Monday, September 22, 2008

Kerala photos: Butterflies of Olavipe

It is fascinating to watch butterflies. These insects of the order Lepidoptera are mostly day fliers. Their graceful but erratic flight and the brightly colored wings of different patterns attract immediate attention. They go from flower to flower, pollinating them. One could spend hours observing the butterflies.

But trying to photograph them is a different matter. It requires a great deal of patience and running around. You try to focus the camera on a butterfly which is about to settle on a flower. Suddenly it changes course and moves elsewhere and you chase it. The process could be repetitive and finally one gets tired and gives up.

Some of the photos I managed to take at Olavipe, are given here.

I read somewhere long ago that butterfly was originally called ‘flutter by’. Quite an appropriate name, I must say.









Also see:

Garden photos: Lantanas of Olavipe



9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes butterflies, like birds are hard to photograph. Well done for catching so many.
From top to bottom you butterflies are
1.Blue Tiger
2.Clipper
3.Grey Pansy
4.another Blue tiger
5.Probably a Common/Crimson Rose
6.No idea what this is..will have to refer books.
7&8. Common Crow
Here`s a blog with a collection of Kerala butterflies captured over two months: http://birdsnapping.blogspot.com/2008/07/butterflies-of-kerala-collection.html

Unknown said...

anonymous thanks a lot for the information. Shall be visiting the link you have provided.

Sunita Mohan said...

Looks like the lantana flowers have been attracting the butterflies. They're great favourites for the 'flying rainbows'. But youseem to have got more than your fair share : )

Coincidentally I've been blogging about them too. Take a look :
http://the-urban-gardener.blogspot.com/2008/08/ive-got-tigers-in-my-garden.html

RAJI MUTHUKRISHNAN said...

So much patience required to get these shots - wonderful!

Rajani said...

hi just discovered your lovely blog, and will be spending some time browsing through it. In kerala now and wanted to do some landscaping and gardening at my place and was looking for local perennial plants that require minimal attention and hence reached here.

I am blogger too - if you have some time do drop by http://vegetarianinme.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

Sunita, I was away in Kerala. Returned only the day before and am in the process of catching up woth the backlog.

Shall certainly visit your blog and get back to you.

Unknown said...

Thanks, Raji.

You won't believe how ridiculous I felt chasing the butterflies in the hot sun.

Unknown said...

rjani, thank you for the compliment.

I hope you will give due consideration to different types of hibiscus and lilies while landscaping your place. Rajamalli, red pagodas, nanthyarvattam and parijatham are also nice. All these don't require much attention.

I plan to visit your blog.

Sajeesh Joy said...

6 is Water Snow Flat
and
8 is Common Mime