Gulf Fritillary Butterflies

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I have a folder full of butterfly photos that I have not processed, in part because, except for a few of the more common ones, identification is difficult for the butterfly novice (me). New year's resolution - I am working on it.

Gulf Fritillary
St. Marks NWR, FL - September 2008
Nikon D80, 300mm f/4 lens + 1.7x tc

The Gulf fritillary is a brightly colored butterfly that can be found in South American, the West Indies, Central America, Mexico and throughout southern regions of the United States. It is a medium-sized butterfly with elongated forewings. The wingspan of adults ranges from 65 to 95 mm. The upperside is bright orange with black markings and the forewing has 3 black-encircled white dots. The brown undersides of the wings have elongated silvery-white spots and a rose patch at the bases of the forewing. The brown and red areas have pigmented scales, but the color of the silver spots is created when light is reflected through prisms in the wing scales. The caterpillar is bright orange with four rows of black, branched spines.

Gulf Fritillary
Betty's garden, Pensacola, FL - September 2008
Nikon D80, 300mm f/4 lens
1/1000 sec at f/6.3, ISO 200

Gulf Fritillary
Betty's garden, Pensacola, FL - September 2008
Nikon D80, 300mm f/4 lens + 1.7x tc
1/640 sec at f/9, ISO 400

Gulf Fritillary
Betty's garden, Pensacola, FL - November 2007
Nikon D80, 300mm f/4 lens
1/80 sec at f/8, ISO 400

Gulf Fritillary - Edinburgh Scenic Wetlands
Rio Grande area, TX - November 2010
Nikon D700, Sigma 180mm f/3.5 + 2x tc
1/1600 sec at f/14, ISO 1600

Gulf Fritillary, NABA International Butterfly Park
Rio Grande area, TX - November 2010
Nikon D700, Sigma 180mm f/3.5 lens + 2x tc
1/1600 sec at f/14, ISO 2000

Gulf Fritillary
Fort Pickens Gulf Islands National Seashore, FL - September 2011
Nikon D300S, 300mm f/2.8 + 1.7x tc
1/1500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 200

Gulf Fritillary Caterpillar
Betty's garden, Pensacola, FL - September 2011
Nikon D300S, Sigma 180mm f/3.5 lens
1/200 sec at f/11, ISO 250

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit.