Pete Eeles

[Pete Eeles]

Cryptic Wood Whites. To my knowledge there's no record of them from the British mainland. So, is this a butterfly that was once sinapis that has diverged so much that it is considered a separate species, rather than subspecies?

When it comes to evolution and speciation, I suppose the only correct answer is that sinapis and juvernica share a common ancestor. Just as man didn't evolve from a Chimp There's a white paper discussing the DNA analysis and hypothesis for the distribution, but I don't think it's freely available online ("Unexpected layers of cryptic diversity in wood white Leptidea butterflies" - Dinca et al.).

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

Notes and Views from a Wiltshire Wood

Given the "explosion" of Purple Emperor sightings this year, I figured that this has to be the year to go looking for the immature stages - especially since I've never found them in the wild before. The rationale is that if I can't find them this year, I never will! And so I set off this morning to a Wiltshire wood known for its iris population. After 10 minutes of getting my bearings, I headed off down a forest ride, looking at any sallow that was in full or partial shade, as well as the shaded areas of sallows that were in full sun (which is normally "deep inside" the sallow). I don't know if it's beginner's luck, but the 3rd sallow I searched (Salix caprea) had a 1st instar larva (at least, I think it's 1st instar) sitting on a leaf tip, facing toward the base of the leaf (which showed characteristic feeding damage). After another hour of searching I finally found an egg with the caterpillar fully-formed inside and is probably going to hatch within hours! So - 2 immature stages in 2 hours - not the best of records but not bad for a beginner with this species

A shady sallow - home to an iris larva

Purple Emperor - 1st instar larva

Purple Emperor - 1st instar larva

Purple Emperor egg

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

Thanks for the response, Pete, and well done on the iris cat and egg. You're really diversifying this year!

[Padfield]

That last picture is quite amazing, Pete! The caterpillar must be very, very close to making its bid for freedom ...

Guy

[Nick Broomer]

Stunning photo of the PE ovum Pete, great work.

All the best, Nick.

[Mark Colvin]

Purple Emperor egg

I can only think of one word - BRILLIANT ...

[Jack Harrison]

Pete. That PE egg. Is it a male or female?

Jack

[Willrow]

Just fascinating Pete...and a great set of images too. Seek and you will find

Regards,

Bill

[Vince Massimo]

Great finds Pete , but that egg is particularly unique. When did you get the portable MRI scanner?

Regards,
Vince

[Pawpawsaurus]

That photo of the egg is absolutely amazing, both for the subject matter and for the photographic quality.

I assumed that it had been taken using an MP-E 65mm lens, but the EXIF says otherwise. How the heck did you manage a shot like that with a 150mm lens? Were extension tubes involved, or a supplementary lens, or both? I am rather jealous.

Paul

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks for the kind comments everyone - rather unexpected! To be honest, I was a little disappointed that it wasn't the typical "plum pudding" colouring ... until I saw what I'd captured on camera!

I assumed that it had been taken using an MP-E 65mm lens, but the EXIF says otherwise. How the heck did you manage a shot like that with a 150mm lens? Were extension tubes involved, or a supplementary lens, or both?

Canon 7D, Sigma 150mm macro, 3 extension tubes, tripod, flash, Wimberley plamp, luck

Cheers,

- Pete

[MikeOxon]

Canon 7D, Sigma 150mm macro, 3 extension tubes, tripod, flash, Wimberley plamp, luck

Indeed a remarkable picture, Pete, and you missed "application of excellent technique" off your list.

Mike

[Jack Harrison]

Photo of the year I reckon. The depth of field is quite extraordinary. I can't read the Exif so tell us what F stop was used?

And I had to look up "Wimberley plamp". What a wondeful name for a piece of kit!
One of its quoted uses is: "To hold a small shade to block light from hitting your lens and causing flare".
I sometimes use my hand to shade the lens from direct sun, so from now on I am in "Wimberley Mode".

Jack

[Pete Eeles]

Photo of the year I reckon. The depth of field is quite extraordinary. I can't read the Exif so tell us what F stop was used?

Thanks Jack

Exif Gobbledegook
Exposure Time (1 / Shutter Speed) {0x829A} = 1/10 second ===> 0.1 second
Lens F-Number / F-Stop {0x829D} = 63/10 ===> ƒ/6.3
Exposure Program {0x8822} = shutter priority (4)
ISO Speed Ratings {0x8827} = 200
EXIF Version {0x9000} = 0230
Original Date/Time {0x9003} = 2013:08:23 12:18:22
Digitization Date/Time {0x9004} = 2013:08:23 12:18:22
Shutter Speed Value (APEX) {0x9201} = 3321928/1000000
Shutter Speed (Exposure Time) = 1/10 second
Aperture Value (APEX) {0x9202} = 5310704/1000000
Aperture = ƒ/6.3
Exposure Bias (EV) {0x9204} = -2/3 ===> -0.67
Max Aperture Value (APEX) {0x9205} = 3/1 ===> 3
Max Aperture = ƒ/2.83
Metering Mode {0x9207} = pattern / multi-segment (5)
Flash {0x9209} = Flash fired, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length {0x920A} = 150/1 mm ===> 150 mm
Original Subsecond Time {0x9291} = 45
Digitized Subsecond Time {0x9292} = 45
Focal Plane X-Resolution {0xA20E} = 5184000/907 ===> 5715.55
Focal Plane Y-Resolution {0xA20F} = 3456000/595 ===> 5808.4
Focal Plane X/Y-Resolution Unit {0xA210} = inch (2)
Custom Rendered {0xA401} = normal process (0)
Exposure Mode {0xA402} = auto exposure (0)
White Balance {0xA403} = auto (0)
Scene Capture Type {0xA406} = standard (0)
Body Serial Number {0xA431} = 1781015255
Lens Specification {0xA432} = 150-150mm FNaN-NaN
Lens Model {0xA434} = 150mm

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pauline]

Just seen your recent shots Pete. Wow! They are stunning. I can only imagine the skill and dedication needed to get such amazing results and quite possibly the best photo I have seen this season.

[Neil Freeman]

I can only echo the other comments Pete, brilliant and fascinating stuff

Cheers,

Neil F.

[Vince Massimo]

And I had to look up "Wimberley plamp". What a wondeful name for a piece of kit!
One of its quoted uses is: "To hold a small shade to block light from hitting your lens and causing flare".

I suspect Pete used the plamp to hold the tree steady

Vince

[Jack Harrison]

Pete wrote:

TThanks Jack

And thanks to you for all the Exif data.

But you're slacking Pete! You still haven't told us whether it is male or female

Jack

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks again for all of the kind comments!

I suspect Pete used the plamp to hold the tree steady

Indeed I did!

Wiltshire Wood - Part 2
This stuff is addictive - as evidenced by others that have succumbed to iris and I can see myself making several trips over the autumn and winter to check up on progress! And my first return visit was today; I just had to go back to see whether or not that egg had hatched and, indeed, it had! And so welcome to the world, Egbert (I needed something to remind me that I found him as an egg!). When I found him he had eaten all of his eggshell and had moved to an adjacent leaf and was spinning up a silk pad. By the time I'd left he'd finished and had turned himself around to face the base of the leaf.

What I didn't realise is that the larvae will sit on the edge of a curled leaf and out of sight - something I hadn't been checking. And so I thought "this must be a good tree since Egbert's mum selected it" and almost immediately found another larva - this time a 2nd instar larva with horns, and clearly the result of a different set of parents given the difference in age. I've christened this chap "Blackadder" for no other reason that I wanted to christen the first larva I found yesterday "Baldrick" since he's missing his "horns" and is therefore "bald". Anyway - something that will help me remember what stage/instar I found these guys in! Almost all Blackadder characters

Cheers,

- Pete

[Padfield]

I look forward very much to following these over the autumn, winter and spring, Pete!! I hope they'll be joined by Percy and Queenie ...

As I'm sure you're aware, wild larvae change resting leaf regularly and occasionally even disappear off the radar for a while, before returning to their 'home patch'. So do keep going back even if you think you've lost them!

Guy