About

I am Libyan Macro Photographer and this site is my collection of macro photography photos  of Libyan butterflies and Moths (both adult and caterpillars). Among the areas of photography, which became popular with the increased attention over the past decades is close-up and  macro photography of insects and flowers and other tiny objects. Macro photography is the art of taking close-up pictures that reveal details which can’t be seen with the naked eye. For example, while we can see the fly on the wall, our eyes aren’t equipped to make out the fine details of the hairs on its face. This is where macro photography comes in. It gives us a glimpse into the world of the very small, which goes largely unnoticed by us as we hurriedly shuffle through our day. 

This site is dedicated to the insect and nature lovers, and to my Libyan colleagues, to those who are working  very hard to protect our environment. It is my invitation to them to work very hard to preserve and protect our environment  which became in great danger due to negligence, intentionally and unintentionally, and because of the conflicts and infighting that have contributed to the destruction of many of the wonderful natural places.  

We have a beautiful nature with amazing biodiversity, It is our duty to maintain them. We must protect it and preserve it not only for us but also for the next generation which they have a right and deserve a clean and beautiful environment. I am saying this beacuse I have seen during the conflict in Tripoli in past few years in the absence of law and insecurity numerous old public forests around the city of Tripoli was completely destroyed and turned  out  and converted illegally and by force of arms  to miserable farms and arid lands to build houses. I have found in previous visits to that area before destruction  type of moth's caterpillar, which disappeared now because of disappearance of wild trees, which were fed by, I wonder if we lucky to see that caterpillar again or it will be the images of the distant past. If we destroy green area and killed all the trees that the larvae feed on them how we will get butterflies. Butterflies are a hugely important group of insects as they provide important ecological services such as pollination of wild flowers and act as a food source for birds, reptiles and other species. They are also excellent bio-indicators of habitat quality for sites. This my message, Anyway, I hope that you enjoy visiting the site and for any queries, please contact me I will be happy to replay. Thank you, Altaher Altabet

​African Monarch Butterfly

Danaus chrysippus, also known as the Plain Tiger or African Monarch, is a common butterfly which is widespread in Asia and Africa. It belongs to the Danainae ("Milkweed butterflies") subfamily of the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae. It is a medium-sized, non-edible butterfly, which is mimicked by multiple species. The caterpillar is uniformly cylindrical. Its body is covered with bands of black and white interspersed with thick, yellow, dorsolateral spots. The most striking characteristics are the three pairs of long and black tentacle-like appendages. The first pair is moveable and also the longest. The tentacles are present on the third, sixth and twelfth segments. The head is shiny, smooth and has alternating black and white semicircular bands. The legs and prolegs are black and the prolegs have white bands at their bases. Photos taken in Garboli area, Tripoli- Libya (32.788046, 13.581372).