David Element's Wildlife Web Page Butterflies 32

David Element

Wildlife Photography

and Digital Video Images

_______________ Butterflies 32 - Cleopatras 1

CLEOPATRA Gonepteryx cleopatra (m)

These photographs of these stunning Cleopatra butterflies were taken in Tuscany (Toscana). The first two images were captured using natural backlighting at a relatively high ISO setting (400) in order to illustrate the gorgeous orange patches on the upper surface of the wings. These insects rest with their wings closed and this feature cannot be portrayed as effectively using flash photography unless the photographer is lucky enough to capture either the moment of take-off (very difficult!) or courtship behaviour. Females are much paler, lacking the orange markings. The shape of the leading edge of the forewing is convex when compared to that of the closely related Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni (see Butterflies 3 and 6) and this species is absent from the British Isles. In France this butterfly is known as "Le Citron de Provence".