Butterflys in the backyard

[Mike]

I was out in the back yard, trying to get the dogs to cooperate for a few shots before it got too warm. I looked over and saw a butterfly having it's way with the flowers on the hosta plants. I thought they would make a good subject for playing with the Neat Image plug in for CS4 I got last week.

a700 with SAL2470Z

Butterfly has it's way with the hosta.
ISO-200
f/5.6
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DSC00183_DxO_raw.jpg (178.24 KiB) Viewed 4631 times

I never realized butterflys were so hairy.
ISO-640
f/9.5
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DSC00240_DxO_raw.jpg (182.43 KiB) Viewed 4631 times

Is that a vacuum cleaner attachment?
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f/9.5
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DSC00211_DxO_raw.jpg (174.82 KiB) Viewed 4631 times

Please add your own butterfly pictures.
Mike

[Winston]

Nice images, Mike. I have some Hostas too but have never seen any flutterbys in them.

Here are some more Tiger Swallowtails (click images for larger)

[aster]

Beautiful butterflies Mike and Winston!

I am jealous. Good compositions and great details especially in Winston's last image; the antenna's segments can be detected sharply. The 70-400 it seems can almost act like a macro lens.

Thank you both for sharing,

Yildiz

[Dr. Harout]

Here are my contributions

[Winston]

Nice, Doc. I see that your swallowtails get nibbled on too.

[Dr. Harout]

Thanks Winston. We call it Machaon, probably (and surely) derived from its species name: Papilio machaon.
I haven't noticed them yet this summer. Quite odd...

[Dr. Harout]

Should this be counted in?

[aster]

Very beautiful butterfly Dr. Harout!

But I wonder, who'd nibble on a butterfly's swallowtail?


Yildiz

[Winston]

Very beautiful butterfly Dr. Harout!

But I wonder, who'd nibble on a butterfly's swallowtail?


Yildiz

Probably a bird.

[aster]

Very beautiful butterfly Dr. Harout!

But I wonder, who'd nibble on a butterfly's swallowtail?


Yildiz

Probably a bird.

I see now. Thanks Winston!

It just seemed rather non-nutritious being covered with all those micro scales and low protein value to me at first glance. But of course it could still make a good enough feed to a tiny sparrow...

Yildiz

[Winston]

The bird has no interest in the wings. It wants the whole thing. One of the flutterby's defenses is its unpredictable flight path. When you see one that's been "nibbled", it was a close call.

[aster]

Thanks Winston,

I'm glad the bird didn't get this beautiful creature then. Life is short enough for them without the assaults of a predator.

Yildiz

[Mike]

I finally saw one today with an intact tail.

intact tail.jpg (178.56 KiB) Viewed 4510 times

Mike

[Greg Beetham]

Very nice work all. That last one is spectacular Mike.
Greg

[Ewannawe]

Just catching the rays...