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Polyommatus icarus


Polyommatus icarus
Photo Information
Copyright: Roberto Innocenzi (cobra112) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2093 W: 75 N: 6382] (43366)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2010-09-11
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon D300s, Sigma 105mm 1:2.8 EX DG Macro
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2010-09-14 0:31
Viewed: 2325
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 38
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Superfamily: Papilionoidea

Family: Lycaenidae

Subfamily: Polyommatinae

Tribe: Polyommatini

Genus: Polyommatus

Species:P. icarus


The Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. Male uppersides are an iridescent lilac blue with a thin black border. Females are brown with a row of red spots along the edges. They usually have some blue at the base of the wings and, especially in Ireland and Scotland, are mostly blue but always have the red spots. Undersides have a greyish ground colour in the males and more brownish in the females. Both sexes have a row of red spots along the edge of the hindwings (extending onto the forewings though generally fainter, particularly in the males where they are sometimes missing altogether). There are about a dozen black centered white spots on the hind wings, nine on the forwings. The white fringe on the outer edge of the wings is not crossed with black lines as it is in the Chalkhill and Adonis Blues, an important difference when separating these species, particularly the females.
It is Britain's (and probably Europe's) most common and most widespread blue, found as far north as Orkney and on most of the Outer Hebrides. Males are often very obvious as they defend territories against rivals and search out the more reclusive females. A range of grassland habitats are used: meadows, coastal dunes, woodland clearings and also many man made habitats, anywhere where their food plants are found. It is widespread in Europe, North Africa and temperate Asia. Recently, Polyommatus icarus was discovered in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada by Ara Sarafian. An amateur entomologist, he had been observing the butterfly from 2005 to 2008. He contacted the Canadian National Collection of Insects in Ottawa where the butterfly was identified as P. icarus, a new alien butterfly to Canada and North America. The butterfly seems to be well established and is extending its range from year to year. The main food plant on most sites is Bird's foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus). Others used include Black Medick Medicago lupulina, Common Restharrow Ononis repens, White Clover Trifolium repens and Lesser Trefoil Trifolium dubium. Eggs are laid singly on young shoots of their food plants. The caterpillar is small, pale green with yellow stripes and as usual with lycid larvae rather slug-like. Hibernation occurs as a half grown larvae. They are attractive to ants but not as much as some other species of blues. The chrysalis is olive green/brown and formed on the ground where it is attended by ants which will often take it into their nests. The larvae creates a substance called honey dew, which the ants eat while the butterfly lives in the ant hill. In the south of Britain there are two broods a year flying in May and June and again in August and September. Northern England has one brood flying between June and September. In a long warm year there is sometimes a partial third brood in the south flying into October.

Polyommatus icarus (Rottemburg 1775) Icaro

Lunghezza ala anteriore: 13-17 mm
Distribuzione in Italia: tutta Italia isole comprese.
Habitat: specie euricora, si rinviene in ogni tipo di ambiente dalla pianura al piano montano e cacuminale, sino a 2200 metri s.lm.
Generazioni annuali: due, con sfarfallamento in maggio - giugno e agosto - settembre.
Piante nutrici: Medicago sativa. Lotus corniculatus, Melilotus officinalis, Ononis spinosa, Trifolium repens..
boreocypriensis, haraprasan, livius, bahadir, paolo49, anemone, goldyrs, goutham_ramesh, flashpoint has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Ciao Roberto, la P. icarus è tanto comune che vale la pena di postarla solo se è una macro fantasmagorica come questa, splendidi dettagli e fantastici colori, stupenda nitidezza, bravissimo, ciao Silvio

Wowww... superb image of the common blue amico mio Roberto.
We are neighbour today:). As a coincidence your and my butterflies shows mirror symmetry while they are side-by-side:)
Great MF!
TFS and have a nice day!
Cheers,

Bayram

Hi Roberto,
A superb capture of this beautiful common blue. Superb sharp details, lovely colors and a nice composition. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Ciao Roberto
bella cornice su questa bellissima Polyommatus ritratta davvero come meglio non si poteva. I dettagli e la messa a fuoco ne mettono in evidenza tutta la bellezza che grazie a queste ottime composizioni si apprezza al meglio.
Livio

Hi Roberto,

Perfect composed shot of this Common blue
Excellent sharp, lovely warm colors
Beautiful light, POV and BG

TFS Thijs

What a pleasure to watch this warm image friend Roberto! The subject is well defined and all the elements of the frame is just briliant! Pure technical excellence indeed!
Regards,
George Veltchev

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2010-09-14 2:35]

Hello Roberto,
Fantastic photo in splendid colours and outstanding sharpness and details. Also a splendid matching blurred BG. Taken from a perfect POV.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • joska Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 806 W: 0 N: 4092] (22535)
  • [2010-09-14 5:40]

Hi Roberto,
Splendid photo, TFS!

  • Great 
  • nagraj Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1618 W: 106 N: 3208] (15166)
  • [2010-09-14 5:56]

Hi,
Beautiful image, very colorful and crisp, good composition and lighting, excellent work. tfs.
nagraj.v

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 967 W: 26 N: 3888] (16941)
  • [2010-09-14 6:01]

Hello Roberto
Superb composition, colors and great details
Thanks for sharing
Razvan

Hello Roberto, amazing close-up shot.
The composition, details and colours are wonderful.
TFS and regards,
Bahadır

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2010-09-14 7:20]

Vedendo la miniatura avrei voluto scriverti...."siamo alla frutta n.2"...ma dopo aver aperto la foto....mazza che bomba!!!Questa merita la stellina,e' davvero un capolavoro in tutti i sensi!Buona serata! LUCIANO

Ciao Roberto,
altra splendida immagine. Dettagli, colori composizione e sfondo bellissimi. Una grande macro. Un saluto, Paolo

Hola Roberto

Preciosa imagen de esta Polymmatus, perfectamente contrastada con ese fondo difuminado. Una muy buena imagen de esta singular mariposa. Perfecta nitidez.

Un saludo de Antonio

Hi Roberto. Amazing close up capture of this beautiful common blue female? with super details, POV and composition.
thanks for sharing
Best regards
Özgür

hello Roberto
super good sharpness and great details with beautiful colours
greeting lou

Ciao Roberto,
fantastica macro per questa piccola creatura, sei riuscito a proporcela in tutto il suo splendore, bel colpo di classe.
I colori sono realmente ripresi con eccellenti dettagli, tutto in una piacevole composizione.
Bravo e complimenti!

Buona serata
Davide

A smooth BG and very well detailed subject!
Very well done, Roberto!
Goldy

This is a top class shot and it has all going for it like color , sharpness , composition :-). WOW is the word.
TFS
Goutham R

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