New Blue Closeup - _TNY_6868

Always nice finding species of butterflies you haven't photographed before - but isn't it even better when they find you?

 

This is a female Amathonte blue morpho (Morpho amathonte) - a species which have a lighter blue, more turquoise, colour on the dorsal side of the wings.

 

I was trying to photograph a different butterfly when this one landed right next to me and helpfully waited for me to finish before I could snap a couple of shots of her as well.

 

This closer shot is with the 2x teleconverter on the 180 mm lens (ie at 360 mm) and for a shout without the teleconverter showing the entire butterfly, have a look here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53711993540/

 

After this, she went even further and as I was trying to set focus on a shot of another butterfly, she came flying and landed on my ear!

 

And there she remained for the next ten minutes or so until I had to physically chase her off. Her moving her wings actually provided some cooling!

 

This is the fourth morpho species I've found after the Peleides blue morpho (Morpho peleides): www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52454334490/

 

The blue-banded morpho (Morpho achilles): www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52837000649/

 

and the white morpho (Morpho polyphemus): www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53560003694/

Done