colors are very natural, great BG.
Horia

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2009-07-28 8:18]

Hello Luciano,
A fine macro of this common little butterfly. The lighting, sharpness, colours and BG are all superb and contribute to an excellent closed-wing portrait of Lycaena phlaeas in this full frame composition.
Thanks and best regards,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • cirano Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 997 W: 0 N: 944] (13609)
  • [2009-07-28 8:26]

Slav Lûcîano,
What is this a beautiful close up of this butterfly with yellow wings.Excellent sharp and details.Splendid light and colors.Very well composed.Thanks for sharing.Have a nice evening.
Regards.
Dûrzan

Hi Luciano,
Nice summer shot of this Copper, Luciano. I see you had some work to do on this picture. There is some grain left on the animal itself. This might be the result of too much ISO (I always use 100 to avoid it, but it all depends on the camera) . Or else you overdid somewhat the sharpening process.

My best regards
Dietrich

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 967 W: 26 N: 3888] (16941)
  • [2009-07-28 8:48]

Hello Luciano
Another excellent capture with butterfly in your collection. Well done
Regards
Razvan

  • Great 
  • joska Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 806 W: 0 N: 4092] (22535)
  • [2009-07-28 10:12]

Very good macro!

  • Great 
  • Arjun Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 358 W: 7 N: 1237] (7593)
  • [2009-07-28 10:33]

hi luciano,
fantastic quality in the picture. very nice lighting and sharpness. though the BG is a bit distracting (that's nature :) ), the picture is awesome .
TFS

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2009-07-28 10:45]

Hi Luciano. This is a very colourful side shot of this Small Copper. Taken with sharp focusing and fine detail. As always from you interesting notes . well done TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2009-07-28 10:55]

Hello Luciano,
Although there's a bit noise, this is a very good and beautiful photo. Great sharpness and details, natural colours and a nice POV and composition.
Regards,
Peter

Ciao Luciano,
Impressionnant les détails! On voit bien que les ailes sont couvertes de petits poils. Tout est parfaitement net. J'aime beaucoup la fleur mauve. Un travail de patience cette photo. Bravo!
Catherine

  • Great 
  • cloud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 497 W: 111 N: 1535] (9539)
  • [2009-07-28 12:37]

Hello Luciano,
Very nice species. Perfect sharpness and light. Details ofthe pattern on wings are visible exactly.
Regards, Pawel

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1114 W: 0 N: 2546] (11425)
  • [2009-07-28 12:53]

Hi Luciano
Excellent closed up.Good POV and as usual sharp image.Detail and colors are beautiful.
TFS Michel

Buenas texturas y unos colores maravillosos. Buena luz. Un trabajo precioso.
Saludos Luciano.

ciao Luciano!
un enorme Lycaena sul mio monitor
ottimi dettagli e cromia

complimenti sERGIO

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2009-07-28 16:21]

Hi Luciano,

A beautiful Small Copper looking lovely on the violet flowers. A fine macro with wonderful views of both sides of the wings. Beautiful colors and magnificent details in a pretty setting.

Jane

hello Luciano

one of your best macro-photos, with fine POV,
superb focus great sharpness and details,
very beautiful luminosity and smooth colour tones,

TFS

Asbed

Hi Luciano,

an very nice picture from this little butterfly with great details.
Fine colours.


Gert

Excellent macro with wonderful colours and composition, Luciano!
Bravo!
Goldy

Hello Luciano,

Oh...this is an excellent shot with brilliant colors, sharpness and beautiful details. TFS.

Regards

Umar

Hi Luciano

A beautiful little Italian butterfly. Excellent sharpness and details. Great compposition, DOF and POV. Very nice.

Chris

Bonjour Luciano,
Une excellente photo bien éclairée et couleurs naturelles superbement reproduites
Bravo
Albert

You have become from nowhere to a Master of photography here on TN and of course this image is one reason why. Technically I see absolutely nothing wrong with it and beyond that it holds an artistic quality as well!
Bob

  • Great 
  • thor68 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 795 W: 138 N: 1319] (5674)
  • [2009-07-29 12:45]

what a wonderful close-up of the pretty butterfly! :-) excellent clear capture with amazing details and great sharpness, love
the composition with it on the interesting flower with the pretty purple blossoms and the "hair" and markings on the wings.
superb job & best wishes, thor.

bonjour Luciano
magnifique macro de ce cuivré commun, les détails sont vraiment superbes, j'adore la netteté sur la textures des ailes, très beau point de vue de profil et rès belle compositio
Passe une bonne nuit
Jacqueline

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