diff --git a/utilities.py b/utilities.py
index 0bad62244d2095d93ea4e0c41e525a7629dbe674..e60f4fc41b5d0667ffbcf288e89420664b98542a 100755
--- a/utilities.py
+++ b/utilities.py
@@ -144,6 +144,9 @@ def get_sp_picture(sp_dict_list):
     for sp in sp_dict_list:
 
         genus_species = get_gspecies_string_from_sp_dict(sp)
+        logging.debug("picture path for {0} {1}: {2}".format(genus_species,
+                                                             sp[constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC][constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC_STRAIN],
+                                                             sp[constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC][constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC_PICTURE_PATH]))
 
         # no picture stored yet for this genus_species
         if genus_species not in sp_picture_dict.keys() \