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Gatekeeper 3


Gatekeeper 3
Photo Information
Copyright: Jacqueline Schnepp (Noisette) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1714 W: 4 N: 2351] (7821)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2010-07-19
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon EOS 350D, 55-200mm f/4-5.6GED-IF AF-S DX VR Zoom N
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2010-08-12 13:37
Viewed: 3361
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hello All

first : my daughter Valérie and me thanks all TN members and friends for their congratulations about my new grandchild, this lovely little boy is now 8 days old

I have taken this shot hand-held at a meadow near my house

YES, I KNOW, IT'S A WHITE AND OOF GRASS BLADE IN THE FOREGROUND WHO DISTURBED A BIT BUT I CAN'T REMOVE IT, SORRY !

Gatekeeper Butterfly

The Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) sometimes called the Hedge Brown is a common butterfly in the United Kingdom. It is a member of the subfamily Satyrinae in the family Nymphalidae. A similar species is the Meadow Brown, especially in the female sex, which likes to rest with closed wings however, especially the far less active females.

The name "Gatekeeper" may refer to its frequent occurrence near field gates and to the man who was responsible for the toll gates in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries when butterflies were more numerous than they are today. As indicated by its alternate name, the gatekeeper butterfly prefers the habitat of meadow margins and hedges; field gates are often in such locations, and thus the Gatekeeper can be found much more frequently in such locations than the Meadow Brown for example.

The larvae of Satyrinae all feed on grasses, such as Rough Meadowgrass Poa trivialis, Smooth Meadow Grass Poa pratensis, Sheep's Fescue, and are usually green or brown in colour. The pupae are a flimsy chrysalis either hanging upside down or lying in grass. The adults are often found round blackberry plants. The adult butterflies have a quite short proboscis and the flowers of the blackberry being quite shallow provide an excellent nectar source. Males have a dark patch of scent scales in the middle of the forewing for courtship purposes except in very old individuals. This dark patch is clearly visible in the male Gatekeeper. The characteristic eyespots on the forewing probably deflect bird attacks away from the butterfly's body rather than startle away predators; the Gatekeeper likes to rest with its wings open and the eyespots visible. It flies more but strays about less than the male Meadow Brown (Stevens 2005).

Two similar species of Pyronia are found in southern Europe, the Southern Gatekeeper (P. cecilia) and the Spanish Gatekeeper (P. bathsheba).

Sexual dimorphism :

The Gatekeeper, like many Satyrinae, exhibit sexual dimorphism. The male has a dark patch on the upper side of the forewing. This is an area of scent-producing scales known as the androconia.
Luis52, Dis. Ac., Heaven, haraprasan, oscarromulus, boreocypriensis, rousettus, maurydv, CeltickRanger has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Gert-Paassen: hello GertNoisette 1 08-13 00:43
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3097 W: 109 N: 12399] (52850)
  • [2010-08-12 13:54]

Hello Jaqueline.
Nice shot of this Pyronia tithonus.Good on colours and POV.Very nice BG too.
Best regards Siggi

  • Great 
  • Aleks Silver Star Critiquer [C: 31 W: 0 N: 14] (14)
  • [2010-08-12 15:19]

Hi Jacqueline,

Wonderful shot, great sharpness and lovely background.

Amicalement

Aleks

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1175 W: 8 N: 4240] (15809)
  • [2010-08-12 15:26]

Hi Jaqueline.
Una muy agradable y fina foto. La iluminacion perfecta y asi se logran apreciar los finos detalles de los colores en la Mariposa.
Saludos
Luis52,

Hello Jaqueline, grandma.

when you from you self say I know oof grass blade disturbed your on the good way.
Mostley I take than a few photo's and try to take away the grass blade.
Further a good sharp image with fine colours.
But this specie are difficult to photograph.

Gert

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2010-08-12 22:39]

Hello Jacqueline,
Glad to hear Valérie and your grandson are doing well.
Never mind the OOF grass in the FG, this is a fine capture of P. tithonus taken from a good POV to show it resting with the wings closed in a sharp, well composed image.
Thanks and have a good weekend,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • Heaven Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 996 W: 123 N: 2341] (7912)
  • [2010-08-12 23:38]

Hi Jacqueline

Indeed, the haulm is a disturbing element, and I believe gert has given you a good advice although it seems that this butterfly is difficult to photograph. I also believe that the picture in spite of the haulm is worth the post, and the tiny light spot on its head saves the whole picture. The butterfly is beautiful, and together with your notes it is a valuable contribution.

Kind regards... and congratulations to the grandmother and the mother!

Markus

Hi Jacqueline,
A nice capture of this beautiful Gatekeeper Butterfly. Very well composed shot with good details. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • horias Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 837 W: 58 N: 2084] (11033)
  • [2010-08-13 3:52]

Hi Jaqueline
Congratulation for your little grandchild.
Today another great capture, this lovely butterfly!
Congratulation!
Horia!

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2010-08-13 4:41]

Hello Jacqueline,
Nice to hear everything is well with your daughter and grandchild.
Good photo of this butterfly in excellent sharpness, details and natural colours. You were lucky the grassblade was below the butterfly and not before it. Very nice POV and composition.
Regards,
Peter

hello Jacqueline
super sharpness pose on the green leave with beautiful colours
greeting lou

CONGRATULATIONS dear Jacqueline to you and your daughter.
The image is beautiful!!!
Loved the notes too. Highly EDUCATIVE!!!
Best regards to you both from Mario in Canada and a special kiss to your grandchild from Bernardete and this your servant,
Mario.

Hi MF Jacqueline,

A marvelous macro capture of this pretty and colourful gatekeeper beauty with nice details! I like the contrast between the subjects and BG.
The sharpness and POV/DOF are also fine MF.
TFS and have a nice WE!
Cheers,

Bayram

Un excelente trabajo Jacqueline. Los colores son precisos y naturales. Trabajaste muy bien esas luces. Un abrazo: J. Ignasi.

  • Great 
  • pvb Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 385 W: 16 N: 531] (1981)
  • [2010-08-15 3:56]

Hi Jacqueline,
Congratulations with your grandson.
This is a wonderful shot taken from a nice pov. Nice colours and bg
TFS Paula

Hi Jaqueline,
this a fine shot with good sharpness and details.
Well exposed with nice and natural colours.
The bright straw is a bit distraction but it's good you didn't cloned it away.
Well done.
Regards
Gert

Hello Jacqueline friend!
Beatiful and very natural macro shot!... good POV an very well managed exposure leve! Well done!
TFS, Regards, Jesús

hello Jacqueline
sorry for my delayed celebration. congratulations you and Valerie with your new grandchild. great news.
this great macro shot of beautiful Pyronia. It will be a great memory for your grandchild in future.
thanks for sharing, best wishes
Ahmet

Ciao Jacqueline,
une belle photo de ce papillon pris avec une parfaite netteté de belles et splendides couleurs, trčs jolie composition
Merci et félicitations
Bonne nuit
Maurizio

Hi Jacqueline,
Nice colourful and full image with good clarity.I like your composure and the strong contrasting colours captured, well taken.
erwin...

Ciao Jacqueline, congratulations for your grandchild, a great smile to Valerie, lovely butterfly on a busy blurry BG, wonderful macro, excellent sharpness, fine details and splendid colors, very well done my friend, ciao Silvio

bonjour Jacqueline

jolie photo de ce papillon dans la végétation,
prise par un excellent POV et cadrage,
excellent focus netteté et détails,
et excellent contraste entre les couleurs, TFS

Asbed

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