Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

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The idea for this thread came about from an online discussion between Ron aka Olybirder and myself. We thought it might be interesting to have a thread dedicated to butterfly and dragonfly photographs by anybody who would like to contribute. Ron has launched a similar one for birds (I have copied and adapted his words as they were very well chosen)

We realise that nature photography is an acquired taste and not appreciated by everyone but lots of people take nature shots so this thread could give members a chance to post photos for viewing, comments, advice and tips (given or taken) or just general natural history chat.

Don't limit your choices to simply macro shots, indeed the reason I suggested butterflies and dragonflies is because they don't require special equipment. And lots of people already post them.

You don't have to be a committed insect photographer but everybody is welcome to contribute if they have a photograph of a dragonfly or butterfly which they are proud of (or disappointed with and would like some advice.) It would probably be wise to limit the number of images to two or three at a time to prevent the thread becoming too unwieldly (on the other hand it might not take off at all.)

So have a root about on your hard drive and show us what you've got.

To start it off here are a selection I took this afternoon. As I walked around a reserve and footpath lots of people were out picking blackberries. I was taking pictures of the insects who were there first, enjoying the fruit themselves.







A migrant hawker dragonfly and two comma butterflies enjoying the blackberries. The dragonfly also has a fly walking on it's wing!

So do remember to wash your blackberries before you eat them.

Now it is your turn. What have you got to post?

[Beagletorque]

Re: Communal dragonfly and butterfly thread

Something else a little continental.



And a UK Brimstone.



And a Gatekeeper for good measure!

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Re: Communal dragonfly and butterfly thread

A very nice clouded yellow. Where in Europe were you and what else did you see?
I look forward to a few more like that.

My holidays in France did produce about 500 shots of butterflies this year, so my hands are itching but I will resist....for now.

It will be interesting to see if anyone has a photograph of one of the migrant clouded yellows that have reached us this year. A few have got up to the midlands not sure how far north they wander...

added after a second picture appeared....what a wonderful brimstone picture. :-) and now also a gatekeeper.. thank you Beagletorque

[Beagletorque]

Re: Communal dragonfly and butterfly thread

I can see I'm going to learn a lot from this thread! Currently just south of Limoges, but will soon be back home.
Don't resist, let's see!

[Olybirder]

Re: Communal dragonfly and butterfly thread

Thanks for getting the thread off the ground so quickly Peter. What a splendid selection of butterfly and dragonfly images. Out of interest has anyone ever managed to get a shot of a Brimstone with its wings open?

There are been hardly any butterflies in my garden recently, apart from a few very smart Red Admirals. However, the other day while out for a walk I entered a clearing in the trees and there were five pristine Speckled Woods flying about in the sunshine. I guess I should have stopped down a bit more to get both wingtips in focus. Will I ever learn?


E-M1 and 75-300 II.

Ron

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Re: Communal dragonfly and butterfly thread

Thank you for posting here too Ron.

I love speckled woods in autumn, everything else seems just slightly old and worn and then you see a speckled wood - fresh as a daisy and full of energy and excitement, chasing anything that moves nearby.

You have done well as I think they are very hard to get a good shot of, and we shouldn't get too worried by a bit of depth of field blur.

very soon with focus stacking it will be a pleasure to see pictures with something out of focus ..!

[art frames]

Re: Communal dragonfly and butterfly thread

I can see I'm going to learn a lot from this thread! Currently just south of Limoges, but will soon be back home.
Don't resist, let's see!

Just three (Ron set the rules) and I will try to be law abiding!

These were all from a very pleasant part of France - the Tarn and Garonne. Very rural, lots of butterflies. Firstly a mating pair of Cinquefoil skippers.



Then to go with Beagletorque's clouded yellow a Berger's clouded yellow (could possibly be a pale clouded yellow but I think more likely Berger's)



to finish this set is a long-tailed blue



Sorry to say none of these would be seen in England, except very rarely long-tailed blues. They have been seen as very rare migrants when the weather conditions have blown them over the channel.

Enough from me. Somebody else please show us what you have.

[Olybirder]

Re: Communal dragonfly and butterfly thread

Three cracking images of butterflies that I haven't seen and am not likely to either, Peter. I haven't heard any reports of migrant Clouded Yellows here this year. There were quite good numbers last year amd I saw a couple on Lowestoft North Denes.

By the way, I am better at breaking rules than setting them, so post as many shots as you wish.

Ron

[Beagletorque]

Re: Communal dragonfly and butterfly thread

Super stuff Peter. Let's hope the Auzzie contingent get involved too!

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Re: Communal dragonfly and butterfly thread

Three cracking images of butterflies that I haven't seen and am not likely to either, Peter. I haven't heard any reports of migrant Clouded Yellows here this year. There were quite good numbers last year amd I saw a couple on Lowestoft North Denes.

Ron

I saw some migrant clouded yellows last year. The first report in Northamptonshire this year was early August. Not seen one yet...But I will post it here if i see one.

It is very good at the minute for Red Admirals too.

I'm off to bed now and hope this thread will be full by tomorrow.

Very happy to see Australian species as well as European ones...

[brian1208]

Re: Communal dragonfly and butterfly thread

A Male Small White using the EM-5 + 75-300mk2

small white male by Brian Wadie Photographer, on Flickr

Male Orange Tip on Bowles Mauve Wallflower

orange tip male by Brian Wadie Photographer, on Flickr

and if I'm allowed to stretch the subject a little to Moths, one I'd never seen before a tine little black day moth with the longest antenna I've ever seen

black day moth with long antenna by Brian Wadie Photographer, on Flickr

[PeterBirder]

Re: Communal dragonfly and butterfly thread

A Migrant Clouded Yellow in Essex 2013.



Comma.


Banded Demoiselle.

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Re: Communal dragonfly and butterfly thread

Some wonderful pictures coming in after I went to bed. Thank you Brian and Peter.

Brian's first:

Lovely shot of a small white. I find all of the white butterflies wonderful subjects. There is a huge amount of detail and colour in most of them. And if you see them for what they are (dainty, delicate, perfect) rather than cabbage eating pests, then people may also stop using chemicals in their gardens

The Orange Tip having a drink is lovely too. About the only time they sit still but it is a butterfly that I have also been able to capture flying a number of times, it is predictable and slow enough.

But the moth is a sensation. I needed to look it up. My suggestion is Adela reaumurella, a fairy longhorn moth (there are a number of moths in that family). The look, timing and everything seem right. What do you think Brian? There is a video of them swarming on YouTube - (youtube.com/watch?v=cZz1b2DD7-s). It seems the male is the only one to have the huge antennae. Which seems appropriate....

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Re: Communal dragonfly and butterfly thread

Thank you Peter for also joining in and sharing a migrant clouded yellow. I have spent lots of time chasing clouded yellows - they also seem never to want to stop. Did this one do the same?

It looks like you caught the Comma in flight, in perfect focus. So Peter introduces the BIF category as well.

And demoiselles, which are so very beautiful and difficult to get near to (unless it is very hot when they become kinder, I find).

So Ron's idea seems to be working. I will try to keep it going, but please post more.

[Olybirder]

Re: Communal dragonfly and butterfly thread

Lovely crisp shots from Brian and Peterbirder. I find my Orange Tip shots never look right but Brian's is excellent. Banded Demoiselles are impossibly exotic looking for a relatively common damselflies.

Here is a shot of a pair of mating Skipper butterflies at Carlton Marshes back in June. My butterfly ID skills are not very good but I think they are Large Skippers. I am sure Peter will be able to correct me if I am wrong.

E-M1 and 75-300 II.

Ron