David Element
Wildlife
Photography and Digital Video Images
____________________________________________________________________________
Butterflies 32 – Cleopatras
CLEOPATRA BUTTERFLY Gonepteryx cleopatra (m)
CLEOPATRA BUTTERFLY Gonepteryx cleopatra (m)
CLEOPATRA BUTTERFLY Gonepteryx cleopatra (m)
CLEOPATRA BUTTERFLY Gonepteryx cleopatra (m)
CLEOPATRA BUTTERFLY Gonepteryx
cleopatra (m, f)
CLEOPATRA BUTTERFLY Gonepteryx cleopatra (m)
CLEOPATRA BUTTERFLY Gonepteryx cleopatra (m)
CLEOPATRA BUTTERFLY Gonepteryx cleopatra (m)
CLEOPATRA BUTTERFLY Gonepteryx cleopatra (m)
CLEOPATRA
BUTTERFLY Gonepteryx cleopatra (m)
CLEOPATRA
BUTTERFLY Gonepteryx cleopatra (m)
CLEOPATRA
BUTTERFLY Gonepteryx cleopatra (m)
CLEOPATRA
BUTTERFLY Gonepteryx cleopatra (m)
CLEOPATRA
BUTTERFLY Gonepteryx cleopatra (m)
CLEOPATRA BUTTERFLY Gonepteryx
cleopatra (m)
- These
photographs of stunning Cleopatra
Butterflies Gonepteryx cleopatra were taken
in Tuscany (Toscana), Italy and in the South of France. Some images were
captured using natural backlighting at a relatively high ISO setting to
illustrate the gorgeous orange patches on the upper surface of the wings.
These insects rest with their wings closed and this feature cannot be
portrayed as effectively using flash photography unless the photographer
is lucky enough to capture either the moment of take-off (very difficult!)
or courtship behaviour. The only flash image included here is a macro lens
portrait shot. Females are much paler, lacking the orange markings. The
shape of the leading edge of the forewing is convex when compared to that
of the closely related Brimstone
Butterfly Gonepteryx rhamni
and this species is absent from the British Isles. In France this
butterfly is known as "Le
Citron de Provence". The first three photographs were
taken in 2008, but camera technology has since improved, as evidenced by
the higher resolution and quality of the remaining images, and facilitated
using higher ISO, faster shutter-speed settings and superior equipment.
Manual focussing was required in order to capture these butterflies in
flight (and more importantly) in sharp focus!
·
David’s films of Cleopatra Butterflies may be
seen at: https://youtu.be/2TdyJq6bkYA - compiled from those clips for which
the autofocussing did work properly, and at: https://youtu.be/JwUddHg7g3A
including slow-motion video captured on a mobile ‘phone.
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