Gonepteryx cleopatra "Cleo" butterfly on Rudbeckia hirta: human vision vs simulated bee and butterfly vison; reflected UV ultraviolet photography

Today about a butterfly Gonepteryx cleopatra or Cleopatra, short "Cleo". So here it is in its multispectral representation, resting on a Rudbeckia hirta flower. I took some shots in normal human vision VIS, in UV using the Baader-U (eff. 375nm) and my Jupiter-U (eff. 365nm) and Saturn-U (eff. 325nm) filter, as well as in simulated bee and butterly vision using my XBV2 and XBV3 filters respectively.

I'm presenting all of them in diptych form, VIS image (left) vs filtered image (right)

[click on image to see a larger one]

VIS vs simulated insect vison using XBV2 filter:


VIS vs simulated insect vison using XBV3 filter:


VIS vs Baader-U (eff. 375nm):


VIS vs Jupiter-U (eff. 365nm):


VIS vs Saturn-U (eff. 325nm):



Quite interesting how that butterfly appears is different spectral representations. Obviously that spot as well as its UV bright rim around its wings is made to attract, which I made visible using my differential method (right):



As you may have noticed, I'm still working on my bee and butterfly vision (BV) filters. More about these special filters here later and in a seperate entry.


Stay tuned, more will follow on that fascinating subject...

More info on this very interesting field may be found on my site http://www.pbase.com/kds315/uv_photos