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Thursday, December 31, 2009

InsectIndia : Photo of Year 2009

Here are the Best Photo of 2009 by members of InsectIndia. Click on the image for full size.


This is my favourtite pic of the year 2009, taken at CEC, just before the monsoons, when the forest was heaped with dried leaf litter, and was all a-buzz with the chirping of Cicadas. The mating Cicadas is symbolic of the joy of life, of propagation of species.
katie bagli [katiebagli@yahoo.co.in]

Soldier fly: This fly looked quite ordinary however upon close
examination revealed an incredibly beautiful eye. I was lucky to
capture it before it flew away.
Location: Mirik, Darjeeling.
Parag Giri [heavyhans@gmail.com]

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

ButterflyIndia : Photo of Year 2009

Here are the Best Photo of 2009 by members of ButterflyIndia. Click on the image for full size.

Two trips to the north east and i am really foxed which photo to choose, as my favorite picture of the year. The Freak? Birdwing? Scarce white commodore,? Golden emperor or Marbled Map. But i think the picture that makes still makes me my heart go dhad dada dhad is this one of the Four and Fivebar swordtail in one frame.
Shot in March 09. At Namdapha wls of course .
Nelson Rodrigues [nelexl@yahoo.com]



Pic of Female Yellow Pansy (junonia hierta), photographed at Tungareshwar
WLS.
Name of Species: junonia hierta
Common Name: Yellow Pansy ♀
Family: Nymphalidae
Conservation status: NA
Photographed: 22nd December, 2009
Location: Tungareshwar WLS, Maharashtra
Habitat Type : Hilly terrain
Camera: OLYMPUS SP570UZ
Lens: OLYMPUS ED LENS AF ZOOM 4.6 - 92 mm, 1:2.8 - 4.6
Description: Common & active Butterfly, with flight most of times close to
ground in forested roads, uncultivated lands & drying stream beds .
Distribution: Throughout the (Indian) Country.
Rajesh Sachdev [leopardguy@gmail.com]


species name: Grey Pansy
Wingspan: 55-65m.m.
Location: Alipore horticulture Garden
Date: 17 Dec.
Photographer: Lopamudra Banerjee [lopamudrab@yahoo.com]
Remark: The colour contrast makes the picture so prominent.

Species name:Blue Tiger
Wingspan: 90-100m.m.
Location: E.S.I. Hospital campus.Joka
Date: 7oct.
Photographer; Lopamudra Banerjee [lopamudrab@yahoo.com]
Remark: It is the background That appeals me the most in this pic.....

Species name: Psyche
Wingspan: 20-30m.m.
Location: In my Garden..Barisha, Kolkata.
Date: 11Nov.
Photographer: Lopamudra Banerjee [lopamudrab@yahoo.com]
Remark: Background as well as the sharpness of this pic is notable....To me It's a perfect picture....


There are many many butterfly species I saw this year. Here I take the liberty to load photos of the year instead of the single photo.
Forest bob: Scobura cephala
Dark archduke Lexias dirtea
White Commodore Parasarpa dudu. I would say that this was the most elegant species I saw this time in Namdapha.
Panther Neurosigma siva
All form Namdapha this year in March.
Amol Patwardhan [power_amol@yahoo.com]

this foto (with little photoshopping) shot a few month ago in south tripura still makes me happy... and so i would call it as my butterfly foto of the year...
K Sasikumar [sasiifs@yahoo.com]

Moon Moth - Clicked in Goa while Butterfly Meet 2009
Yuwaraj Gurjar [yuwarajg@yahoo.com]
Orange Awlet - clicked in Phansad - Diwali 2009
Yuwaraj Gurjar [yuwarajg@yahoo.com]
Orange Tail Awl - clicked in Phansad - Diwali 2009
Yuwaraj Gurjar [yuwarajg@yahoo.com]

The Malabar Raven, Taken From Wayanad:
One of the Endemic Butterfly only to the Westernghats . Taken during the butterfly survey in Wayanad.
This is taken with Nikon D40X and 70-300mm sigma lens
ajith u [ajith.linux@gmail.com]

The Blue tigers . Taken from Bangalore.
Its my personal favorite shot, because of the lights and the contrast of black , blue and green.
This is taken with Nikon D40X and 18-55mm lens.
ajith u [ajith.linux@gmail.com]
The Plum Judy
I prefer it because of the vibrant brown. Taken from Payyanur, Kerala.
This is taken with Nikon D40X and 70-300mm sigma lens
ajith u [ajith.linux@gmail.com]

Emergence of Southern birdwing, this moment is very special to me.
Baby.k [babykunnikulangara@gmail.com]
Small leopard from Aaralam WLS.
Baby.k [babykunnikulangara@gmail.com]
Dark Wanderer from Aaralam WLS
Baby.k [babykunnikulangara@gmail.com]

everyone has been sending their "best picture of the year 2009", so i thought i would send my entry. actually, i have already sent some of my best pictures so this is just one more. but this is certainly something very special for me: Forest Pierrot (Taraka hamada). it looks similar to the Common Pierrot (Castalius rosimon) at first glance but you would notice that the spotting pattern is quite different in detail. also notice the unusually fluffy legs. the thing that makes the species special is its carnivorous habits: the caterpillars don't eat plants like most butterfly caterpillars, they feed on scale insects. i had waited for this species for many years, so the sighting in sikkim last month made me especially happy.
Krushnamegh Kunte [kkunte@ cgr.harvard.edu]

GREAT WINDMILL Atrophaneura dasarada ravana
Yes, it does becomes difficult to choose and send the Best of the Year photo. I chose the one that took me to new heights of happiness when I saw 15 -20 Great Windmills sailing and fluttering around the Thistle flowers in Nanital. The feeling of being among these flying beauties and the excitement of the chase to frame them in my viewfinder was so heady that I want it to happen again!
Isaac Kehimkar [isaackehimkar@yahoo.co.in]

Cruiser Vindula erota
In 2008 I could not photograph some of the butterflies from Bauxa tiger reserve, West Bengal and Cruiser was one of them. But this year on October 28th I finally got it. Me and my dear friend Somranjan Pattanayek can never forget that moment.
Vivek Sarkar [apollohellfrost@yahoo.co.in]

Spotted Royal Tajuria maculata
I was with KALS school group on 18th of December for a trekking .I was in the front as group leader. We were waiting for the guard who went to see the elephant movement in our front. Then one of a student named Dhanus called me and said a white butterfly with black spots is fluttering around. I thought it is one of the Pierrot. But after having a clear look I identified it as Spotted Royal. I personally enjoyed a lot holding this in one hand and photographing it with another. I was just lucky for this one.
Vivek Sarkar [apollohellfrost@yahoo.co.in]

Ape fly
A different view of a butterfly, without any flash colours or light. An ape fly in fluorescent lamp light. The shadow forms a straight line. Looks like a black and white frame but with all details of the butterfly. shot at Bangalore
Haneesh km [haneeshkm@yahoo.com]

Long Banded Silverline
A male silverline caught with its flashy blue UP. It opened up the wing when sun came out of the monsoon clouds at mid noon. shot at malappuram, kerala
Haneesh km [haneeshkm@yahoo.com]

Crimson Tip
The most striking tip; it was a beautiful day when i could shoot almost all orange tips at Trichy, Tamilnadu. But it was most beautiful.
Haneesh km [haneeshkm@yahoo.com]
Indian Awlking
This was taken in April 2009 near Tadiyandamol, Coorg. Disappointed that I could not capture any buttterfly photos, I sat next to a thin stream for couple of minutes. By then, this beauty came by to feed on a bird dropping. I was so elated that I could not stop grinning. I spent nearly 20 minutes with it. Krushnamegh Kunte told that this butterfly was rare in Western ghats. It looks like a piece of emerald studded with bright orange coral.
Rohini Deshpande [rohiniad@gmail.com]

Indian Fritillary (Female)
Location: Mirik, Darjeeling.
Parag Giri [heavyhans@gmail.com]
Life Cycle of Common Banded Demon (Notocrypta paralysos)
Family: Hesperidae
These photos are very important as this was the first time I ever observed a complete life cycle of a butterfly and photographed it.
Omkar Dharwadkar [omkardhr_27@yahoo.in]
this banded Royal is from Amboli...
hemant ogale [hemantogale@yahoo.co.in]

Monday, December 21, 2009

Photo of Year 2009

To post photo of the year to relevant group, please follow the conventions:

Please re size the image to 800 pixels on longer side. More details here.

Mention your Name and Email id with the image.

A short write up or story behind photo informing why you feel it is "The photo of year 2009" is integral part and is posted with the photo.

Remember to make the subject line of the message as Photo of the Year 2009

And remember you have to send only One or Two of the best photos.

If you want to check out some archives are here. 2008 for all groups and ButterflyIndia Photo of Year 2008.