Folding Mechanism - TNY_20230316_155515

After finding this female blue-frosted banner (Catonephele numilia) on the floor (as pictured here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52753407646/) I decided to lift her up and place her on a tree trunk instead so she wouldn't risk being stepped on.

 

I chose the tree in the background here and immediately realised that it made for a nice second angle on the butterfly and began setting the camera and tripod up.

 

But as I was getting shutter speed, focus, angle, and aperture set up, I saw one of those incredibly annoying ants zig-zaging its way up the trunk until it was close enough to bite Mrs. Butterfly in the foot.

 

Obviously, she didn't enjoy that very much and promptly took off, right befor I could take a photo. Thanks, ant!

 

Well, after circling me, she decided that the lens hood on my camera was a nice, ant-free place to be and landed there.

 

Using my phone I got this video - which had the bonus of showing how the butterflies fold their wing pairs over each other - very neat.

 

A phone camera photo of here with the wings open here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52753405856/

 

And another with them closed here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52798248569/

Done