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Polyommatus Icarus


Polyommatus Icarus
Photo Information
Copyright: Jose Ramon Pato (JORAPAVI) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 677 W: 0 N: 629] (4643)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-08-11
Categories: Insects
Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50, Panasonic DMW-LC55 55mm Close
Exposure: f/11, 1/160 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-08-13 1:08
Viewed: 7615
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 50
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Spanish]
Polyommatus Icarus

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.

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.

Source VIKIPEDIA
Seabird, Kaszek, crs, uleko, ramthakur, red45, Argus, gerbilratz, Alex99, boreocypriensis, liziafa, phlr, maurydv has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi, Jose,

this is very beautiful! an excellent capture with great colours and details. thanks for sharing.

chrs,
Man Yee

Hi Jose!
What a beautiful picture of this butterfly! This blue colour is fantastic. Quality of this photo is superb. And composition too :)
TFS
Kaszek

  • Great 
  • crs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 469 W: 0 N: 922] (3551)
  • [2008-08-13 3:53]

Hello Hose,

Very good photo of the butterfly! Excelent chosen DOF rendering sharp even fine details of the butterfly. Nice lighting solution enhacing the wonderfull blue color of wings and body.

Thank you for sharing,
Cristian

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2008-08-13 4:13]

Hello José,
Wonderful macro of this fresh and beautiful Common Blue in a classic pose. Excellent sharpness and lovely colours that stand out against the green background.
TFS and regards, Ulla

Jose, this a stunning image of a Blue butterfly.
It is rarely seen with its wings so wide open.
The focus, blue colour and composition are perfect. Despite large size of the image, there is not even the slightest aberration anywhere.
Thanks and regards.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2636 W: 74 N: 9091] (31094)
  • [2008-08-13 5:41]

Hello Jose!

Excellent, detailed macro of small Lycanidae. Composition is great, focus spot-on, great, blue shades on wings. Very good post.

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2008-08-13 8:00]

Hola José Ramón,
The sharpness is perfect with a great DOF against a fine contrasting BG. The central composition for this POV is perfect.
TFS this excellent macro,
Saludos

Just perfect!! and a favourite!!

Hola amigo.
Una genial imagen con una extraordinaria nitidez.
Fabuloso trabajo y buena documentación.
Un cordial saludo, JL.

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2008-08-13 10:15]

Hi Jose.
Once more brilliant shot from you. Simply amazing sharpness, details and reproduction of all features of the fine butterfly. Its posture and your POV are the best, DOF and BG are excellent too. All in all one of the best picture of the beauty. My greetings.
Alexei.

Hi Jose,
Superb macro capture of this beautifully coloured butterfly species from dorsal sides. Great DOF and lighting. TFS.
Greetings from TRN Cyprus,
Cheers,

Bayram

Vaya foto preciosa José Ramón, habla por sí sola. Para remate la encuadras al revés con mucho acierto. Sorprendentes los pelos del cuerpo que nos descubre ese preciso enfoque.
Un abrazo: Josep Ignasi Tejedor.

Hi Jose,
Excellent buterfly!!! Interesting display. Very good sharpness, framing, colours and details.
TFS Malgosia

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2008-08-13 12:27]

Hi Jose. This is a text book picture. With a fine over head view of this butterfly. You have taken ut with fine detail and bright colours. against a plain BG. well done TFs. Interesting notes too.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2008-08-13 14:35]

Hi Jose,a most common butterfly but not easy to transform in a great spectacle like your pic!! The details and the colors of the wings are fantastics,this time the different choice ofpoint of view make a difference! My best compliments,Luciano

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 2232 W: 10 N: 2971] (16891)
  • [2008-08-13 22:08]

Hola amigo,
preciosa macro,
color, compo. y nitidez
bello bg, un lujo de trabajo amigo,
saludos José

  • Great 
  • cako Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 485 W: 0 N: 772] (3395)
  • [2008-08-14 1:04]

Hi jose
very nice shot of buttterfly
well done.

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 988 W: 4 N: 3277] (14761)
  • [2008-08-14 5:14]

Hello Jose, Excellent view. Lovely shot with superb focus and clarity. I like the wing colors and with the BG. superb composition and you have presented a great shot here. Ganesh

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2158 W: 224 N: 4749] (16656)
  • [2008-08-14 6:04]

Hi Jose Ramon

A spendid close-up of this vivid and strikingly beautiful butterfly - Polyommatus Icarus.
The details sure are terrific - pin-sharp and rendering the exact texture of the butterfly well.
The natural contrast with the green BG is also very nice, making the butterfly stand out even from the thumbnail and making its colors pop even better.
Good control of the exposure and the DOF, too.

Bravo and TFS
Horia

Ciao Jose Ramon,
meravigliosa macro di questa piccola e bellissima farfalla, eccellenti POV, DOF e composizione con la splendida posa, sensazionale la definizione dei dettagli, fantastici i colori e BG.
TFS. Maurizio

Bonjour Jose
Très belle prise de ce Polyommatus Icarus
excellente netteté et superbe réstitution des couleurs, un très beau sujet. Bravo.
Amicalement Robi

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2249 W: 65 N: 4205] (13972)
  • [2008-09-10 7:13]

Hola José Ramon,
What a beauty! The tone of blue it has is great. You used the flash light in an excellent way. I like the POV, colors, focus, sharpness and details a lot. Gracias y saludos,
Selen

Hello again Jose Ramon!
Lovely, so blue and sharp picture of Lycaenidae butterfly. Timing is perfect, the wings are fully opened showing fantastic tones of upper side insect.
Comments to such pictures are not easy, everything is so good that there is nothing to critique :)
All the best,
Radomir

  • Great 
  • pvb Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 385 W: 16 N: 531] (1981)
  • [2009-02-06 12:52]

Hi Jose,
Am I looking in a butterflybook? because this is excellent.
The focus and sharpness are super. So are the details and colours of this lovely butterfly.
Excellent macro
Thanks Paula

Ciao Jose Ramon, I missed this splendid butterfly with fantastic colors, superb macro with fine details and wonderful sharpness, great DOF, perfect focus and lovely blurry BG, very well done, ciao Silvio

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