Thursday 12 April 2012: Hairstreak

I decided to wander upstream today, as downstream is getting a bit same old. This will probably be a really annoying statement for me to make, for all the UK bug blippers, who are only just coming out of the barren winter phase, but there are only so many ways to blip a red dragon. In any case, the sun was out, it was midday and the dragons were way to fast and skittish for me anyway.

The butterflies were out in force and I saw some incredible beauties, but they are just impossible to get close too. I suspect that most of the really exotics are arboreal, as they never seem to land, probably choosing to rest high up in the trees. Such a shame, not just for the stunning colors but also the size, HUGE! Easy six inches across.

The blip monster did take pity on me and presented this hairstreak butterfly, a new one to my journal. Some of you might remember that I posted a series of three hairstreaks 28th - 30th December, with the rich red top side. This species has a deep metallic blue top side, which unfortunately she only displays when in flight.

I haven't seen this particular butterfly before, but when I got up close, I noticed a familiar behavior pattern of shuffling wings, turning away from me and finally, wiggling the false antennae at me, most definitely a hairstreak. The false antennae are not as prominent as the previous species, but the behavior was identical, with the butterflies absolute confidence in it's defense strategy and refusing to yield its ground, making it a fairly easy blip.

With its stunning shades, I think this has to be one of my favorite butterfly blips and I am so pleased with what the D70 has given me here. Hope you like it as much as me.

Update - failed to identify. I thought the red stripes would make ID easy!

Dave

• NIKON D70:
• f/11:
• 1/125":
• 80.0mm

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