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Black Swallowtail Larva

Gallery: Macro & Close-upPosted July 23, 2014117 views6 comments

I took this photo on 1Aug2012 by my home in rural Orono, Maine. The caterpillar was devouring a potted parsley plant. After photographing it, I gently moved it to a Queen Anne's lace plant in the field by my home, hoping it would feed off that other plant in the carrot family.
Canon EOS Mark II
Canon EF24-70mm/2.8L USM
1/250 sec; f/8; ISO 500
Aperture priority; partial metering

Comments

6 comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on July 23, 2014 at 9:32 AM

This is an excellent look at this cat. Yes, it should also enjoy eating QAL. It would have been nice in this image to get all of the background green, but unless you moved the parsley, that would give up getting all of the cat. sharp....ahh, the dilemmas of a nature photographer.

BTW, welcome to NPN.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on July 23, 2014 at 3:28 PM

Really nice image. I had these guys on my potted dill/parsley. While I never used the dill, I was happy that these guys were able to munch on them. Nice job with that lens too getting such a nice and well composed scene.

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on July 23, 2014 at 4:54 PM

Welcome to NPN and the macro & close up gallery, Ron. This is a really good Swallowtail CP image. Remarkable that your were able to get such a clean look of this fine looking CP from end to end. My only suggestion would be to darken the several shiny parts of the leaves at the bottom, but this is a very minor suggestion. Excellent image. Thanks for sharing.

Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on July 23, 2014 at 5:27 PM

Sharp details and great DOF Ronald.
Natural looking colors and nice lighting as well.
I agree with Scott, some minor brush and/or healing tool work on those few bottom leaves would improve this.
Welcome to NPN

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Wolfenden on July 24, 2014 at 3:04 PM

Really nice image, Ronald ! The depth of field seems perfect and, while it might indeed have been good to get an all grenn bg, this remains a fine image.

Registered on May 18, 2007, 1108 Posts, 7647 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on July 24, 2014 at 8:48 PM

Hi Ronald

An excelent composition of this beautiful cat. the colors and detail are well done

Albert Darmo
canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments