Monarch Butterfly-Newbie post

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Regan Harper
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Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:59 am
Location: Western North Carolina

Monarch Butterfly-Newbie post

Post by Regan Harper »

Image

This is my first post and I am trying to learn to do this.
I used an Olympus C3040Z on Macro; 1/800 sec.; f2.6; ISO 100; Focal Length 103mm. Only alterations were crop and resize. :)

Regan Harper
Western NC

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

Regan, welcome aboard! :D

It looks to me like you're making a fine start.

This is a very interesting picture because of the appearance of the subject.

What you have here looks to be a female tiger swallowtail (definitely not a monarch, BTW), shortly after emergence, with its wings not yet fully expanded. Assuming normal development, this state lasts for only a few minutes. A nice find!

It's a bit odd, though, for one of these critters in this condition to be sitting feet down, wings up. Usually they hang with body vertical so the wings can hang free while they are expanding. Is this the original orientation, or has the picture been rotated from reality?

Again, welcome aboard. We're looking forward to seeing a lot more postings! :D

--Rik

PS. I just noticed the copyright date. Is this picture really two years old, or is that "2006" a typo?

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Well "howdy neighbor!" :o Glad to have you join us. Must say I was pleasantly surprised to see your name pop up here. Have not seen you in a while. :-k For the information of the rest of the membership, Regan and I used to work for the same employer and often chatted with one another of and on during the work day, until he found some greener pastures and moved on.

Yep looks like a Swallowtail to me too, pretty good on getting in there Regan, a little fuzzy on the eyes/head and thorax area but you will get the hang of it soon enough I am sure. Some pretty nice details in those wings too! Well welcome aboard old friend good to have you. :wink:

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

Hhmm, I just noticed...

On the other side of the little branch where the butterfly sits, there is visible the tail end of the chrysalis, and the base of the silken loop that wraps around its thorax.

Does any more of that show in the original picture?

--Rik

beetleman
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Post by beetleman »

Welcome to the forums Regan. Any friend of Kens , is a friend to all of use. You captured this fella at a very interesting time. I agree with Rik, a look at the chrysalis would be interesting. Good Hunting.
Take Nothing but Pictures--Leave Nothing but Footprints.
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MacroLuv
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Post by MacroLuv »

Welcome, nice photo. :D
However I think it is not a Monarch butterfly but Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius) or similar.
The meaning of beauty is in sharing with others.

P.S.
Noticing of my "a" and "the" and other grammar
errors are welcome. :D

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

Assuming that the location is North Carolina, U.S., then chances are near zero that it's the European species Iphiclides podalirius.

I can't tell for sure from what's visible in this picture, but odds are that this is an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus. Some references will show this as Pterourus glaucus. The name has bounced back and forth, and I'm not sure which one is currently considered proper. For web searching, Papilio glaucus will get you a lot more good references. Also interesting is that according to BugGuide, "Large, spring-flying populations in the Appalachians have recently been recognized as a separate species, Papilio appalachiensis (Pterourus appalachiensis)."

--Rik

Edit: added info and refs.

JoanYoung
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Post by JoanYoung »

Welcome Regan. That is a beautiful butterfly. :)
Joan Young

Regan Harper
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Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:59 am
Location: Western North Carolina

Post by Regan Harper »

Thanks Rik, Ken and the rest for the comments. I am probably wrong on Identification of the butterfly. I took the picture two years ago at the Western North Carolina Nature Center. They have a butterfly display(screen hoop house) around July each year and have the caterpillers and crysallis there hatching of several types of butterflies. I have some other good shots of the different types there.

Rik, After you mentioned the orientation of the pic I looked close and it is rotated 90 degrees as this was shot inside the narrow hatching box where the crysallis were hanging. THe case was full around 60-75 looked like there waiting to hatch and lots of activity going on.

Ken, It is nice to hear from you too. You taught me alot but I have a long way to go. Layed up right now with a ruptured achilles tendon. I'll be up and about able to shot some more pics soon. :D
Regan Harper
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Nature is waiting for you to discover it!!!

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Regan replied:
Layed up right now with a ruptured achilles tendon
Ouch! :shock: Well we hope for a quick recovery. Never had anything like that myself but it sounds painful. I was a the WNC Nature Center last summer but it has really gone down hill some. I am not sure but I think they are in the process of remodeling it. Anyway if you get the chance try the Asheville Aboretum, they have some new exhibits opening up. :wink: Get well soon! :D

Regan Harper
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:59 am
Location: Western North Carolina

Post by Regan Harper »

Thanks Ken, It was some what painful but the surgery to correct it was worse. In a cast for three more weeks, then I get a walking boot to start stretching the muscle back out. :D I can't wait. Thanks for the info on the NC Arboretum which I have been meaning to get up to.
Regan Harper
_____________________________________
Nature is waiting for you to discover it!!!

Danny
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Post by Danny »

Howdy Regan. Pleasure to see this, swan plants all over our section here to attract Monarch's. Good sharp details in this. Need to watch how you shoot and try and avoid the out of focus branches. Try and get around more to eliminate those if possible. Nice shooting just the same. As a side not, keep your eye out for a +3 dioptre or there abouts for that camera of your's. That will not only allow you to take a higher ratio, but also from a further distance. It also helps in throwing the background focus out more as well. They are also very reasonable in cost.

Anyway, welcome and please, looking forward to more. All the best from here. :D

Danny.
Worry about the image that comes out of the box, rather than the box itself.

Regan Harper
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:59 am
Location: Western North Carolina

Post by Regan Harper »

Danny, That's a great website you have, love it. I'm a bug and flower guy mainly. :D

Do you shoot your pics in the 640x480 size and resolution or do you reduce them for publishing on the web?

Do you know where I can find a +3 dioptre for my camera? Or who would carry them?

Thanks
Regan Harper
_____________________________________
Nature is waiting for you to discover it!!!

Regan Harper
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:59 am
Location: Western North Carolina

full pic of butterfly

Post by Regan Harper »

Here is the uncroped picture of the butterfly.
Image
Regan Harper
_____________________________________
Nature is waiting for you to discover it!!!

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

But I think this is upside down. :?

Both the chrysalis of this species and the emerging adult normally hang head up, tail down.

Sorry to be so picky, but as a butterfly guy, I'm getting vertigo! :lol:

--Rik

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