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Painted Lady


Painted Lady
Photo Information
Copyright: Heinz Koloska (wallhalla15) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1767 W: 58 N: 3350] (13829)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006
Categories: Insects
Camera: Fujifilm Finepix S7000, Raynox DCR 150 macro lens
Exposure: f/4.2, 1/340 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Painted Ladies [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-11-16 14:05
Viewed: 4587
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 46
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Painted Lady

The Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) is a well-known colourful butterfly, known in North America as the Cosmopolite.

It is one of the most widespread of all butterflies, found on every continent except Antarctica. In Australia, V. cardui has a limited range around Bunbury, Fremantle and Rottnest Island. However, its close relative, the Australian Painted Lady (Vanessa kershawi, sometimes considered a subspecies) ranges over half the continent. Other closely related species are the American Painted Lady (Vanessa virginiensis), and the West Coast Lady (Vanessa anabella).

The Painted Lady occurs in any temperate zone, including mountains in the tropics. The species is resident only in warmer areas, but migrates in spring, and sometimes again in autumn. For example, it migrates from North Africa and the Mediterranean to Britain in May and June, but offspring produced there die in the Autumn.

The caterpillars feed on a wide variety of host plants of the families Compositae (especially thistle), Boraginaceae, Malvaceae (especially hollyhocks and dwarf mallow (Malva neglecta), and a number of legumes. The adults drink nectar from a variety of wildflowers and cultivars, more commonly the favored thistle, butterfly bush (Buddleia), asters, Tickseed sunflowers (Bidens) and zinnias.

Distinguishing features
In general, the Painted Lady is a large butterfly (wing span can range from 2 - 2 7/8 inches long) identified by the black and white corners of its mainly orange wings.

The American Painted Lady (V. virginiensis) is most easily distinguishable by its two large eyespots on the ventral side, whereas cardui has four small eyespots. virginiensis also features a small white dot within the orange subapical field. which shows on both the dorsal and ventral sides. A less reliable indicator is the row of spots on the submarginal hindwing; while cardui typically has a row of small black spots, virginiensis often has two larger outer spots with blue pupils. In its summer form, however, cardui also sometimes has small blue pupils, so it is the two larger spots which best distinguish virginiensis.

The West Coast Lady (V. anabella) does not have obvious ventral eyespots. On the dorsal side, anabella lacks the distinctive white dot of virginiensis, and is a deeper, more consistent orange than both virginiensis and cardui; anabella has a fully orange subapical band and leading edge on the forewing, while in the other species these areas are often pale or tinged with white. The submarginal row of hindwing spots in anabella features three or four blue pupils. The two larger pupils in anabella are the inner spots, rather than the outer spots as in virginiensis.

The Australian Painted Lady (V. kershawi) is similar to V. cardui. However, its four ventral eyespots are less clearly defined, and it always sports at least three (often four) blue pupil spots on its dorsal hindwing. A major food plant is Ammobium alatum.

Info from wikipedia.com
carper, phlr, shal, Silvio2006, wuta, manyee, Matt-Bird, jeanpaul, TAZ, coasties, sandpiper2, peter_stoeckl, dew77, pankajbajpai, limier, Alex99 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1973 W: 119 N: 2582] (8439)
  • [2006-11-16 14:07]

very good one my friend.
a fantastic point of view her, good against the sky, fine details and good job with your old camera.
greetings Jaap

Hola Heinz,
Una gran foto de esta bellísima mariposa, tiene gran calidad en el enfoque, la luz, el color y sobre todo la composición, enhorabuena. Saludos

  • Great 
  • shal Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 256 W: 64 N: 481] (2140)
  • [2006-11-16 14:40]

Lovely presentation and details,
what a pretty butterfly :)
thanks for sharing,
great work Heinz :)
Cheers :D

  • Great 
  • batu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1079 W: 293 N: 4497] (16383)
  • [2006-11-16 14:48]

Guten Abend Heinz,
Superbild von der Flügelunterseite mit dem durchscheinenden Licht. Der Kontrast gegen das gleichförmige Himmelsblau ist optimal für den Falter, für die Blütenfarbe nicht ganz so. Aber eine Wolke an der Stelle war sicherlich nicht 'greifbar'.
Einen schönen Abend, Peter

Hallo Heinz,
da denkt man immer, daß nur die exotischen Schmetterlinge so schöne Zeichnungen haben - aber unsere einheimischen sind ebenfalls wundervoll. Diese "Augen" an den unteren Flügeln sind so schön, und das Licht scheint so warm hindurch.
Ganz toll, Danke und liebe Grüße
Sabine - wishnugaruda

  • Great 
  • wuta Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 855 W: 2 N: 617] (2142)
  • [2006-11-16 15:37]

This are a beauty shot Heinz , the details and the colours ar great , a beauty flower and bg ,good job thanks ,Greetings Teunie .

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3089 W: 230 N: 6774] (23770)
  • [2006-11-16 20:18]

What a cheerful, summery picture, Heinz.
It sure cheers me up in our now gloomy weather.
The butterfly is presented in a great POV.
Sharp details and well saturated colors.
TFS. : )

Hello Heinz,
Beautiful composition. I like the upward focus to the butterfly making it appear bigger. Noce DOF and sharpness. Good shot,
regards
Matt.

  • Great 
  • chiliu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1457 W: 0 N: 1176] (6526)
  • [2006-11-16 21:26]

Hi Heinz,
Very beautiful capture!
Great colours, sharp details and excellent composition.
TFS!
Chi

Bonjour Heinz
Une merveilleuse photo que ce Joli papillon,très belle composition.Très joli focus sur le papillon et le bouton de la fleur.Les couleurs et le cadrage et les détails sont tous très bons.Très beau BG avec ce beau ciel bleu.
Bravo et merci...JP

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2006-11-17 1:33]

Hello Heinz,
Wooow ! This Lady is superb ! You have chosen a good point of view and the result is great with the nice sky in background. Exposure, colors, sharpness and DOF are super.
Bravo my friend and TFS.

Hello Heinz

Impressive shot. Nice depth of colour. This is another quality shot! TFS MF.

bonjour heinz
excellent la encore,la netteté est bonne sur le papillon et sa fleur,bon point de vue avec le ciel comme BG.bel encadrement aussi.
laurent

Nice POv Heinz for this common yet very beautiful species. Good contarst with teh blue sky and purple plant. Well done.

Hallo Heinz,
die "Painted Lady" (das deutsche "Distelfalter" klingt so trocken) aus hervorragendem Blickwinkel getroffen.
Herrliche Farben und ein perfekter Hintergrund.
Geknipst im klaren Licht des Spätsommers?
Mit Dank und besten Grüßen,
Peter

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4432 W: 248 N: 4028] (13270)
  • [2006-11-17 6:28]

Hello Heinz,
Wonderful colose up of painted lady.I liked colors,detailsilghting,blue sky at BG,composition and especially POV a lot.
TFS...:-)

hi heinz,
lovely capture,
well composed, lovely colours,
nice pov, good dof, lovely bg,
focus and sharpness are fine,
well done,
tfs & regards
Pankaj

Excellent shot to the sky Heinz of this beautiful Painted Lady.
Great clear colors and details with an excellent blue BG
TFS and see you

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2006-11-17 9:08]

Hi Heinz.
Next your brilliant picture with amazing colours and details. I like how you have composed and presented your beautiful work. POV and DOF are simply nice as well as the lighting and contrast. Bravo.
Alexei.

Hi Heinz,
This is a beautiful shot, lovely compo and colours. TFS

Fara

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2234 W: 188 N: 1912] (8073)
  • [2006-11-18 10:10]

Hallo Heinz,
Das Bild errinnert an Sommer, ein fantastisches Makro. Klasse Bildgestaltung und traumhafte Farben.
Gruss..Sky

Hello Heinz,
I don't know were to look in your gallery as you post so fast :) It seems that I missed this one. This is a very good POV, composition, details and colors. This blue sky is amazing and contrast very well with this little beauty. This is a great shot Heinz, congratulations!
Claudine

Hi Heinz, this is really a wonderful Lady! Splendid colors, amazing light, lovely details, very well done. Complimenti.
Ciao Silvio

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