Posted by Nick Mckeown on February 20, 2012 at 2:51 PM
I suppose it might be called abstract, not sure, anyhow I thought it might be of interest. I will leave you with a quiz as to what it is, macro shooters will probably recognise it quicker than most. Non macro shooters will have to think out of the box a little if it is not immediatley recognisable. Will post the answer tomorrow evening. Sorry...no prizes!
Nick.
Posted by John Robinson on February 20, 2012 at 3:19 PM
Peacocks eye
Was it dead ?
Cheers
JR
Posted by David Taylor on February 20, 2012 at 3:39 PM
Or was it hibernating? Is that a 'pixellated' bottom middle of the image Great stuff.
It's not pixelated - take a look at a moth or butterfly's wings under a macro or microscope and that's what you'll see - loads of tiny little 'scales'. If you ever rescue one that's fallen in some water, you might see a fine 'film' around it in the water - it's a load of the 'scales' that have fallen or been brushed off.
Hopefully we'll see a better year for butterflies and moths this year, I've not spotted many hibernating, and the winter moths have been notable by their absence .
Posted by keith mitchell on February 21, 2012 at 2:40 PM
It's a very clever piece of work Nick,very different from the usual.
Keith.
Posted by Nick Mckeown on February 21, 2012 at 3:49 PM
Yes, its a close up of the hind wing of a peacock butterfly showing the "eye" spot which does look remarkably like an eye and is made up of tiny blue scales as Nick has mentioned and its that sort of thing which blows my mind.......evolution is a wonderous thing. I can happily state that no butterfly was harmed during the making of this image, and no, it was neither dead or hibernating.....just a very confiding newly emerged specimen that let me put my lens within inches (sorry centimetres for those younger members!) of its wing. That is always a special occasion for macro shooters!
@ David T........LOL I didn't notice the little blue . Well spotted Sir......at least I know you are all scrutinising my images!
Nick.
Posted by Pete Etheridge on February 21, 2012 at 5:25 PM
Thanks Nick M - not only a great image, but I've learnt something new about natural history too!
Nick U - you should spend some time down caves! Doing hibernation counts of bat roosts, I've seen plenty of hibernating butterflies this year (and quite a lot of fat spiders too...!)
Posted by John Robinson on February 21, 2012 at 5:37 PM
Nick
How did you get it to open its wings ? I,ve got one hibernating in the outside loo downstairs and I might have a go tomorrow.
Cheers
JohnR
Posted by Nick Mckeown on February 21, 2012 at 5:52 PM
John, as mine was newly emerged it was sat in the sun warming itself with its wings fully open and after a careful approach seemed happy to let me get very close. If yours is hibernating I would leave it sleeping.......even if you got its wings open you may find them faded and with scales missing.
Discussion
9 repliesNick.
Was it dead ?
Cheers
JR
http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/text/1758/the_peacock_butterfly.html
David
It's not pixelated - take a look at a moth or butterfly's wings under a macro or microscope and that's what you'll see - loads of tiny little 'scales'. If you ever rescue one that's fallen in some water, you might see a fine 'film' around it in the water - it's a load of the 'scales' that have fallen or been brushed off.
Hopefully we'll see a better year for butterflies and moths this year, I've not spotted many hibernating, and the winter moths have been notable by their absence
Keith.
@ David T........LOL I didn't notice the little blue
Nick.
Nick U - you should spend some time down caves! Doing hibernation counts of bat roosts, I've seen plenty of hibernating butterflies this year (and quite a lot of fat spiders too...!)
How did you get it to open its wings ? I,ve got one hibernating in the outside loo downstairs and I might have a go tomorrow.
Cheers
JohnR
Nick.