| Shooting
(with the camera) to a Stilbum cyanurum.
Text
and photos by Alessio Perboni.
 click
images to enlarge them.
The
images have been taken with a digital camera
(Canon PowerShot A70) and an enlarger lens mounted in front
of the camera's lens.
The
subject is a male of Stilbum cyanurum (Förster,
1771), which presents a variable coloration according to
the shooting direction, with beautiful red
reflexes on the gaster (see photo
#4). These glares are
visible on many specimens coming from the
center-north Italy, making them apparently similar
to the species Stilbum calens (Fabricius, 1781).
In
the photo
#7 the characteristic anal edge is visible, blue-metallic
in color. In the photo
#10 the brow carina is visible, particularly glaring.
The
photos
#1-4 show the Stilbum hunting for nectar
on flowers of Celosia argentea L. (Family: Aramanthaceae).
The remaining photos show the Stilbum in activities
of self-care for head and legs, resting on a leaf.
Although
it was constantly pushed away from the ants (see photo
#3), the
Stilbum was flying and landing back to the flowers,
after regular and slow flights,
also because of the spoiled margins of the wings.
Moreover, it wasn't particularly disturbed by
the presence of the photographer.
Tech
data :
Canon PowerShot A70 with enlargement 105mm;
natural light and free hand; ISO
50; times from 1/100" to
1/320"; diaphragms from f/6.3 to f/8.0.
near
Lecco, Italy
Summer 2004
|
