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Scarce Swallowtail


Scarce Swallowtail
Photo Information
Copyright: Joe Kellard (joey) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1739 W: 224 N: 6872] (24909)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-08-02
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon EOS 400D (Rebel XTi), Sigma 180mm f/3.5 Macro EX APO IF HSM, Digital ISO-400, Kood 72mm UV filter
Exposure: f/8, 1/1000 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-08-24 11:13
Viewed: 3950
Points: 38
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Here's a Scarce Swallowtail which I photographed in France. These insects are very impressive compared to most of the butterflies we get in England :-)

I hope you like it!

The Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius) is a butterfly found in gardens, fields and open woodlands. It is found in places with sloe thickets and particularly orchards. It is also called Sail Swallowtail or Pear-tree Swallowtail.

It is widespread throughout Europe with the exception of the northern parts. Its range extends northwards to Saxony and central Poland and eastwards across Asia Minor and Transcaucasia as far as the Arabian peninsula, India, and western China. A few specimens of the Scarce Swallowtail have been reported from central Sweden and the UK but they were probably only strays and not migrants. The scarcity of UK migrants is responsible for the English common name. In the Alps it can be found up to altitudes of 1600 m.

In some years the Scarce Swallowtail is quite abundant. The Scarce Swallowtail is getting rarer as the blackthorn bushes are being cleared; and it is now protected in some central European countries. It is protected by law in Czech republic, Slovakia, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg and Poland. It is considered Rare-Endangered and protected in some provinces of Austria and of status Indeterminate throughout Europe.

The food plant includes hawthorn bushes. The caterpillars spin little pads on leaves and grip them firmly. The newly hatched caterpillar is dark in colour with two smaller and two bigger greenish patches on the dorsal side, later they are greenish with yellowish dorsal and side stripes. The summer chrysalids are green as a rule, the hibernating ones are brown. A number of hibernating chrysalids fall prey to various enemies.

Thanks for viewing!
nglen, fartash, jrobertop, cataclysta, buscape, eqshannon, jaycee, Argus, LordPotty, boreocypriensis, gannu, rousettus has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2008-08-24 11:16]

Hi Joe. Once again a good close up of a butterfly from you . i like the low POV in the fine shot of the Swallowtail. You have use the light well to give bright colours. and good detail. well done TFS.
Nick..

Hello Joe
A splendid capture of a swallowtail...It is indeed a shame that we dont get them in the UK but we do have a splendid selection that need finding out and recording.
My hat is tipped appropriately.
All the best
Trev aka Paul or lawbert!!

Dear Joe
Excellent shot of this wonderful Scarce Swallowtail,
Perfect focusing,colors and POV.Welldone my friend.

Regards
Fartash

Hi Joe.
A magnificent composition!
Nice flowers and marvellous butterfly!
Splendid coloration, sharpness and details.
Congratulations for the excellent work!
Thanks for sharing this marvel.
Regards,
José Roberto

Hi Joe
Beautiful butterfly unfortunately with sharpness problems. Maybe little unsharp will make it a little bit better. Composition is very good with butterfly on the left side. Also nice homogenous background.
Best wishes
Krzysztof

Hello Joe,
good capture of this Swallowtail. Nice POV and composition.
Thanks for sharing

merhaba Joe,
çok güzel bir fotoğraf ve iyi zamanlama.

  • Great 
  • cako Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 485 W: 0 N: 772] (3395)
  • [2008-08-24 14:15]

Hi Joe
very nice image
well done.

Never seen anything like this Joey!! I thought for a minute you had discovered a new one....tell me...when you saw this in Spain, did you know what it was or did you have a book with ou or have to wait until you got home? sometimes you can just really pop up and surprise me...if not something macro, then something unusual or in this case SCARCE!
Bob

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2008-08-24 16:46]

Hi Joe,

Wonderful close-up of both butterfly and flower. They look terrific against the nice blue sky background. Lovely colors and details of this Swallowtail from France.

Jane

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2008-08-24 21:56]

Hello Joe,
A fine capture of I. podalirius against a blue sky taken with good light management in a pleasing composition with good sharpness of the subject.
TFS this French beaty,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2008-08-25 4:08]

Hi Joe,what a fantastic point of view,you was underground? ehehe! Wonderfull pic,this is one my preferds butterflies but for me is "nice and impossible",i never take a pic of a beautifull swallowtail like your,just a very old back from the second worldwide war! My best compliments,it's a 1st class pic,have a nice week,LUCIANO

Ciao Joe, superb macro with wonderful Swallowtail and beautiful flower, fantastic colors, perfect focus, fine details and splendid sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

Hi OwlMan!
Great macro shot of this Scarce Swallowtail from an unusual viewpıoint! Wonderful colours and details!
TFS and cheers from Izmir:P
Bayram

bonjour joe
je vois que tu es venu faire un tour dans l'hexagone!
voila une belle image,même si le piqué n'est pas revolutionnaire,j'aime bien le POV.
laurent

bonjour,
superbe POV pour ce beau papillon qui vole frequemment dans nos jardins...je sais enfin ce que c'est!!!
TFS
vero

Hi Joe,
You have been very lucky to capture this Scarce Swallowtail and managed very well with your macro work as usually. Very good composition, pin sharp details, good DOF and lighting, bright natural colours.
TFS
Cheers
Pekka

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 988 W: 4 N: 3277] (14761)
  • [2008-08-25 20:21]

Hello joey, Fantastic and superb POV shot. Great natural colors with an interesting BG. I like the view and the sharpness to the shot. You are really playing with your camera. Ganesh

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1772 W: 36 N: 5597] (18598)
  • [2008-08-25 21:12]

Hi Joe,
Wonderful shot of this beautiful Swallowtail with lovely colours and markings on its wings. Great pose captured against the blue sky as backdrop with a perfect DOF. Excellent POV and composition. Thanks for sharing.
Sumon

Hi Joe,
This is an excellent close up with great light.
Good to see you are still taking great shots and posting them here.

Hello Joe,
what a nice macro for very beautiful Swallowtail. Superb colors, great sharp details, POV and BG. Thanks for sharing, best wishes
Ahmet

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