Wild Guava, Kumbha (Careya arborea)

Wild Guava, Kumbha  (Careya arborea)

Wild Guava, Kumbha  (Careya arborea)

Botanical name:  Careya arborea

 Family: Lecythidaceae (Brazilnut Family)

Common name: Wild Guava, Ceylon Oak, Patana Oak 

• Marathi: कुम्भा Kumbha 

•  Sanskrit: Bhadrendrani, गिरिकर्णिका Girikarnika, Kaidarya, कालिंदी Kalindi

Wild Guava is a medium sized deciduous tree, up to 20 m tall, the leaves of which turn red in the cold season. It is the Kumbhi of Sanskrit writers, and appear to have been so named on account of the hollow on the top of the fruit giving it somewhat the appearance of a water-pot. 

Wild pigs are very fond of the bark, and that it is used by hunters to attract them. he Tamil name Puta-tanni-maram signifies ”water- bark-tree,” in allusion to the exudation trickling down the bark in dry weather (ref: FlowersOfIndia) 

Grey Count uses kumbha as its host plant

Scarlet Milkweed - पिवला चित्रक

Scarlet Milkweed - पिवला चित्रक

         This is an introduced variety to India and now naturalized here. It is plant o significance for two reasons: Decorative garden plant and food-plant for common butterflies from milkweed family like crows and tigers. there are more varieties of flower with same Marathi name ' Chitrak (चित्रक)' like blue, white and red. Marathi name 'haladi Kunku' literally means turmeric-vermilion, because of its color yellow-red.  Flower appear in bunches. Buds are pinkish in color. Milky sap is other characteristics of scarlet milkweed, similar to every other milkweed (and that's the name !). It's an evergreen and annual flowering shrub. 

Photographing Scarlet Milkweed:

Buds of Scarlet Milkweed - पिवला चित्रक

Two best angles for this flower to shoot are eye-level and top-angle. In an eye-level shot following things should be taken care of

• choosing good bunch f flower
• Choosing right point of focus
• adjusting depth-of-field to get blurred background

Take a note that, Bloomed flower and buds are completely different in appearance.Top-angle is useful to get dew drops. Here photographer may need help of one more person unless the shrub is short enough to shoot from top.

Few more photography tips: 

• As this flower may grow for more than six feet, taking an eye-level shot and high-angle shot may be difficult. 
• Shoot this flower in early morning.  At this time of the day, dew drops can be captured, buds may be captured and also wind will be low. Scarlet milkweed branches are thing and long. Even a breeze can shake branches to unwanted levels as far as macro photography is concern.
• Use macro lens to capture single flower or dew-drops. Tele lens ( ~300 mm) is useful to get good blurred background.
• Try to take advantage of red-yellow combination choosing right background color. Green is good choice, specially considering the easy availability.
• Try to include caterpillar in the frame to make photo more informative and interesting. This plant is host to common butterflies.

Quick facts:

Common name      : Scarlet Milkweed, Bloodflower, Silkweed, Indian root

Marathi name        : पिवला चित्रक Pivla chitrak, Halad kunku
Botanical name      : Asclepias curassavica 

Family                   : Asclepiadaceae (Milkweed family)

Dew drops on Scarlet Milkweed - पिवला चित्रक

Reference::
http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Scarlet%20Milkweed.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias_curassavica

Fern patterns

Fern patterns

Texture and patterns has topped the list of my photography subjects. And happened due to a single reason, end of season. Around Mumbai, for butterfly, flowers, and macro photography, season ends around December. After that, its like famine in the photo world for macro photographers. In Cotigao, I started capturing textures and then realized that pattern photography is twin of texture photography. Here is some of initial work about this form at Brick making site at Vangani, some new patterns discovered from older photo albums.

Here are two photographs of fern pattern I took in local nursery ( I don't know the species, sorry for that :-) ). First one is my favorite mainly because of the back-lit conditions. Here light reveals not only 3D embossed impression but also the texture of the fern leaves. Second one I took just after gardener watered the plants. Looking for more patterns this rainy season. Rain has already started around Mumbai, its time to go out !

Grey Count (Tanaecia lepidea)

Grey Count (Tanaecia lepidea)

Occurrence and Appearance:

Caterpillar of Grey Count

Grey count is nymphalid type butterfly found commonly in south of South Asia. It is found in Konkan and Sahyadri region in ample. Butterfly could be easily identified from the presence of off-white colored long brand on lower sides of both upper wings. In size and shape, Grey count resembles with Common Baron butterfly. 

Collection of dramatic flower macros - I

Dramatic flower macros with D7000

  

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Mexical Prickly Poppy

PhotoQuote: Heart full of fertile seeds

PhotoQuote: Flower feeds the soul !

PhotoQuote: Wings of butterfly kiss the sun

PhotoQuote: Wings of butterfly kiss the sun

PhotoQuote: Every flower enjoys the air !

Photographing Southern Birdwing - Largest butterfly in India

Photographing Southern Birdwing - Largest butterfly in India

Southern Birdwing male nectoring on pagoda flower.

Southern birdwing is the largest butterfly of India. Its botanical name is Troides minos.

Occurrence:
It is endemic to western ghat. It is reported from Mumbai to Travancore. However latest occurrence is confined to Konkan to South India. It is found up-to 3000 feet. 

Identification:
As it is endemic to western ghat, it is easy to ID. Wingspan is about 140 mm to 190 mm. Wings are larger than even some small birds and that's why its named after. Occurs in black and yellow combination. Male and female are distinct.Female has black spots on hind wing.

PhotoQuote: Let a hundred flowers bloom

PhotoQuote: Let a hundred flowers bloom

PhotoQuote: Chaos is all so beautiful !

PhotoQuote: There is room for the gap !

PhotoQuote: There is room for the gap !

PhotoQuote: A contemplation upon flowers by Henry King

Torch Ginger

Torch Ginger

On the last day of one of Cotigao trip, we all (Me, Deepak, Rajas Deshpande, Priti patel and Blaise) were searching for a butterfly mud puddling spot on the way from Cotigao to Netravalli. 

We stopped at a place to inquire tot he people about any such spot. Luckily we were near to one nursery, where some unseen plant was planted. I took so many photos, as it was indeed something spectacular. When returned home, I found it was indeed the plant was lesser known to many people - Torch Ginger.

PhotoQuote: Our dreams must be stronger

PhotoQuote: Our dreams must be stronger

PhotoQuote : In very flower see miracle

PhotoQuote - Anger is wind

PhotoQuote:

By Paresh Kale

Texture photography

Texture photography

Wings of Cruiser butterfly (Male) - Scales and veins makes the patter and shades of yellow is the color feature

               During my visit to Cotigao WLS, the day was falling and I couldn't find the butterflies around me, which was my primary motive to visit the sanctuary. After carrying sack weighing kilos, walking for miles, quenching thirst and hunger to shoot some hopeless thirty-forty images in the whole day was real frustration. A thought came to go back to the room quickly and read something. I decided to save some time by taking a lift instead of walking. 

Malabar Tree-Nymph (Idea malabarica)

Malabar Tree-Nymph (Idea malabarica)

Luck favors who take chances - I took chance when Deepak said we can get Malabar tree nymph (MTN) caterpillar for sure at one place. Answer to this question was another question. Why dont you asked me before? The destination was another five kilometers inside the jungles, ahead of Ashtagaal (cotigao, goa). Thankfully a car was available and going there was not a problem. MTN is one of the largest butterfly species of India, with wingspan upto 160 cm. Could be easily identified with black spots on off-whit grey colored body, gliding flight and habit to hover over a particular spot. Species is endemic to the western ghat and is locally common.