'Aurora Fungi'
Finalist in Nature inFocus Photography Awards 2021
There is magic all around us waiting to be discovered only if you know where to look. Like this bracket fungi.
The bracket fungi here is dispersing its spores. Fungi reproduce asexually by dispersing millions of spores into air. During monsoon, when humidity is high, the conditions are ideal for mushrooms and other fungi to sprout and release spores. When these spores settle in an ideal place, like a dead bark, fungi grows from it.
The colours which you see are a result of the backlight dispersing, just like a rainbow.
'Pixie dust'
'Indian Moon Moth' Actias selene
'Common Mormon mating' Papilio polytes
The females of Common Mormon butterfly mimic the Common Rose butterfly which are toxic. This clever adaptation of this swallowtail butterfly is useful to fend off predators.
'Red Pierrot' Talicada nyseus
'Red Pierrot in habitat at dusk' Talicada nyseus
'Scales on Common Owl Moth' Erebus macrops
This is the Owl moth. You can see in the following photo why it is named so. The owl-faced pattern must help in keeping predators away.
Unlike butterflies, moths are usually neglected. But as you see here, moths possess beauty of their own. Their patterns are mesmerising and many have vivid colours.
The hair-like structures which you see in the close-up are actually scales. Moths and butterflies get their colour from the colourful scales on their wings and body. Their wings don't have colours of their own.
'Common Owl Moth' Erebus macrops
