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Zebra Swallowtail
(09/17/2007) Zebra Swallowtail?
Saw this in my back yard here in Baltimore, MD for the first
time this year. Is this a Zebra Swallowtail?
Donna
Hi Donna,
Congratulations on your first sighting of a Zebra Swallowtail.
Red Banded Hairstreak
(09/16/2007) Red Banded Hairstreak
Dear WTB,
I love your site! My husband and I love the photos and appreciate
the variety of insects you have. But I noticed today
that you don't seem to have a lot of hairstreaks. Here's
a shot of a red-banded hairstreak in our backyard in Hampton
Virginia. I hope you can use it. Thanks for all your efforts.
Sharon
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for contributing to the elimination of the dearth of
Hairstreaks on our site by submitting your lovely image of
a Red Banded Hairstreak, Calycopsis
cecrops.
Parnassian
(09/14/2007) one rare one...
Hi - Here's maybe a new addition - seen in Southern Oregon
- 5,000 ft. elevation... quite hard to find - parnassius phoebeus
sternitzkyi - female.
Ted
Hi Ted,
We are thrilled to have received your photo of a Parnassian.
We have gotten photos of the caterpillars, but this is the
first adult. According to Jeffrey Glassberg, author of Butterflies
Through Binoculars The West: "This distinctive group of swallowtails
is restricted to northern climes. ... After mating, males
place a waxy cap, called a sphragis, over the females' abdomen
to prevent other males from mating. In Europe, this group
is called Apollos. Most of the approximately 35 species are
Eurasian, and since almost every mountain range has populations
that look slightly different from the next mountain range,
European and Japanese collectors have gone berserk in their
pursuit of each variety, reportedly threatening the existence
of some of them." We also plan to post the photo of the Baltimore
you sent in a different email.
Cool - there are common parnassians, then there are the rare
ones. Sternitzkyi is among the rare and hard to find ones,
not to mention one of the largest and ornately colored. Collectors
and observers are very tight-lipped about where they find
this bug - I found it in a remote colony that I would not
share with anyone due to possible overzealous collectors...
Your site is so cool - and so much fun!! Glad you could use
a pic or two. I may have a few more rarities to email you...
Ted
Two-Tailed Swallowtail
(09/11/2007) Tiger Swallowtail?
Dear Bugman,
I found this in my front yard this morning. I thought
it had been hit by a car and was dead, but upon closer inspection,
I saw that it was just moving very slowly. I noticed
that it was an unsually cold morning here in El Paso.
I scooped it up and saved it in a box. Don't worry,
I didn't touch it. When the day was warmer, and my kids were
home from school, we opened up the box. It stayed long
enough for a good look from the kids and flew away.
I think I identified it as a Tiger Swallowtail, but is it
a two tailed Swallowtail? Is the any way to tell
the sex just by looking? Thanks,
Erica H.
El Paso, TX
Hi Erica,
We believe this is a Two-Tailed Swallowtail, Papilio multicaudata.
According to BugGuide
and some other sources, the stripes on the forewings are generally
thinner than this, though this might also be an indication
that this is a female.
Compton Tortoiseshell
(09/11/2007) Comma Butterfly?
Dear Bugman:
I've searched your site high and low, and (unless I missed
it) I can't find this critter anywhere. It appears to
be a Comma Butterfly of some type, but I can't find any in
your pics that have the white spots on wings. Can you
help me ID this fellow? Thanks in advance!
Robin
SW Wisconsn
Hi Robin,
That was a good guess. This is a Compton Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis
vau-album, a near relative of the Comma and other butterflies
in the genus Polygonia. The Compton Tortoiseshell is in the
same genus as the Mourning Cloak. The caterpillars feed on
birch and willow. Thanks so much for adding a new species
to our site.
Mating
Gulf Fritillaries
(09/11/2007) bug love
Greetings Bugman.
I took the attached picture at the Northrop pine rockland
preserve located on the southwest of Miami-Dade County. I
had shared the picture with a colleague who pointed me to
your website. What a cool site! I would like to share my bug
love picture with you guys since it is not often that you
get to come across such love for nature and bugs. Thanks colleague!
Joaquin
Hi Joaquin,
Thank you for your kind words and for contributing your lovely
image of Gulf Fritillaries mating to our site.
Red
Spotted Purple
(09/09/2007) What is this one?
Stingrey
Stingrey,
What's That Bug? is not your personal 411. If you want answers,
you must provide us with information, like location, time
of year, special circumstances and anything else that might
be of interest to our readership. This is a Red Spotted Purple.
If the photo was not so lovely, your letter would probably
have ended up in the trash.
Bordered Patch
(09/05/2007) Would like information regarding how to identify
this butterfly
Greetings, Bugman!
I know you are extremely busy with the fast approaching school
year (maybe it's started already in your area, like here in
Texas). I have searched several butterfly web
sites and am unable to find a match for this butterfly.
I live in Collin County, Texas, about 30 miles north of Dallas,
and I first saw this butterfly in late August. It likes
my zexmenia bushes -- althought it is not feeding on the flowers,
but lighting on the leaves themselves. I was wondering
if it could be laying eggs. Small to medium sized black
caterpillars with an orange stripe down their back are having
a feast on about a dozen of my zexmenia bushes right now and
have been busy for about a week. They look a little
smaller than the Gulf Fritillary caterpillars on my passion
vines. This is the first year I've had this caterpillar,
and the first time I've seen these butterflies. They
are fast moving and larger than Pearl Crescents but a little
smaller than the Painted Ladies. If you do not have
time to identify this butterfly, could you offer some other
web sites that might do this? I love your web site,
and this is the first time I'm "Asking the Bugman".
I've had my butterfly garden for 10 years now, and it amazes
me that there's always something new happening in it.
I'm surprised I can't find this one in my butterfly guides,
and I'm thinking maybe with this goofy weather it may be out
of it's normal range. Thanks for your assistance!
Jackie Patrick, a WTB fan
 
Hi Jackie,
These are very nice photos of the Bordered Patch, Chlosyne
lacinia, a highly variable species. We got our first submitted
photo of a Bordered Patch last week, also from Texas. The
caterpillars you describe sound like the images posted for
this species on BugGuide.
Preying
Mantis devours Monarch Butterfly
(09/05/2007) PRAYING or PREYING MANTIS IN OUR CONNECTICUT
GARDEN (9-5-07)
Hello Daniel,
I hope this email reaches you. My first attempt failed,
according to message received from my carrier, "due
to an unexpected disconnection from service. Yes, I know you
have praying mantis pictures posted on your site but perhaps
these will be of use to you as well. On
September 1st I commented, to my husband, that I'd yet to
find a praying mantis to "shoot" for my photo
collection of insects. On September 2nd, we were host to a
tremendous monarch butterfly convention. Perhaps we
are on a flyway here in Connecticut? They were
swarming about our Joe Pie weed and having a great time.
I suddenly noticed that one of the revelers was, apparently,
"stuck" in the flowers. It was behaving as
if engaged in a battle. Upon closer examination, I discovered
the truth. A battle to the death. Just look at
the "arms" of the praying mantis . . . "all
the better to hug you with, my dear. I'm wondering; can you
tell if our ravenous praying mantis is a female or male?
The creature is still here, well-disguised as a Joe Pie weed
branch, waiting for another victim, but our monarchs seem
to be gone. From Connecticut, would they travel to Mexico,
California or Florida to spend the winter? Thanks for providing
such a marvelous site for those of us fascinated by the insects
found in our gardens. One does not have to travel far,
as I have found, for great adventure!
Susan B. Naumann
Hi Susan,
What a marvelous Food Chain documentation. Your Chinese Mantis
might be a male, but we cannot be certain. Your Monarchs would
not winter in California but the Oyamel
Fir forests of Mexico's Transverse Volcanic Belt.
Green Lynx eats Gulf Fritillary
(09/04/2007) Green Lynx Spider
I was told this is a green lynx spider, and thought you might
enjoy these photos I took of one on my passion vine.
What a wonderful addition to our Food Chain pages: a Green
Lynx Spider feeding on a Gulf Fritillary.
Giant
Swallowtail at WTB? Office
(09/03/2007)
Normally, at our Mt. Washington office, we see Western Tiger
Swallowtails and Anise Swallowtails. Both have proven to be
very camera shy. This year, for the first time, we have seen
Giant Swallowtails, at least 3 individuals. Our lantana shrubs
have gotten to a good size and there is a profuse bloom this
year. While lantana is not one of our favorite plants, we
have to admit we were very excited it forwarded us the opportunity
to get close enough to photograph this Giant Swallowtail today.
It should be noted that Giant Swallowtails were first reported
in the Los Angeles basin in 1998.
Tiger
Swallowtail, Snowberry Clearwing and Great Spangled Fritillary
nectaring on thistle
(09/02/2007) living in harmony
Message from nature...'we could all get along if we'd just
learn to share...' Thought you'd enjoy this 'last of
summer' treat taken at a meadow in Busch's Wildlife Area in
St. Charles County, MO. By the way, if one of your goals
for this site was to change just one person's way they view
bugs and insects and to learn to live in harmony with nature,
you've succeeded...I find myself telling our grandchildren
on our nature walks that it's not necessary to step on and
kill everything that crawls...thanks for the life lesson...
Pat, Hawk Point, MO
Forgot to ID the eastern tiger swallowtail and snowberry clearwing
moth, and in the upper left-hand corner a giant spangled fritillary
with the lower wings missing....
Pat
Hi Pat,
Thank you for your photo and philosophical approach. We are
happy to hear that our site is helping to educate people regarding
tolerance.
Long-Tailed Skipper
(09/02/2007) Help - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Hi,
Can you help identify this bug? It reminded me of the humming
bird moth untill I got a closer look at it. I was happy to
be able to get so many pictures. This is the first time that
I have seen this one and would like to know more about
it. Thanks for your help. PS I FORGOT TO MENTION IN
THE FIRST E-MAIL THAT I LIVE IN THE UPPER
NORTHWEST CORNER OF PENNA. NEAR ERIE, AND
THIS THING IS UNUSUALL FOR MY AREA.
Debbie Smith
Hi Debbie,
This is a Long-Tailed Skipper, Urbanus proteus, a butterfly,
not a moth. Though they are more common in the south, you
are withing the range of the species.
Red Spotted Purple
(09/01/2007)
Hi,
Your site is a wonderful resource as we study the wildlife
around our home and perennial gardens! Here are some
butterfly pictures taken in the clematis and budlia bushes.
Can you identify them for us? (just beginning to learn
butterfly identification). These were photographed in
SE CT. Thanks so much!
Marcek Family
Hi Marcek Family,
All of your photos are quite lovely, but we are posting the
Red Spotted Purple to our site as we are underrepresented
regarding this exquisite butterfly. Your other butterflies
are a Monarch and a Tiger Swallowtail.
Crab Spider catches Pipevine Swallowtail
(08/31/2007) Crab Spider feasts on Pipevine Swallowtail.
Hi again bugman,
I thought I would share with you another image taken the same
day as the puddling pipevine swallowtails I sent in, this
one of a crab spider enjoying its pipevine swallowtail lunch.
Hope you enjoy it!!! Keep up the great work
Michael
Hi Michael,
We have never seen documentation of a Crab Spider with such
a huge catch. It is a wonder the spider managed to hold onto
that Pipevine Swallowtail. Thanks for sending us another image
from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg,
Tennessee.
American Copper
(08/30/2007) ORANGE & WHITE BLACK-SPOTTED UFO IN CT GARDEN
(8-30-07)
Hello,
This tiny butterfly appeared in my garden, in Connecticut, today.
It is especially fond of the fall asters. I've studied
your entire butterfly collection and can't find a match. Please
help. Many thanks.
Susan B. Naumann
Hi Susan,
The reason you were unable to identify your American Copper,
Lycaena phlaeas, in our archives is that your photo is the
first we have received of this charming Gossamer Winged Butterfly.
Bordered Patch
(08/30/2007) Can you identify this butterfly for me
Can you possibly identify this butterfly for me? I took this
picture in Fort Worth, Texas at the botanical gardens. It
was taken on August 26, 2007. I would like to know what it
is. Thank you,
Kristina
Hi Kristina,
Your butterfly is a very highly variable species known as
the Bordered Patch, Chlosyne lacinia.
Giant Swallowtail Metamorphosis
(08/30/2007) Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) developmental
series
Hi Lisa Anne and Daniel,
Glad to see that you are keeping up your great work with your
website. Last year I submitted some picture series about the
development of butterflies. This year I would like to share
my Giant Swallowtail shots with you.
 
I found 6 caterpillars on Prickley Ash during the summer in
Wisconsin, and breeding this species is a wonderful experience.
My girlfriend Megan will be delighted to see "her"
caterpillar on your page, which she got as a present from
me to encourage her slightly increasing interested in bugs.
Keep up the great job! Best wishes from Madison/Wisconsin,
Thomas Werner
 
Hi Thomas,
Thanks for sending us your wonderful Giant Swallowtail metamorphosis
images.
Pipevine Swallowtails Puddling
(08/29/2007) Pipevine Swallowtails puddling.
Hey bugman,
I thought I would share with you this picture I took today
of some Pipevine Swallowtails puddling. I hope you like it.
Thanks so much for an awesome website!!!
Michael Davis
Hi Michael,
Thanks so much for sending us your high quality image of this
dramatic puddling event. Swallowtail butterflies are one of
the families that frequently gather at water puddles to drink,
the benefits being both moisture and minerals. We are sure
some of our readers are very curious where this image was
taken.
Hey Daniel,
sorry I forgot the location. It was taken in the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Yellow Legged Tortoiseshell from Japan
(08/25/2007) Japanese yellow-legged tortoiseshell
I am going through all my old photos, especially of bugs,
and thanks to you I have another positive ID! I was
in Japan last year and took a picture of this nice docile
butterfly. From the link on your site to a Japanese
butterfly site I believe it is Hiodoshi-cho the Yellow-legged
tortoiseshell. Thanks again!!
Rebecca in Falls Church, VA
Hi Rebecca,
Your research skills should be commended. Your identification
of a Yellow Legged Tortoiseshell from Japan looks correct
to us. It is awesome that you couldn't find your answer on
our site but followed a link we provided. We would never ever
ever verbally bash our serious readership, but we often get
marginally perturbed that so many people just send in photos,
often with no helpful information, and never bother to search
our vast archive for their identifications. More often than
not, they don't even need to look any further than our homepage.
White Peacock
(08/20/2007) White Peacock
Hi -- Here are a couple of shots of the white peacock butterfly
(I believe). It seems as if they were EVERYWHERE I went yesterday.
I couldn't resist taking a couple of shots and sharing.
Susan Rockwell
Alva, FL
Hi Susan,
We really appreciate you sending in your photos of a White
Peacock, Anartia jatrophae. This species ranges as far south
as Argentina.
Longtailed Skipper and Checkered Skipper
(08/19/2007) My Two New Butterflies -- Longtail Skipper and
Checker Skipper
The butterfly that I NEVER seen before your website is the
Longtail Skipper. What a cutie!! Then I noticed
the Checker Skipper seconds later. The Longtail was
in and around my garage -- too dark for me to focus well.
Then the Checker Skipper was in the direct sunlight and it
was too bright for me to focus well. THEN my battery
died. Ugh!! The attached pics are alright but
not as good as I had hoped for. I should have gone to your
website first to ID the Checker Skipper!! Since it's
pattern is so striking and I vaguely remembered a butterfly
called a Checker, I searched "Checker Butterfly"
and got the Checkerspot Butterfly... It went downhill
from there until I ended up on the USFWS website and you know
all about THAT!! I forgot to mention this earlier, I think
I even had a Red Admiral in my yard today. I kid you
not, it was like Grand Central Station. What
a fun day!! Also, I forgot the flower info. You probably
know the flower that the Longtail Skipper is on by now, if
you didn't already -- the Mexican Sunflower. The Checker
Skipper is on a Cosmos.
Jacqui
 
Hi Jacqui,
We are beginning to think that you alone could supply us with
a steady stream of new images each day. Thanks for sending
us your two Skipper images.
Peacock Butterfly on Match Safe and dead Western Poplar
Sphinx
(08/19/2007) some images and questions
When I tried to send this through your site it continually
rejected me....wrong password or something. Odd, since
i had never registered. So I am trying to go around
the system (if it is a system!) I have a moth and a spider.
I also have two moths/butterflies in enamel on match safes
(small antique boxes which were used in days past to hold
and strike friction matches...I collect, photograph and write
on this subject). I would be happy to get
some info on these. Are they real species or fantasies i wonder.
The real moth looks like some sort of sphinx based on what
I have learned from your site. It has a very blunt head
with a wingspread of about 4 inches. The antennae are
turned down under. He was nearly dead when I found him
(Albuquerque, NM) on my stoop. The pink secondary wings are
unusual to me but perhaps not to you. The spider is
under my eave and quite large and spins a beautiful web.
I also have black widows in my grape vines where they seem
to thrive and leave only the legs of their mates post- coitus
I suspect. The only object to proper scale is the blue butterfly
match safe If you do not answer directly, where would I find
your response on the site?
Karl.
Hi Karl,
The only way to submit content to our site at the moment is
by email. We answer what we have time to answer. The image
with the butterfly match safe and moth is an easy identification.
The butterfly depicted on the safe is a Peacock Butterfly,
Inachis io, a European species that has been introduced to
the new world as well. It is a very accurate likeness. The
moth is a Western Poplar Sphinx, Pachysphinx occidentalis.
Your spider is an Orb Weaver and the blue butterfly on the
other match safe is a moth, but we are unsure of the species.
Mating Gulf Fritillaries
(08/18/2007) Some Bug Love
Well Hello!
I found these two lovers hanging out by my front door... thought
you might enjoy. ... Thanks and Enjoy!
Dacia
Tampa, FL
Hi Dacia,
Your mating Gulf Fritillary image is wonderful. The moth identification
will take us some research.
Monarch
Project: Caterpillar, Crysalids, and Butterfly
(08/18/2007) Monarch Project
Dear Bugman,
I thought I'd share with you this photo of my 6-year-old grandson's
butterfly project. The monarch emerged this morning
from the first of 46 chrysalises (with more to come). Thanks
for your great website!
Nancy Codere
Cumberland, ME
Hi Nancy,
We only wish your letter had included a more detailed description
of what the Monarch Project is. We are guessing your grandson
collected Monarch Caterpillars off of milkweed plants and
kept them in a cage to observe the metamorphosis.
Dear Daniel,
I thought I'd share with you this photo of my 6-year-old grandson's
butterfly project. He collects the caterpillars from a stand
of milkweed in back of our house and keeps them in a 10-gal.
terrarium with screen cover. Everyday 3 to 4 fresh milkweed
stalks are added as food. When the caterpillars are ready,
most crawl to the cover to begin their metamorphosis (an occasional
one will hang from a milkweed stalk and make his transformation
there). When a chrysalis turns black (it's actually clear
but the unborn butterfly's coloring shows through), we suspend
the screen cover from a hook on the ceiling to observe the
critter's emergence. The monarch in this picture emerged
this morning from the first of 46 chrysalises (with more to
come). Thanks for your great website!
Nancy Codere
Cumberland, ME
Female
Tiger Swallowtail: Dark Form
(08/14/2007) Posted (09/01/2007) Female Tiger Swallowtail?
Hi again!
Am I correct in believing that this is a "camouflaged"
female Tiger Swallowtail mimicking the poisonous Pipevine
Swallowtail? These pic was taken today and the butterfly
is on a Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia Rotundifolia ). She was
such a good subject, I could have taken pics of her all day
long. I did find several pics of morphed female Tigers on
your website but none of them had their wings open. How do
you tell the difference between a morphed female Tiger Swallowtail
and a Spicebrush Swallowtail? Is it that the Spicebrush
has more blue "trailing" the orange spots on the
inner row of orange spots on the underside of the lower wing?
The butterflies are quite similar with their wings up.
Thank You!!
Jacqui
Middle Georgia
P.S. I used to think it was SpiceBUSH Swallowtail, not
SpiceBRUSH -- LOL!! I guess I was crossing my bushes
and my butterflies.
 
Hi Jacqui,
We were deleting some old emails and came across your great
questions and wonderful photos that somehow slipped through
the cracks when it was first sent. It was a busy time and
the last full day of mom's yearly visit. According to BugGuide,
the: "dark phase occurs in females through much of range,
especially in southern states. The stripes are still faintly
visible from some angles. The black females may be distinguished
from other swallowtails from below, by the absence of the
band of orange spots on the hind wing seen on Black and Spicebush
Swallowtails, and lack of iridescent blue of Pipevine Swallowtails.
" The stripes are more visible on the underwings as your photos
illustrate. Also, we have seen both Spicebush and Spicebrush
used, but Spicebush is more commonly accepted since it is
the food plant of the caterpillar.
Questionmark
(08/13/2007) Butterfly
Hi - GREAT website - I've used it many times in identifying
all the little guys I come across inmy yard. Please
help me identify this butterfly (from southern NY) Thanks!
Denise
Hi Denise,
This is one of the Anglewing Butterflies that are named after
punctuation marks. We believe it is a Questionmark. It earned
its common name due to the silver mark on the underside of
the hind wing which resembles the punctuation mark denoting
interogation.
Red Admiral
(08/12/2007) Red Admiral
Hi -- Here's a butterfly that I don't see too often -- a Red
Admiral, I believe.
Susan Rockwell
Alva, FL
Hi Susan,
You are correct with your Red Admiral identification. These
are seemingly fearless butterflies that frequently return
to the same location to soak in the sun. For some reason,
in our Mt. Washington, Los Angeles garden, they frequented
the green hose in the front yard. When we bought a black hose,
it was no longer attractive.
Zebra Swallowtail
(08/07/2007) moth/butterfly?
I`m trying to find out what the name of this is, I have been
searching for pics of it, havent found it yet. I`m in central
Missouri and took pic in a local state park. Can you help?
Rhonda Mulanax
Hi Rhonda,
This gorgeous butterfly is a Zebra Swallowtail.
Tiger Swallowtail
(08/07/2007) Georgia State Butterfly
I am sending these pics for your enjoyment. I also have
a bunch of pics of Tiger Swallowtails on Purple Coneflowers.
The Tiger Swallowtail appears to be a somewhat picky eater.
Until I took these pics, I had only seen these beauties on
my coneflowers. They flew by all the rest of my flowers and
I have hundreds of flowers in yard, more than 30 types.
Jacqui
Hi Jacqui,
Thanks so much for providing us with personal observations.
We have Tiger Swallowtails in our own Mt. Washington garden
in Los Angeles, but they never alight on blossoms. It appears
your other photos are on lantana in addition to the sunflower
we are posting. Growing up in Ohio, Swallowtails and many
other butterflies as well as Hummingbird Moths were attracted
to Mom's summer phlox.
Wow!! Never did I dream that I would be posted on your website!!
I am VERY HONORED. BTW, you have a great eye! You were
correct in identifying the other flower besides the sunflower
as a lantana. (After living in South Texas and SoCal I primarily
xeriscape and lantana's are very heat and draught tolerant.
With the 2 year draught we have been having in South/Middle
Georgia, it is a good thing!) I had considered naming the
flowers in the pics but I wasn't sure of the relevancy...
It is interesting that my observation about Tiger Swallowtails' food
preferences is correct. I am sorry that none "visit" your
flowers :-( I bet if you add some lantana and purple coneflower
to your garden -- both of which should do very well in your
area -- you will see much more of these gorgeous butterflies.
Sunflowers are fun, too, but don't always fit into a garden
plan. FYI, hundreds of vine swallowtails pass through my
garden but alight on NOTHING!! They must be VERY picky eaters
indeed. Additionally, there is another big butterfly that
passes through my yard which I have not yet been able to identify
but is primarily orange and brown (not a monarch or viceroy,
both of which frequent my yard, too) who is very conscious
of -- and concerned about -- the ability of a flower to support
its weight. If a flower bends in the least under its weight,
the butterfly moves on. He flits here and there very rapidly
and with apparent frustration at being unable to get the nectar
out of sooo many flowers. Poor thing... I was thinking
about about phlox to my garden next year. I think I definitely
will now. Thanks for the tip!!
Jacqui
P.S. I have your fav spider in my yard, too. First, one
was on the sage bush with Big Moma (the preying mantis who
regenerated a big rear leg) for days -- but on opposite side
of the bush and for good reason. Then, I found another one
on a sunflower. I had NEVER seen one of those spiders before. They ARE
beautiful!! A couple of days later, I found him on your website
;-) Sadly, none of my first set of pics, where the spider
was on the sage, turned out well. I only have a basic digital
camera -- no fancy zoom lens or high speed shutter. I NEED
those bells and whistles!! I have not yet checked the shots
of the spider on the sunflower. Cross your fingers!!
Viceroy
compared to Monarch and Mating Cabbage Whites
(08/05/2007) Viceroy vs Monarch & buglove with two cabbage
butterflies
I always enjoy checking your site for the newest listings.
Attached are two photos that you might want in the files.
The first is a stitched pair - on the left is a Viceroy and
on the right is a Monarch. Having them side by side
makes comparing the two much easier. The second photo
is of a pair of cabbage butterflies mating. Perhaps it could
be added to the bug love page. Enjoy,
Tetrazole
Hi Tetrazole,
The Viceroy and Monarch comparison is a much welcomed addition
to our site as is the image of the mating Cabbage White Butterflies.
Readers should take note of the black postmedian band on the
lower wing of the Viceroy which is the most obvious distinguising
feature for ensuring proper identification of the species.
Two
species of Owl Butterflies from Belize
(08/05/2007) Owl butterflies from Belize
Hello Bugman:
I enjoyed David Sheen’s photo of the owl butterfly from
Monteverdi (posted 08/03/2007). All giant owls show incredible
colors in flight but always seem to rest with their wings
closed. Fortunately they are beautiful from all sides.
The Caligo uranus (dark background) and C. memnon were both
photographed in Belize earlier this year. I thought at first
that David’s owl was also a C. Uranus , but I now believe
it is probably a C.
atreus. Great site!
Karl
 |
 |
| Caligo
uranus |
Caligo
memnon |
Hi Karl,
Thanks for your excellent photos as well as your insight.
We struggled in vain to identify the Owl Butterfly sent by
David, but there is a noticeable dearth of images online of
the open winged views.
Dear Bugman:
Further to “Two species of Owl Butterflies from Belize ”(08/05/2007)”,
it seems that Caligo uranus and C. atreus are very similar
both ventrally and dorsally. The main difference appears to
be the black border on the dorsal hind wing of C. atreus ,
a feature which also is evident in David Sheen’s photo. Check
out good photos of both species at:
http://neotropicalbutterflies.com/Site%20Revision/Pages/Nymphalidae_Pages/Brassolinae/Owl_Pages/Caligo_atreus.html
http://neotropicalbutterflies.com/Site%20Revision/Pages/Nymphalidae_Pages/Brassolinae/Owl_Pages/Caligo_uranus.html
Karl
Painted Jezebel from Asia
(08/04/2007)
Hi there bugman,
Didn't find any pictures of Painted Jezebels on your site,
thought you guys might want some. This is one of 6 which we
kept as caterpillars to adult stage. Enjoy
Jon
 
Hi Jon,
We are quite intrigued that this lovely butterfly is known
as the Painted Jezebel, a slang term for a shameless, immoral,
scheming woman. The Painted
Jezebel, Delias hyparete metarete, is found in Singapore,
Malayzia and Taiwan.
Owl Butterfly
(08/03/2007) Butterfly from Monteverde
Hard as I try, I cannot assume this is either a Morpho or
the Owl butterfly. Btw, are the Blue Morpho and the Owl Butterfly
one and the same? Thanks - I looked through the archives for
this one but no luck!
David Sheen
Hi David,
We are pretty certain this is an Owl Butterfly in the genus
Caligo. Morpho butterflies are in the genus Morpho and they
are different from Owl Butterflies. The problem we are having
with giving you an exact species identification is that most
images of Owl Butterflies show the namesake eyespots on the
underwings since that is the most distinctive feature of the
genus.
Mating Monarch Butterflies
(08/02/2007) mating monarchs
I am SOOO happy to have found your site...I have seen craneflies
my whole (long) life and didn't know what they were....until
today, thanks to your site...I recieved my first digital camera
abt. a year ago, and haven't put it down since...what fun!!
The mating monarchs were quite high in the tree and these
were the best photos I could get...she would keep her wings
folded up like the males and then would open them out flat
occasionally...what a beautiful site they made...thought I
would share this with everyone on your "Bug Love"
page...I noticed you haven't had any recent posts tho', so
maybe you aren't posting there anymore...anyway, here they
are...hope you can use them....thanks for such a wonderful
and informative website!
Pat, Hawk Point, MO
Hi Pat,
We have five bug love pages, and we have posted very recently
to the fifth page. You must have looked on an older page.
You will find your image of mating Monarch Butterflies on
our most recent bug love page as well as our most recent butterfly
page.
Flower Spider eats Pine White
(07/31/2007) PINK PAINTED WHITE SPIDER
HELLO, WHAT A GREAT SITE ! ! I WILL BE VIEWING IT ON A REGULAR
BASES. I LIVE IN SO. OREGON. JUST 88 MILES FROM THE CA. BORDER,
I HAVE JUST FOUND OUT THAT I LOVE TO TAKE PHOTO'S OF BUGS
AND FLOWERS. I HAVE JUST STARTED TO LEARN DIGITAL CAMERA'S
A YEAR AND A-HALF AGO, I HAVE MANY GREAT PHOTO'S !! BUT THE
BUG ONE'S HAS GIVING ME THE BUG TO GET OUT AND FIND MORE TO
SHOOT. HERE ARE THE LATEST JULY 28-07. THE SPIDER AND THE
FLY FELL OUT OF A FLOWER, I MOVED IT AND THEY BECAME SEPERATED
HERE IS THAT SAME SPIDER WHAT KIND IS IT? THE FLY SEEMED DEAD!
! ! THE VERY NEXT DAY, I SPOTTED THIS ALL WHITE SPIDER THIS
BUTTERFLY SEEMS DEAD ALSO HERE IS ANOTHER VIEW. THANKS FOR
TAKING THE TIME FOR ME,
LAURIE HAYDEN-QUINN
Hi Laurie,
Your spider is Misumena vatia, also known as a Crab Spider
or Flower Spider. The butterfly is a Pine White, Neophasia
menapia.
Giant Swallowtail
(07/30/2007) Giant Swallowtail
Hi -- I just adore your website! You probably have tons of
Giant Swallowtail butterfly pics, but they are so gorgeous,
I thought perhaps a couple more couldn't hurt! LOL!
Susan Rockwell
SW Florida
Hi Susan,
We don't get many adult images, but ew do get Giant Swallowtail
Caterpillars, known as Orange Dogs.
Red Admiral
(07/29/2007) What kind of butterfly?
Your site is awesome! After reading all the different kinds,
I thought maybe this was a skipper. This butterfly let me
take many pictures, even landing on my leg for a few shots!
I really enjoy this picture on the pine leaves. (It looks
better upside down!) We live in Elk River, MN, about 36 miles
NW of the Minneapolis. Seems we had a lot of butterflies this
July, 2007!
Joyce
Hi Joyce,
This fearless butterfly is a Red Admiral, though we are quite
fond of author Vladimir Nabokov's name of Red Admirable.
Mourning
Cloak Metamorphosis
(07/22/2007) Mourning Cloak Butterfly
Hi WTB,
I just wanted to share with you and all of us "bug-sleuths"
my recent discovery. About a two months ago I began seeing thousands
of little black turds on my back porch under my chinese elm
tree. At first I was very concerned thinking that I may have
an infested tree. I suspected the turds were non mammalian
or avian due to the shape of the extrusion. They
were not round, but slightly squared and short in length.
My suspicions were proven correct when among the turds one
morning were a dried up caterpillar, too emaciated to get
a good identification. The identification came about a week
later when the caterpillars in my tree were on the move. I
spotted ten or so caterpillars that were spiny, charcoal grey
with red markings that were slightly diamond shape along the
back (see the picture).
They had apparently dropped from the tree and were making
their way up the walls of my house in order to find a place
to chrysalize. Once they found their chosen place, they attached
themselves and spun a light grey chrysalis. One thing I noticed
was that part of the caterpillar actually became discarded
in the process. I could not tell if the head or the tail of
the caterpillar lost out. Nonetheless, nature took its course,
and one morning, I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph one
of the butterflies just born, drying its wings in the sun.
While it is not a strikingly colorful specimen, it is nonetheless
a wonderful part of my backyard environment. Enjoy.
Bob K
Sunny San Diego, CA
Hi Bob,
What a wonderful account of Mourning Cloak metamorphosis.
During each stage of metamorphosis, the individual loses its
exoskeleton, hence the discarded chrysalis skin in the background
of your butterfly image. Mourning Cloaks are native to California,
and before the introduction of the Chinese Elm, a favorite
host tree, they fed on riparian willows that grow near stream
beds and rivers. This is a wide ranging species that is found
throughout North America and Europe in the Northern hemisphere.
Great Purple Hairstreak
(07/20/2007) hairstreak?
We found this little fella at our local zoo's butterfly garden
and were just fascinated by it. He rubbed the "antennae"
on the back of his wings together and they wiggled just like
real ones. Sorry the pic's so fuzzy, but its the best we could
do. Went thru your whole list but couldn't find it. Is it
some sort of hairstreak? Thanks,
JT
Central Oklahoma
Hi JT,
This little beauty is a Great Purple Hairstreak, Atlides halesus.
Spicebush Swallowtail
(07/16/2007) Black Swallowtail?
Hello yet again, I have a few photos I took today of what
I believe is a black swallowtail butterfly on my exotic lilies.
Am I correct this time?
Nina
Hi Nina,
Ths spot pattern on the underside of the hind wing indicates
that this is a Spicebush Swallowtail, Papilio
troilus.
Weidemeyer's Admiral
(07/16/2007) Butterfly id
Hello again
I don't want to add to your swampedness, but I got this photo
of a butterfly today while hiking just west of Colorado Springs,
CO. It looks a lot like the White Admiral on your butterfly
page, except I can't see any colored spots on it. Also
when I Googled "White Admiral", most of the links
were for UK butterflies which looked nothing like mine. Thanks
for the help,
Heidi
Hi Heidi,
Adding to our swampedness is no problem when you are sending
us a great photo of a new species for our site. This is a
close relative of the White Admiral. It is Weidemeyer's Admiral,
Limenitis weidemeyerii. Like its relatives, the caterpillars
feed on willow and aspen.
Tersa
Sphinx and Grass Skipper
(07/15/2007) double butterfly wings on moth body
My husband captured this one of a kind bug with the camera
yesterday 7/14/07 in the South Texas region. It is a cross
between a butterfly (it has four regular multi colored wings)
and a moth (large body). It does not look like a hummingbird
moth, as we have those in our flower gardens in the summer.(attached
our photos) We have not seen this new little guy before. Fuzzy
yellow body, large yellow head, four multi colored yellow
& black wings, similar to a butterfly. What is it? Found
NO photo anywhere of this outstanding specimen, or anything
even similar~is it a different species of hummingbird moth,
or some strange cross breed butterfly moth?
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| Tersa
Sphinx |
Grass
Skipper |
Your
moth is a Tersa Sphinx and the butterfly is a Grass Skipper.
Queen
(07/11/2007) Please Identify
Not sure if you do butterflies
Tom
Hi Tom,
This is a Queen, Danaus gilippus, one of the Milkweek Butterflies
related to the Monarch.
Hairstreak:
Great Purple Hairstreak???
(07/09/2007) MOTH ?
I have searched for hours and not found this one.
Jan in Florida
 
Hi Jan,
We are nearly certain this is a Great Purple Hairstreak, Atlides
halesus. We are posting a link to Featured
Creatures with more information. We believe it is newly
metamorphosed and its wings have not yet attained their full
size and hardened.
Greater
Fritillary
(07/08/2007) Mystery butterfly in my garden!
Hi bugman,
I wonder if you could help identify this beautiful butterfly
that appeared in my garden for the first time today -- I am
attaching the pictures. Thanks for any help you can provide.
Dagmar
Hi Dagmar,
This is a Greater Fritillary in the genus Speyeria. We are
not qualified to identify the exact species. Though they range
from coast to coast, here is a quote from Jeffrey Glassberg's
book Butterflies Through Binoculars The West: "These are some
of the largest and most beautiful butterflies in the West;
unfortunately they are the most difficult group to identify
to species. Most of the species are exceptionally variable.
Travel a hundred miles and you'll think your're looking at
a completely different animal. A species may be confused with
two other species at one location and with a different set
of species at a different location! Making matters even worse
is that, in general, most of the identification cues, such
as they are, only show you their topsides. ... [The] reality
is that in many cases you're going to have to accept that
your best identification is that it's a greater fritillary.
In many cases, people who believe they can identify individual
butterflies are wrong."
Tiger Swallowtails Puddling
(07/06/2007) swallowtails mud puddeling
Hi there,
Love your site, here are some shots I took earlier in the
summer from Lindsay, Ontario. Regard's
Leslie
Hi Leslie,
Your photo of the Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies drinking moisture
from muddy earth is quite beautiful, and a welcome addition
to our site.
Emperor
and Questionmark Butterflies and Nessus Sphinx feed on fermenting
tree sap at base of Oak Tree
(Independence Day) bug identification please
We live north of Ft. Worth, TX and after all the rain, I am
seeing these moths/butterflies? at the base of our Oak Trees.
What is the white "goo" they are in a frenzy over?
I'm guessing it is an egg mass. When I do a very close up,
I think I see larvae.(among other trapped stuff). Could you
help us identify them and tell us if they are good or bad
for the trees. How do we get rid of them if we need to? Thank
you,
Kathy
 
Hi Kathy,
The butterflies in your photos are some species of Emperor
Butterfly, probably the Hackberry Emperor, Asterocampa celtis.
There are at least four members of this genus that can be
found in Texas, and they all look very similar, though someone
more versed in butterfly identification can probably give
you an exact species. The moth is a Sphinx Moth, the Nessus
Sphinx, Amphion floridensis. The butterflies, moth and various
fruit flies and beetles have been attracted to the white goo.
Hackberry Emperors feed on tree sap, fluids from carrion and
dung, and rotting fruit. Another possibility is that this
could be some type of fungus. Whatever it is, and sap is a
good possibility, it is very attractive to many types of insects.
Because of the fruit flies, fermentation might be involved.
We believe you might need a tree expert to get this answer.
We were just about to give you a personal reply when we realized
you enclosed additional images. The large image below shows
a large group of Hackberry Emperors with two Questionmarks,
Polygonia interrogationis, one with open orange wings displayed.
The other Questionmark is in the upper right corner (we rotated
your image) and the silvery Questionmark is visible on the
lower wing. Questionmarks, and other Anglewing Butterflies,
have similar feeding habits to the Emperors, with sap, rotting
fruit, carrion and dung topping the list of delicacies.
Daniel,
They would be feeding on fermenting tree sap.
Bill Oehlke
Update (07/06/2007) Appreciation and a correction...
Lisa and Daniel,
Thanks again for your fantastic site, which I visit every
single day. Among the many great entries you just added (July
4?), I esp. love the proboscis sheath on the Rustic Sphinx...wow.
The fermentation feeding frenzy photos are way cool too, and
I think I have a correction in that the lowest photo seems
to show a single Hackberry Emperor in a huddle of Question
Marks, rather than the other way around. Keep it up! regards,
Dave Fallow
Madison, WI
Net-Winged
Beetle and Eastern Tailed Blue
(06/30/2007) Net-Winged Beetle and Unknown butterfly
Hi Bugman!
I spotted this Net-winged Beetle (Calopteron reticulatum)
in my yard today! Once again, I was able to identify
it using your site! I didn't, however, see any photos of my
Mystery Butterfly - thought maybe you could help to identify
it? I followed this spastic little thing in my yard
for an hour trying to get a good shot of it! I was lucky
enough to get this one before it took off again, but
was unsuccessful in getting a closed wing shot. The
underside of its wings are white, and seemed to have a small
black mark near the edge of the lower wing. We are in
Southwest Missouri. Thanks for your help!
Kris L.
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|
Net Winged Beetle |
Eastern Tailed Blue |
Hi
Kris,
You did well on the Net-Winged Beetle identification. Few
people would have even guessed it was a beetle. The butterfly
is a female Eastern Tailed Blue, Everes comyntas. The Western
Tailed Blue would be our second guess as the two are difficult
to distinguish, but we don't believe the Western Tailed Blue
ranges as far east as Missouri. The caterpillars feed on leguninous
plants.
Tiger Swallowtail: Black Morph
(06/29/2007) Butterfly
Hello.
I snapped this picture while out on a hike. I really thought
it was a beautiful butterfly, and it looked like it was melting
because of the appearance of droplets at the bottom of it's
wing. What I don't know is what kind of butterfly it
is. I apologize in advance if it has already been identified
100 times on your site.
Michael from Arkansas
Hi Michael from Arkansas,
This is a female Tiger Swallowtail. Some female Tiger Swallowtails
do not exhibit the typical black and yellow striping, but
the stripes are still evident in the wing pattern. Thanks
for sending us your lovely photo.
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