Blue-rayed Metalmark (Lyropteryx apollonia)

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Tue Feb 22, 2011 1:38 am

One of the things that fascinates me when I look closely at butterfly wings are the small "splashes" of color that are often found. A small patch of very different scales appear in the same place in each specimen. Genetics is amazing!

Canon 50D. Canon 65mm MP-E. 5X on sensor. 33 images @f/3.5. Zerene Stacker.

USMCO 10/0.28 M Plan Apo with Nikon tube lens. Canon 50D. 10X on sensor. 59 images, Zerene Stacker.

gmazza · Post by **gmazza** » Tue Feb 22, 2011 12:16 pm

I wonder the evolution ptches that resulted in this pattern, very beautiful capture perfectly done.

Mitch640 · Post by **Mitch640** » Tue Feb 22, 2011 12:33 pm

I think it's a language. And we really don't know what it might look like in IR or black light. Very nice shots, whatever it says.

thartl · Post by **thartl** » Tue Feb 22, 2011 10:06 pm

The different shape of the scales on those patches are what I noticed. It took me awhile to focus my eyes well enough to notice that the patches were not blurry or hazy, that instead they appear to be more curved, or at the very least not have the pointy ridges the others seem to have. Way cool!

DQE · Post by **DQE** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:22 pm

Breathtaking detail, color, lighting, and sheer beauty!

What a treat to see such photos...

lauriek · Post by **lauriek** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 6:07 pm

Beautiful, the composition of the second is particularly excellent imo!