SUMMER ADVENTURES - Episode 38 - THE MOTH FILLED EPISODE ... for the Butterfly Day and Insect Day Giveaway - Week 42

avatar
(Edited)

The small emperor moth (Saturnia pavonia) is one of the most spectacular moths here in my area, the Istra peninsula, northern Adriatic, in Croatia. Is large, is hairy, fluffy, and beautifully decorated with organic abstract shapes in many shades ... and it has those attractive peacock eyes. Is not very colorful, but that is compensated with the elegant look of its decorations, that viewed very up close, look like some sort of intricate traditional carpet.  

(Enlargeable)

That's why I decided to put him in front, as the first picture of the post. :D To immediately catch the attention ...

(Enlargeable)

... because most of the other protagonists of this episode ...


... will be small ... like this small marbled (Eublemma parva) ...

(Enlargeable)

... and much less exuberant ...

(Enlargeable)

... but not less interesting.

On this low quality, grainy shot ... made with a simple, low quality compact camera a few years ago, in a pretty dark conditions at dusk ... is a fascinating little species, disguised as some part of a dry plant ... and I'm sorry to not being able to tell you the name of the species ... I did a bit of research through internet, but didn't find out who this moth is ... it is not very common here, or is very well hidden, so I saw it only a few times in my life ... always on the dry out coastal meadows at the peak of the summer.

Many small moth species ...

... are hiding in this sea of tall grass ...

... most of them ...

... are waiting for the dusk to resume their activities ...

(Enlargeable)

... like this scarce footman (Eilema complana) ad example ... that likes to visit the lichens covered rocks near the sea ...

... or this other small species ... that I still didn't find how is called.

But some ... like this lovely Rhodometra sacraria ...

... or Dysgonia torrida, on this photograph ... can be encountered also during the day ... especially if the day is cloudy ...

... some of the most colorful species of this area ... like Zygaena carniolica, on this photograph ...

... or Zygaena exulans ... here photographed while feeding on the big thistle flower early in the morning ... are diurnal moths ...

... this shiny green beauty ... that I still don't know how to call ...

... is also very common during the day ... in summer ...

... on the open meadows.

The Hummingbird hawk - moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) is one of the most common ... and also kind of iconic ... diurnal species ...

(Enlargeable)

... they can be seen almost everywhere around here ... in gardens, on the city balconies, in every place with some attractive flowers ... but around the big and juicy thistle flowers on the coastal meadows, they can appear in spectacular numbers ...

... I photographed this minuscule species ... without a name in this post :) ...

... feeding on the small trumpet like flower, of a plant that looks like some sort of morning glory ...

... also during the day ... around noon ... on a very hot and dusty summer day ... and so, while all these moths are sucking the nectar or just flying around, under the strong summer sun ...

... this very large ...

... I think the largest here in the area ... Convolvulus hawk - moth (Agrius convolvuli) is usually resting, well hidden by his color and patterns, on the rocks near the sea ...

 ... only with the dark ... he will fly to the nearby meadows ... to feed on the long trumpets of the datura flowers ...

... many other moths are attracted at night by these big white flowers ...

... on this photograph is the elegant Box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis), a invasive species here ... but a very beautiful invasive species ... also photographed on the datura plant ... hi is hiding on the back of the leaf ... so wasn't easy to get below enough and take this shot.

I saw many other moths using this hiding strategy ... like this one in the dense oak and elm woods.

(Enlargeable)

And this ... pretty large moth ...

(Enlargeable)

... is also a forest creature ...

... a very nocturnal one ... well hidden during the day just like  the Convolvulus hawk - moth ... but on the bark of the trees instead of rocks ...

(Enlargeable)

... is an Oak hawk moth (Marumba quercus) ...

(Enlargeable)

... a very common species in the woods around my hometown ... but I don't see him often ... 

(Enlargeable)

... because, or is well hidden during the day ... or flies somewhere around the woods late at night.

(Enlargeable)

And here is a large, enlargeable portrait of that cute and furry moth's face :D.

On this photograph ... is another nice example of camouflage ... a moth called Angel shades (Plogophora meticulosa) ...

(Enlargeable)

... very beautiful species ... I especially like the way in which the folded wings wonderfully mimic some types of fallen leaves ... and various dried out plant surfaces.

On this photograph, you can see the Angel shades on green surface ... and take a better look.

And here is another camouflaged species ... that I don't know much about ... in its diurnal rest.

This very peculiarly shaped creature ... is a White plum moth (Pterophorus pentadactyla) ... very common on the meadows ...

... and this ...

... is a similar, brown species ...

... that I encounter less often ...

Here is another pretty rare encounter in this area ... a beautiful green moth ... I don't know the name of the species ... saw it just a few times ...

This one is called Dysauxes famula :) by scientist mainly ... I think ...

(Enlargeable)

... and here is another lovely, fluffy - looking species ... also pretty colorful too ...

... the Cream - spot tiger (Arctia villica).

This is a small moth I found once deep in the woods ... on the carpet of lichens ... and I don't know the exact species ...

This is a Hook marked straw moth (Agapeta hamana) ...

... here photographed with different light ... that shows better the scaly texture of the wings.

And now ...

I'll show you ... a pretty long series of various small moths ... that I didn't find enough information about ... and after a long internet searching and researching ... I still don't know what species these are ... but they are interesting to look at, and although you won't learn much from the rest of the post, at least you'll see a bit more of the great biodiversity out there ... in the woods and meadows in my area.

This elegant species ...

... is usually hiding under the large leaves of the plants that grow flat, spreading near to the ground.

This one also ... and is also very elegant.

Another similarly shaped species ... from the same habitat ...

... and another one.

A beautiful orange moth that I often see flying during the day.

A moth with very long antennae, this one I see often in the oak and elm woods.

Another, similarly shaped species from those woods ... this one very lovely ... shiny and colorful.

Another small, shiny species, feeding on the flower.

A bigger, less exuberant species ... also while feeding ... during the day ... on the meadow. This is a shot from the mid autumn.

Another larger species ... feeding on the thistle at night.

(Enlargeable)

A minuscule moth from the meadows ... also photographed at night.

(Enlargeable)

Another minuscule ... and kind of angelic - looking species ... also at night ... on the meadow near the sea.

(Enlargeable)

The same species ... here photographed near the tiny flower of the grass ... so you can have a good idea of how small it is.

A beautiful species that I saw just once ... maybe twice ... in the woods.

Another small one from the meadows.

A small one from the woods ... mimicking the bird's excrement.

A moth that I always see in big numbers on the fields covered with the wild carrot ...

... and it looks also ...

... well camouflaged there.

A small moth on the ear of grass ... active during the day.

A medium - sized moth ... and a yellow crab spider, in ambush beneath him.

Another small species from the woods ... and then ... THE END. :D Finaly ... I'm a bit exausted from this species searching and image uploading ... as always in these posts on Steemit, all the photographs are my work.







0
0
0.000
40 comments
avatar

Epic as always, i'm envious of those hummingbird moth shots.

Posted using Partiko Android

0
0
0.000
avatar

heh, I am envious to all of them, the tiny ones are really small, I tried to shoot them too, finishing with very medium results. I cannot reach such magnification and detailization like this!

0
0
0.000
avatar

Some of the small ones I made ten or so years ago with CANON EOS 350 D camera and 100 mm macro lens + macro ring lite flash .... and some of them are recent, from the last summer when I bought a new second hand canon powershot sx60 hs + also second hand Raynox DCR-250 2.5x Super Macro conversion Lens that are mounted like some filter ... and this last combination is a great one, easy. Lightweight, easy to work with, not expensive and with some practice and patience brings great results - highly recommended.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Raynox DCR-250 2.5x Super Macro conversion Lens that are mounted like some filter ... and this last combination is a great one, easy.

you mean, this Raynox lens is mounted to another x1 macro lens, and you getting smth like x3,5 ???!
I use only lens that gives true x1 macro. and these moths never looked so great. no eyes, no legs, only some wing textures in focus (in the best case!)

I will try to check ebay to see is it available. I feel tempted. you definitely have better setup then me. but I like to keep things simple..

0
0
0.000
avatar

He, he thanks for the envy :D I had luck with the hummingbird moth that day ... just that one, and never more :D

0
0
0.000
avatar

I see them here too but i have no idea how you managed to setup that shot. Maybe you have a hummingbird moth call to lure them into your nice photoshoot setup?

Posted using Partiko Android

0
0
0.000
avatar
(Edited)

:) I was sitting near the flower. Waiting. Then the moths got used to me and was relatively easy to take a shot.

0
0
0.000
avatar

dont tell me ever you are lazy -- I would not believe :=)
amazing post, I enjoyed 96% of the pics here.
!BEER

0
0
0.000
avatar

:D This laziness thing changes from day to day.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Wow! Wow! WOW!!! What a fabulous collection you have here! I am in awe. The detail is incredible and I love how you captured their faces and eyes. These amazing photographs need to be published in a book. I know how much time it takes to do research and to pick the photos you want to use for one insect, but I can't imagine how much time you put into this. It is truly a gift to all of us and you made my day. What a pleasure! I will be enjoying this for a very long time. Thank you for using #butterflyday and #insectpub tags @borjan!

0
0
0.000
avatar

Thank you :) I'm very happy that you like the post. And that I discovered these tags.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Impressive what a variety of moths you show us. Especially the Sphingidae moths are always an eye-catcher. But also the small Pyraloidea moths are beautiful in detail.

0
0
0.000
avatar
(Edited)

Glad you like the collection. Variety of moths always surprises me. During the warm part of the year on the facade of my house, under the lamp, very often appears something I never saw before.

0
0
0.000
avatar
Hi @borjan. This was an extraordinary post! We really appreciate your work.

Posts on moths and other lesser known insects are really uncommon and rare to find. We love your work and hope that you'll continue to post similar articles describing biodiversity in the future as well.

We'd like to invite you to our newly created discord server. To support your work, we have also upvoted you using our curation trail!

We'd love to have you join our project and help us in our efforts in encouraging people to appreciate and help catalog the biodiversity on our planet.

Best,
Team Biodiversity Project
(Manual comment by: @medro-martin)
0
0
0.000
avatar

Thank you :) I'm glad that I discovered your community. Biodiversity and the natural world is my favorite theme.

0
0
0.000
avatar

I am overwhelmed by the delicate beauty that has been captured in these photos. Thank you for sharing!

0
0
0.000
avatar

Thanks. :) Glad, you like the post. Thanks for commenting.

0
0
0.000
avatar

The patterns on these moths is incredible! And some of the colors are stunning, especially the ones with red. This is a wonderful collection of moths!

My favorite is the 21st from the bottom., white with greenish detailing across the ends of the wings.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Thanks for commenting :) Glad you like the post.

0
0
0.000
avatar
(Edited)

Fantastic collection! I have few shots of an interesting moth as well, but I was not able to get a clear shot. She was hiding from me in the hedge, lol.

0
0
0.000
avatar

:) Sometimes these little creatures can be difficult models. It's not always possible to get a good shot. I always spend more time trying without a result and get beaten by the sun and eaten by the mosquitoes then enjoying the success :D in this nature photography ... but then :) to get a good or just a decent photograph is a great sensation.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Oh, I know exactly what you mean, lol. I am very passionate about insect photography 😊

0
0
0.000
avatar


This post has been voted on by the SteemSTEM curation team and voting trail. It is elligible for support from @curie and @minnowbooster.

If you appreciate the work we are doing, then consider supporting our witness @stem.witness. Additional witness support to the curie witness would be appreciated as well.

For additional information please join us on the SteemSTEM discord and to get to know the rest of the community!

Thanks for having used the steemstem.io app. This granted you a stronger support from SteemSTEM. Note that including @steemstem in the list of beneficiaries of this post could have yielded an even more important support.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Nice shots! I wonder how you enlarge those other photos. I always wanted to upload higher resolutions but don't know how.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Seriously you certainly have a great variety of Moths in your neighborhood never seen so many species my favorite is that shiny green beauty and the Oak hawk moth great job 🦋

0
0
0.000