Topic: Butterflies and Hummingbird Moth (Read 2786 times)

Bonk · « **on:** August 02, 2006, 12:45:44 pm »

Just a few photos of mine I though I'd share. (cropped, sized and optimised for posting) The butterflies were amazingly patient, and I'd never seen a hummingbird moth before! A most interesting creature. This one is a White-lined Sphinx Hummingbird Moth. I haven't identified the butterflies yet.

Dracho · « **Reply #1 on:** August 02, 2006, 12:47:12 pm »

That's one funky critter! Cool pics

Bonk · « **Reply #2 on:** August 02, 2006, 07:06:19 pm »

They are fascinating. That one must have told his buddies, there was a whole bunch of them out in the phlox tonight. I was doing a little reading on them and I guess they tend to travel in flocks and have a penchance for phlox. I find myself curious about their reproductive and communicative behaviours. Living in the country seems to be turning me into an entomologist of sorts. I'm getting over the heebie jeebies that bugs used to give me at the very least.

Dracho · « **Reply #3 on:** August 02, 2006, 09:40:43 pm »

So... the flocks flock to phlox... cute.

Mackie · « **Reply #4 on:** August 04, 2006, 07:43:06 am »

that hummingbird moth looks awfully familiar

Bonk · « **Reply #5 on:** August 10, 2006, 06:01:50 pm »

Perhaps that unknown beastie of yours was a juvenile one? Though I'm not sure it was, that one you posted reminded me of something but I still can't quite put my finger on it... I think I've seen a fishing fly based on it.

I caught another one today.

Vipre · « **Reply #6 on:** August 10, 2006, 06:10:53 pm »

The third pic is the hummingbird moth right? Does it move like a hummingbird all super fast and flitting? I'd never heard of one, it's pretty cool.

Bonk · « **Reply #7 on:** August 10, 2006, 06:13:47 pm »

Quote from: Vipre on August 10, 2006, 06:10:53 pm

The third pic is the hummingbird moth right? Does it move like a hummingbird all super fast and flitting? I'd never heard of one, it's pretty cool.

Yup, it hovers about and moves pretty quick, though not quite as fast as a humming bird. From a distance it looks a bit like small hummming bird. A most improbable creature.

Sirgod · « **Reply #8 on:** August 11, 2006, 09:55:54 am »

I've gotta ask Bonk, What Camera where you using, and what F-stop etc. Those are pretty good pics.

Stephen

E_Look · « **Reply #9 on:** August 11, 2006, 11:35:46 pm »

The Bronx Zoo has a Butterfly House in which they fly free, land all over the place including your hand, though it takes a while to spot them all, if you can. Many of them are hidden by the flowers and plants. But a camera in there would really net some cool shots.

Unfortunately, it has an extra admission cost, in addition to that already paid to get into the zoo.

Puddleoguts · « **Reply #10 on:** August 13, 2006, 08:33:27 am »

Tiger Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail and some sort of Fritillary. I went through and identified most of what we had around with one of my kids earlier this summer....what we could figure out, anyway. The Swallowtails are by far the most abundant.

We planted a big patch of Salvia this spring and I have never seen so many butterflies in one place. We had......no exaggeration......upwards of sixty or seventy butterflies in the garden at any one time. Add to that the bees......Butterfly Moths......and it's really been pretty cool.

If you want butterflies......plant for them. Now is a great time to pick up cheap perennials at your local garden store. I bought about 30 "distressed" plants yesterday at Lowes's that had been marked down to 25 cents each. They'll all make it with a litlle TLC.

Can't beat that.

Sirgod · « **Reply #11 on:** August 13, 2006, 08:51:38 am »

You need to post some pics Puddle. I'm always interested in gardening. Can't do it worth a damn, but I'm interested.

stephen

Bonk · « **Reply #12 on:** August 13, 2006, 09:21:54 am »

Quote from: Stephen NCC -73070 on August 11, 2006, 09:55:54 am

I've gotta ask Bonk, What Camera where you using, and what F-stop etc. Those are pretty good pics.

Stephen

Camera make: FUJIFILM
Camera model: FinePix A340
Resolution: 2272 x 1704
Flash: Not Used
Focal length: 5.7mm
35mm equivalent: 38mm
CCD width: 5.34mm
Exposure times: 0.004s (1/250) to 0.013s (1/75)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 100
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Shutter Priority

The originals are sharper and more detailed than the optimised copies posted here.

Quote from: Puddleoguts on August 13, 2006, 08:33:27 am

Tiger Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail and some sort of Fritillary.

Thanks Puddle! Swallowtails... makes sense. Never heard of a Fritillary though.

Sirgod · « **Reply #13 on:** August 13, 2006, 10:20:33 am »

IT makes me wonder what you could do with Faster film. You really have a talent there bonk.

Stephen

Bonk · « **Reply #14 on:** August 13, 2006, 10:30:51 am »

Thanks Stephen.

There's no film involved, its a pretty typical digital camera. There are settings on it that equate to a faster ISO value, but I have not really had occasion to use them yet. (Though I might have captured that hummingbird moth better with such settings, but the little bugger was quick, I had to hurry to snap a shot.) I wonder what I could achieve with a proper digital SLR with a good set of lenses and full control over all the CCD and exposure settings. (let alone using real film and developing it myself) A few years experience in spectral microscopy has given me a pretty good feel for digital photography and optics.

Sirgod · « **Reply #15 on:** August 13, 2006, 10:42:51 am »

Years ago, I got heavily into black and white photography. That's why I'm always impressed when people share there work here.

Stephen

Bonk · « **Reply #16 on:** August 13, 2006, 10:54:31 am »

Quote from: Stephen NCC -73070 on August 13, 2006, 10:42:51 am

Years ago, I got heavily into black and white photography.

Black and white is awesome for detail and contrast on overcast days. I once took a course in black and white photography where we had access to a well equipped darkroom to develop our own work, it was a blast! Nothing can quite match the detail and nuances of contrast like black and white film.

Sirgod · « **Reply #17 on:** August 13, 2006, 11:00:58 am »

Same here, way back in college. Long story short, The teacher was a longtime friend of the family, and well, Even though I was Imancipated, I had to have thirty college hours to get in the Corp. So taking her class was one of the best things to happen to me back then.

Of course I still have nightmares about taking 22 hours in one semister...

Stephen

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