Maximus
Re: Maximus
Cracking Sooty Coppers Maximus The few times that I've seen them when on holiday I've found them to be perfect time wasters - what seems like 5 minutes with them watching their antics and getting the odd shot actually turns out to be 30-40 minutes
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Re: Maximus
Yes, Mike, I'm sure they would fare extremely well in the southernmost parts of the UK. Sadly, Coppers are generally non-migratory, so unless someone secretes a few in clandestine fashion (something which is not unknown here) we will continue to gaze in awe and envy at a butterfly you have in your part of the world that would be a very welcome resident in Britain.
Re: Maximus
Thanks, Wurzel, I know just what you mean about about Sooty Coppers, loads of time looking
La Manche is too great an obstacle for them David, sadly
A recent visitor to our Choisya hedge was this lovely Map spring brood, (f. levana) butterfly, the first we have ever seen. Simply stunning is an understatement, hope we see loads more, although butterflies have been a bit thin on the ground over here, due to the poor weather of late!!
La Manche is too great an obstacle for them David, sadly
A recent visitor to our Choisya hedge was this lovely Map spring brood, (f. levana) butterfly, the first we have ever seen. Simply stunning is an understatement, hope we see loads more, although butterflies have been a bit thin on the ground over here, due to the poor weather of late!!
Re: Maximus
Lovely fresh Map, Mike.
You are now well placed for surprises like that!.
Stay safe,
Trevor.
You are now well placed for surprises like that!.
Stay safe,
Trevor.
Re: Maximus
Thanks, Trevor
Over the last couple of days it's been nice to see both Broad-bordered bee hawk moths and Hummingbird hawk-moths visiting our flowers in bloom. I have really struggled to get any decent shots of them as the weather has been dull and windy. Therefore I substitute some photos that I took of them last summer when the weather was far better. I find Bee hawks are easier to photograph as they tend to 'walk around' the blooms using their forelegs (as seen in the photos), as opposed to hummingbird hawks who actually hover next to each flower before quickly moving on. A shutter speed of 1/1600 of a second was still not enough to fully freeze the motion of their wings.
Over the last couple of days it's been nice to see both Broad-bordered bee hawk moths and Hummingbird hawk-moths visiting our flowers in bloom. I have really struggled to get any decent shots of them as the weather has been dull and windy. Therefore I substitute some photos that I took of them last summer when the weather was far better. I find Bee hawks are easier to photograph as they tend to 'walk around' the blooms using their forelegs (as seen in the photos), as opposed to hummingbird hawks who actually hover next to each flower before quickly moving on. A shutter speed of 1/1600 of a second was still not enough to fully freeze the motion of their wings.
Re: Maximus
Very nice bee Hawkmoth - very fluffy looking.
- Neil Freeman
- Posts: 4434
- Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2010 6:25 pm
- Location: Solihull, West Midlands
Re: Maximus
It is really interesting to see what you are finding in your new home James and illustrated with some superb photos
Cheers,
Neil.
Cheers,
Neil.
Re: Maximus
Wow that Map is even better looking than the summer form and those are cracking shots of it I long to see one of those
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Re: Maximus
Great images of the Broad-bordered bee hawk moths and Hummingbird hawk-moths, Mike...and as for your Map
You're not that far away from UK shores where you are, but you may as well be in a different world. We can only look on in envy.
You're not that far away from UK shores where you are, but you may as well be in a different world. We can only look on in envy.
Re: Maximus
Thanks, Katrina, very fluffy
Thanks, 'Nefreem' , appreciate your comments
Thanks, Wurzel, they are soooo good looking
Thank you, David, yes it's only the English channel which stops them being residents
The other morning we watched a Map Butterfly hanging around some stinging nettles in a corner of our garden. It became obvious that she was a female looking for somewhere to lay her eggs. As we watched she landed on on the the underside of a nettle leaf and began egg laying. I managed to get a few shots, even though she was laying in a shaded position underneath the nettle leaf, which made getting good shots difficult.
We will keep an eye on the eggs
Thanks, 'Nefreem' , appreciate your comments
Thanks, Wurzel, they are soooo good looking
Thank you, David, yes it's only the English channel which stops them being residents
The other morning we watched a Map Butterfly hanging around some stinging nettles in a corner of our garden. It became obvious that she was a female looking for somewhere to lay her eggs. As we watched she landed on on the the underside of a nettle leaf and began egg laying. I managed to get a few shots, even though she was laying in a shaded position underneath the nettle leaf, which made getting good shots difficult.
We will keep an eye on the eggs
Re: Maximus
Some well captured ' action ' shots of that Map. very unusual eggs.
Presumably she is contributing to the White Admiral look alike brood later on.
What a garden visitor1
Stay safe and well,
Trevor.
Presumably she is contributing to the White Admiral look alike brood later on.
What a garden visitor1
Stay safe and well,
Trevor.
Re: Maximus
Really interesting the way the eggs hang. Presumably they can’t eat their shells when they hatch or the eggs below would drop to the ground?
Re: Maximus
Fascinating to see. I remember reading somewhere that this method of ovipositing is thought to mimic the Nettles flowers, although surely if this were true that would work more effectively if they were laid on or near the actual flowers
Some addictions are good for the soul!
Re: Maximus
Really interesting seeing the underside and the eggs laid in such a fashion - but like Bugboy says surely if they're laid to mimic flowers they'd be better laid amongst the flowers? Sill there's something quite satisfying about the structure
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Re: Maximus
Thanks, Trevor, yes, they will become (hopefully) White Admiral lookalikes later
I understand what you are saying, Katrina, the latest shots should clarify that
Yes, Bugboy, they look vaguely like nettle flowers, but I agree that they are not in the right place
Perhaps the position they are laid in is enough to fool predators, Wurzel, but I'm not 100% convinced they're meant to mimic nettle flowers
An update on those Map(f. levana) eggs that were laid by the female on 5th, of June, on nettle in our garden. Most hatched this morning (16th June) with just a few late hatchlings to go.
I understand what you are saying, Katrina, the latest shots should clarify that
Yes, Bugboy, they look vaguely like nettle flowers, but I agree that they are not in the right place
Perhaps the position they are laid in is enough to fool predators, Wurzel, but I'm not 100% convinced they're meant to mimic nettle flowers
An update on those Map(f. levana) eggs that were laid by the female on 5th, of June, on nettle in our garden. Most hatched this morning (16th June) with just a few late hatchlings to go.
Re: Maximus
Fascinating shots Maximus I'm still trying to figure out how they get out of the egg without the ones below being displaced - do they use the side door?
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Re: Maximus
I believe the side door it is, Wurzel
Re: Maximus
Fascinating indeed - I'm learning a lot today - thank you.
Re: Maximus
Great observations, Mike. How I wish we had this species in the UK!
It's quite extraordinary how levana oviposits in this manner. I'm struggling to theorise what advantage such a strategy provides.
It's quite extraordinary how levana oviposits in this manner. I'm struggling to theorise what advantage such a strategy provides.
Re: Maximus
What a great set of shots of another species that would be very welcome here in the UK, Mike - I'm sure there are plenty of nettles to go round! It is interesting that its life cycle does not follow the same pattern as the nettle-feeders we do have, and it doesn't pass the winter as an adult. I wonder if this is a factor that has kept it from establishing here.
Cheers,
Dave
Cheers,
Dave