Saturday, February 4, 2012

Flat and twigs (This week's Photo Hunt themes)



When out hiking in Hong Kong, I see a variety of subjects whose images I can't help but pause and attempt to capture with my camera. Early on, I tended to prioritize going on trails where I would be assured scenic views. But before too long, I got to realizing that the Big Lychee really has got plentiful, diverse and often pretty photogenic wildlife, so started to focus on looking near as well as far on the hikes that I go on here.

As those who checked out my Photo Hunt entry two weeks ago probably realize, butterflies and moths (regardless of whether they are going at it or not...) are among the creatures that almost never fail to capture my eye. At the same time, I didn't realize I had so many photographs of them -- and such a variety too -- that I'd be featuring photos of butterflies and moths in a second Photo Hunt entry in a row.

Yet when thinking of how to combine the themes that Sandi and Gattina chose this week, the two photos at the top of this blog entry that each have a butterfly lying flat -- one actually on top of some twigs, the other near by some other twigs -- seemed perfect for the theme! And as a bonus, I decided to throw in the third photo: which isn't actually of a twig or even a stick but, instead, is of a stick insect -- and a very large (as in close to one foot long!) one at that!! -- to give further proof that Hong Kong may have pretensions to be Asia's World City but, really, still does have a very rich natural side to it. :)

20 comments:

magiceye said...

wow super takes on the themes!

eyesonme2world said...

Similar to mine le...
happy hunting~

keeyit said...

A great saturday for you.
Mine is up too~

YTSL said...

Hi magiceye --

Thanks for your enthusiastic response to my takes on the themes. :)

Hi eyesonme2world --

Hmmm... similar but I've got butterflies as a bonus! ;b

Hi keeyit --

Let me up the ante and wish you a happy weekend... ;)

Dianne said...

Very cool critters! Great share. I enjoy your blog posts too. Thanks for stopping by my blog,much appreciated.

LifeRamblings said...

I love photographing butterflies too but seldom take great pics like you do. the stick insect looks intriguing.

Suzy said...

Nicely done for both prompts.

Annie said...

I love your photos and esp. that stick insect - what a cool creature he/she is!

Hope you have a great weekend.

Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe said...

I love butterflies too... they always catch my eye!
See you next weekend at The Saturday PhotoHunt...
show your '♥'!
Sandi

Trekcapri said...

Hi YTSL, I missed your post last week. :( Was happy to see you this week. What a great photo collection combining the two themes. I don't think I've ever seen a butterfly lay so flat like that. Very cool. And I have never seen a stick insect before. It blends in with it's surrounding I'm amazed you saw it. It's cool to notice and appreciate (large and small) everything around us.

Have a great weekend.

Susan Demeter said...

The first one looks so alienish!

Eden said...

Hello. I am to posting. Cool posts on twigs and flat. My "Flat" is now up too. It;s here;

http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/eden/

YTSL said...

Hi Dianne --

I'm glad to learn that you enjoy my blog posts -- as I do yours. :)

Hi Life Ramblings --

The middle photo in this blog entry is actually one of my less satisfying butterfly pics -- in that I wish I could have gone nearer to the butterflies. Am glad you seem to think well of it along with my other butterfly shots. :)

Hi Suzy --

Thank you for thinking so. :)

Hi Annie --

Thanks -- and hope you have a great weekend too. :)

Hi Sandi --

Butterflies really are eye-catching. I guess it's due to their frequently being colorful and also their tendency to flit and flutter by. :)

Hi Trekcapri --

Thanks for missing me last week. :)

Re the stick insect: it would have blended into its surroundings better if the railing it had decided to go on were made of real wood... ;D

Hi Sue --

I have a feeling you think that because those patterns on its wings look like eyes to you -- as it did me too. ;D

Hi Eden --

Glad to know that you're playing too. :)

Gattina said...

This stick insect really looks like a twig, crazy !!

CherryPie said...

I really love that top photo :-)

Carver said...

Great take on the theme and beautiful shots. I always look for nature in cities. I think one of the best things about Manhattan is central park.

A. @ A Changing Life said...

Beautiful butterflies, but I'd probably prefer not to meet the stick insect.

Kay L. Davies said...

This is amazing. I would never have guessed it to be true of Hong Kong. How wonderful to see your photos and learn something new about that city.
The stick insect really is an incredible creature, isn't it?

Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie’s Guide to Adventurous Travel

dolbycoco said...

I think my dad will be so interested in snapping away photos on insects with you. The 1st picture is a moth. I'm not too sure, but probably called Erebus Ephesperis. The 2nd pic is a butterfly. I never though insects still exist in Hong Kong :)

[KiT}

YTSL said...

Hi Gattina --

That stick insect actually is/was so big it looks more like a branch with twigs sticking out! ;O

Hi Cherry Pie --

I'm glad you really like that top photo. :)

Hi Carver --

I think the thing with Hong Kong is that it's really not just a city -- but, rather, a territory with substantial swathes of countryside. Re New York: Central Park's okay, I guess, but I like that city's museums so much more! ;b

Hi A. --

Aww... stick insects tend to stay really still, hoping people don't notice them. So you shouldn't have to be afraid of meeting them! ;b

Hi Kay --

I'm glad you're finding out things you never knew about Hong Kong before via my blog -- including that it is home to stick insects. :)

Hi Kit (dolbycoco) --

Thanks for the moth ID. Have duly amended my entry to include moths in the equation. :)