Bienvenidos Queridos fanáticos del Mundo de los Insectos
Welcome Dear Insect World Fans
Esta es mi primera publicación para esta comunidad de amantes del reino de los insectos y espero que sea una de muchas, ya que, me encanta fotografiar a esos pequeños amiguitos que forman parte del mundo que nos rodea, claro, siempre y cuando ellos se dejen ver. En esta oportunidad, para participar en la iniciativa del amigo @adangel "Insects Of The World - INSECT CONTEST - May 2021 - #01" les traigo imágenes de un animalito que junto a las mariquitas y las libélulas son mis preferidas dentro del mundo de los insectos. Pero, yo no soy su única fans, podría decirse, que es uno de los insectos más populares, ya que son muchísimos los que admiran a las magníficas mariposas. En esta ocasión les traigo una Mariposa Monarca o mejor conocida en el ámbito científico como Danaus plexippus.
This is my first publication for this community of insect lovers and I hope it will be one of many, because I love to photograph those little friends that are part of the world around us, of course, as long as they let themselves be seen. This time, to participate in the initiative of my friend @adangel “Insects Of The World - INSECT CONTEST - May 2021 - #01” I bring you images of a little animal that along with ladybugs and dragonflies are my favorite in the insect world. But, I am not their only fan, it could be said that it is one of the most popular insects, since there are many who admire the magnificent butterflies. This time I bring you a Monarch Butterfly or better known in scientific circles as Danaus plexippus.
This particular butterfly species is very well known, due to one of its subspecies, the Danaus plexippus plexippus, also popularly known as the North American Monarch. This subspecies, thanks to its long life cycle and migratory behavior, has become the superstar of the lepidopteran or butterfly world. It is the protagonist of one of the largest documented migratory movements in the insect kingdom.
But, the little friend I show you today is not one of those superstars that travel miles and miles from Canada to finally reach Mexico, where they complete their hibernation cycle and then return to Canada after overwintering. My kind model belongs to the subspecies Danaus plexippus Megalippe, commonly known as the Caribbean Monarch Butterfly. It was identified by Jacob Hübner, in 1826, and this subgroup of lepidoptera, unlike its North American cousin, does not migrate. Its habitat ranges from southern Georgia and Florida, through Central America to the Amazon River, and is also found throughout the Caribbean.
Its size, measured from the tip of one wing to the other, can vary from 8.9 to 10.2 cm approximately. Now, an interesting detail that allows differentiating the non-migratory subspecies from the migratory ones is that the latter have larger and more angular forewings. Another peculiarity, but in this case common to all subspecies of Monarchs, is that, despite having 6 legs, they only use 4 to walk, in this case the middle and hind legs. This is due to the fact that the two front legs are smaller than the rest, so they normally keep them contracted towards their body.
These marvelous and delicate little animals have many enemies that try to devour them, so evolutionary nature has provided them with one or another weapon to try to persuade them. One of them is their colors, which are within the range of what is called warning coloration. This phenomenon, whose correct name is aposematism, works because most predators associate intense or fluorescent colors with toxic or poisonous food. This is the case of this species of butterfly whose colors are yellow and black in its caterpillar stage and then orange and black when they are adults. But it is necessary to emphasize that this warning "be careful not to eat me because I am poisonous" is not a lie, since the apparently harmless Monarch Butterflies are poisonous to their predators. Their toxicity is due to a compound called cardiac glycosides, which they accumulate in their bodies during their caterpillar stage. They extract it from the milkweed plant, which is the basis of the diet of this species while it is a caterpillar.
As for the habitat of these beautiful lepidoptera, their requirements vary according to the stage of the life cycle in which they find themselves. In the caterpillar stage, it is herbivorous and as I have already mentioned, its food is based on a plant called milkweed (Asclepias sp), so during this period it must be located in an area where some species of this plant inhabits. Once it undergoes its metamorphosis and becomes a butterfly, its diet goes from being herbivorous to being based on the consumption of nectar, also becoming an important pollinator, so it requires a habitat where flowers abound. And finally, during its reproductive stage, its habitat can be almost anywhere, where the necessary plants are accessible to host its larvae.
Well, dear readers, for now I say goodbye hoping you liked my publication. Always remember to take care of yourselves and your loved ones by complying with the biosecurity measures. My respects and blessings to you.
Referencias || References
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danaus_plexippus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch_butterfly
Contenido y fotografías de mi propiedad intelectual
Información Técnica
Cámara | Pentax * istDL |
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Lente | * Pentax 18-55 |
Iluminación | Luz Natural |
Locación | Barcelona, Estado Anzoátegui, Venezuela |
Content and photographs of my intellectual property
Technical information
Camera | Pentax * istDL |
---|---|
Lens | * Pentax 18-55 |
Lighting | Natural Light |
Location | Barcelona, Anzoategui State, Venezuela |
Very Nice Photos
Thanks @sagarray I'm glad you liked it
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Es un exquisito insecto. Me encanta esta mariposa. Su ciclo de vida es a mi juicio, el más asombroso de todos los insectos. Gracias por traerla. Bellas fotografías.
Si, las mariposas desde todo punto de vista son realmente maravillosas, por eso soy su fans. Saludos y bendiciones @belkisa758.