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calico butterflies


calico butterflies
Photo Information
Copyright: Siegfried Potrykus (neusser0204) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 487 W: 48 N: 1815] (7110)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-09
Categories: Nature
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-09-30 0:27
Viewed: 86
Points: 14
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Photographed in the butterfly house.
Butterflies in the genus Caligo are commonly called Owl butterflies, after their huge eyespots, which resemble owls' eyes. There are about 20 species in the genus, found in the rainforests and secondary forests of Mexico, Central and South America.
Underwing and upperwing patternThe actual function of the eyespots remains controversial (Stevens 2005). In some butterflies, particularly Satyrinae (such as the Gatekeeper Butterfly and the Grayling), it has been shown that ocelli serve as a decoy, diverting bird attack away from the vulnerable body, and towards the outer part of the hindwings or the forewing tip. Owl butterflies have been observed with large chunks missing from their hindwings[citation needed]. On the other hand, decoy ocelli are almost always small and located near the margin of the wing, where the damage caused by a bird's beak would interfere little with the butterfly flying and going about its life. The position and size of the owl butterflies' ocelli makes them a decidedly suboptimal decoy, as they are far too close to the abdomen in resting position to ensure no substantial damage is inflicted by a bird snapping at them.
Caligo eurilochusThe underwing pattern is highly cryptic. Caligos typically rest on tree trunks and large branches, and at least to human observers, when seen from a distance, the eyespot and the surrounding dark area do not compromise their superb camouflage. As many birds are able to see in the ultraviolet, more research is needed to determine how the eyespot pattern is perceived by the actual predators. In any case, at fairly close range the most visible thing about a resting owl butterfly is certainly a dark patch containing a single "false eye".
Owl butterflies are very large, and fly only a few metres at a time, so avian predators have little difficulty in following them to their settling place. However, the butterflies preferentially fly around dusk, when few avian predators are around (Freitas et al., 1995). Indeed, their main predators are apparently[citation needed] small lizards such as Anolis. It has been suggested[citation needed] that the hindwing underside pattern actually resembles the head of a large Hyla tree frog, which prey on Anolis. This theory remains to be tested. It is known that many small animals hesitate to go near patterns resembling eyes with a light-colored iris and a large pupil, which matches the appearance of the eyes of many predators that hunt by sight[citation needed]. Thus, it is conceivable that the eye pattern is a generalized form of automimicry that would buy the butterfly time to escape from an approaching predator.
(Wikipedia)
parasbhalla, jjanczyk, boreocypriensis, mikolaj_cava has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Guten Morgen, Siegfried!

Superb macro capture of the Owl butterfly with great sharpness and from a exceptionally well chosen POV. The colors are natural and the eyes are perfectly shown with great clarity.
Great composition!

Best regards,
Paras

Witaj,
Kolejne, doskonale macro!
Perfekcyjna ostrosc, super kontrast, ladna kolorystyka.
Swietna notka.
Pozdrawiam

Super macro great details .
Regards Zoran

Hi Siggi!
great crop, wonderful pov...excellent sharpness...
great work!
tfs
regards,
Alper

  • Great 
  • ayse51 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1683 W: 124 N: 1437] (20268)
  • [2009-09-30 11:36]

hi siegfried,
incredible...Great details..Congratulations Master.Necla.

Hi MF Siggi,

Amazingly beautiful macro with great clarity and delightful composition.
TFS and cheers,

Bayram

Czesc Siegfried! Bardzo zagadkowa i tajemnicza sprawa, makro wrecz magiczne, swietna ekspozycja. Slowem, robota jubilerska. Ciekawe info. Klaniam sie!

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