Category Archives: Maniola Telmessia

Now? Still One Of My Favorite Images

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Maniola Telmessia (female) photographed by Jeff Zablow at Mt. Meron, Israel

I was on Mt. Meron in the Upper Galilee region of the HolyLand (Israel). Wasn’t my first visit to the mountain, and once again, I was working that same trail, not far from the mountain’s peak. Above me, a top Secret IDF military base, ahead of me, wildflowers and butterflies in abundance.

I’m quick to form likes, and I’d already decided that I Love a butterfly, names Maniola Telemessia. Like ‘Love,’ this butterfly was hard to get, so to speak. It was swift, and they did not tolerate my approach. Me? I don’t easily give up, not when ‘Love’ is real. There won’t ever be a Jeff’s biography, but when I am zonked by ‘Love,’ look out.

After much furtive (near useless/unproductive) following of Maniola Telemessia, I spotted this one, nectaring on a tiny, yet armed with bristles, plant. You know I shoot Macro- and Fuji Velvia film, requiring I make a patent-pending, ultra-slow approach. As I was doing it, she moved a bit, and her left forewing was now out of the shade and in the sun! I shot away, Pop! PoP! Pop!

Heere’s an image that will always be one of my favorites, of the perhaps 100,000. It just sends me to the land of Bliss!

Jeff

One Of My Personal Favs

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Maniola Telmessia butterfly (female) photographed by Jeff Zablow at Mt. Meron, Israel

Why? Every so often, when I view my Media Library here, I spot this one, and the same recurring thought emerges. I love this shot of Maniola Telmessia, seen in the HolyLand, Israel. That happy reflection leads me, time and time again to consider Why is this among my favorites?

The morning light that day was early morning light, coming at at an advantageous angle. There was little breeze. The wildflower plant, like so many in Israel, features spiked leaves, for this is not an easy land for plants to survive, and time may have proven that spiked armature helps. The lovely purple hue of the stems pleases my eye.

The coloration of this particular individual bedazzles me, for I love shades of brown, orange and yellow. That vast wash of orange can be the real reason that I like this one, and the unique coloration of the left lower wing surface insists that I stop and study.

Y’all read, hear and see much irresponsible news coverage of Israel, persuading that it is a land in constant danger, peril. Nope. This is the real Israel, gorgeous, mysterious and purposeful. That may be the most important reason I love this image, it markets Israel so perfectly, beautiful, unadorned and serene.

Jeff

 

Maniola Won’t Come . . . For Sure

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Maniola Telmessia butterfly (female) photographed by Jeff Zablow at Mt. Meron, Israel

Petra and I just came back from our long walk into Frick Park. She as usual walked beautifully, when no dogs were nearby. When an owner came along with a dog, she did her lunge to play thing. Dogs large and small do not, do not, take this well, and it’s often, drama. Petra is a Black Russian, and though a graduate of several obedience programs, that Black Russian thing is always there. Much of that time my mind was mostly on the FedEx package, expected before 10:30 AM, overnighted from Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas, USA. We now have many followers around the world, thus the vital USA mention.

Maniola telmessia, the butterfly here, is not among the images coming home to me. During those 4 weeks in Israel (March 28 to April 25). Didn’t see a single one there, not in the upper Golan, nor in the top of the Galilee, and not in Ramat Hanadiv, or Mishmarot, or in the ‘Alligator’ River Park, near Hadera. Maniola should/could have been seen, but butterflies fly when they fly, and many factors determine that.

Shooting with film (Fuji Velvia 50/100) forces you to be patient. I’ve not seen them, some for 5 weeks. Don’t know which will be OMG! or which will disappoint. There were many ‘I hope this looks like it looks here!’ opportunities. Only when I haul out my lighbox, and use my loupe to examine each and every one, will you know I’ve scored winners! You’ll know when you hear that faint ‘Yay!‘ coming from Pittsburgh, all the way to Eatonton, Frewsburg, Frisco, Macon, Oxford, Shellman Bluff, Gibbstown, Whitbey Island, Lilburn, France, the Netherlands, Vancouver Island, Poland . . .

Oh, and I finished  The Thunder Tree by Robert Michael Pyle (Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993) today, my 2nd read. That sent me here, to share.

Jeff

Maniola Beckons

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Maniola Telmessia (female) photographed by Jeff Zablow at Mt. Meron, Israel

Funny that. Many of us harbor favorites. Be they favorite cars, quarterbacks, Netflix series, coffee cups . . . and favorite butterflies. We are now in the early planning for a new Feature here, might be titled Jeff’s Favorite Butterflies.

Eight or ten of my image captures would be there for you, and every quarter years or so we would rotate in a new group, or at least wean out some to be replaced with others. Just weeks ago I shared a favorite, a delicate shot of an American copper. Our southern friends, caught me off guard, for they had never seen these pixies in Georgia, Alabama or Tennessee.

Well I fly in 4 weeks, to see Hillel and Boaz, my grandsons in Israel. I am now strategizing, what do I want to seek, and where and when can I do so?

Here’s an all time favorite of mine, Maniola telmessia. She’s nectaring on a wildflower on Mt. Meron in the very north of Israel’s Galilee. I love her colors, especially that Sunkist orange of an orange, how it is set amidst a mellow brown and that with a bullseye white spot, itself surrounded in a yellow border. It took several years for me to meet her, preceded by much frustration and disappointment.

But when  I spotted this one, it almost seemed like she beckoned to me, and I did not hesitate, and as she continued her nectaring, I shot away, with this nice result.

Jeff, headed to the HolyLand, with zero likelihood of bumping into you in Jerusalem or Netanya, Tel Aviv, the Sea of Galilee or Capernum. What do I have to do to . . . (OK, Jeff, don’t badger)?

Jeff