www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

This is the October 2007 competition. Please read the competition introduction at:

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/phpBB2/v ... .php?t=991

To enter the October competition, please post a single reply to this message (1 post per member). You'll be able to edit your entry until 5th November.

Please note that, over the winter, various "themes" will be given for the competition. You may choose any photo you have so long as it's relevant to the theme (and is not restricted to photos taken during the month in question)! October's theme is "behaviour" - so it could be a mating pair, courtship, egg-laying etc. etc. Good luck!

Cheers,

- Pete

Ok I'll start the ball rolling......This one taken in April a female apparently rebuffing this males advances by arching her body. At the time of taking I thought it was the reverse!


1/60sec @ F16 ISO200, Aperture priority, spot metered. On camera flash.

Nikon D200, Sigma 150mm macro "Bugma"

Here is a common blue male feeding 19/07/2007:

Pete Eeles wrote:You may choose any photo you have so long as it's relevant to the theme...

Does it have to have been taken in 2007?

Guy

Nope

Cheers,

- Pete

Here is my first competition entry.
Comma (camouflaged) and taking up salts from the damp soil.
Taken in my garden in September



Denise

Denise -
More interesting "Behaviour" than the camouflage is that the Comma is taking up salts from the damp soil here - see the proboscis.
HTH
Roger

Cheers Roger

I'll probably change it before the end of the month, but here's a dusky grizzled skipper (Pyrgus cacaliae) looking for its mate on a page of Tolman and Lewington. It's heading in the wrong direction at the moment...



Guy

Courting Common Blues on Bathampton Down, August 2006:

Female speckled wood 'playing dead'...




She was on the ground, wings open basking in the sun, when she was approached by an ardent male. She immediately fell over onto her side, 'dead'. The male stayed around her for a few seconds flicking his wings but there was absolutely no movement from her. The male flew off. She remained 'lifeless' for about a minute then rose to her feet and flew off. (Apologies to those who may have seen this pic before - I previously posted it in April this year)
Alex.

Camouflage: The fly has mistaken the brimstone for a leaf
[img]http://homepage.ntlworld.com/djfmackenz ... mstone.jpg[/img]

Seems to me that this competition is rapidly turning into the "Comedy" competition. I can just see it now - the "UK Butterflies Comedy Awards 2007"

Cheers,

- Pete

Dave Mac
It just goes to prove that you don't need sophisticated, high speed flash to get pin sharp photograph of a fly on the wing!

Ham

Here's my entry, a Green Hairstreak taken in May. The behaviour aspect is fairly subtle - I noticed this female pointed her antennae downwards (as shown) before laying an egg. I don't know if this is always the case as it's the only egg-laying butterfly I've seen!


Larger version:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id ... 864&size=l

Alexander

Don't seem to capture much exquisite behaviour, all happens too quick for me, but..... this male large wall brown definitely had his eyes on his intended mate ( sorry )

Pete
Your suggestion of the Butterfly Comedy Awards is a great idea for next month's competition - a butterfly picture accompanied by an apt and amusing caption!! Could be fun.
Alex

Brimstone nectaring.



Martin.

Changing it to collecting nectar Cheers

Sezar

I'm not sure which behaviour I'm actually intending to display here, either the female emperor delivering the coup de grace,
or the dark green fritillary in dying.
A sad end to a butterfly but nature is not all sweetness and light.
It may be quite a rare shot too.