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Mystery Plant: Nectar bounty for Monarch, Tiger Swallowtail and others

Busy Bush
Location:  North Middle Tennessee
August 3, 2010 1:12 pm
Hi Daniel,
I don’t know the name of these bushes they are a nuisance. Grow almost everywhere have thorns that tend to break off in your hand, these flowers (sweet smelling) are followed by berries (black) that stain. That being said right now they are the main attraction in the neighborhood for all sorts of insects. Bees, wasp, flies, moths, butterflies are all competing for the nectar. I have spent hours standing in one spot photographing all sorts of critters. (I do keep my distance cause the bees are ”packing heat”) However they all seem to just have eating on their minds, haven’t noticed any agressive behavior from any of them toward each other or me for sticking my nose into their business. One absence I have notice from the nectar feast is ”Honey Bees” they are all but extinct around here. I realize this is off topic but I found all of the bush’s activity interesting. Thanks for all you do and have a wonderful day.
Richard

monarch richard 300x227 Mystery Plant: Nectar bounty for Monarch, Tiger Swallowtail and others

Monarch and Bumble Bees

Hi Richard,
What, pray tell, is “off topic” in your letter?  We find it to be spot on topic.  We hope one of our readers can provide the name of this plant, because though you have provided some of its negative qualities, it seems the benefits of providing a bounty of nectar for insects and probably berries for birds would make it a very desirable plant for nature enthusiasts who populate their gardens with plants that will attract wildlife.  Among the visitors you have documented are a Monarch Butterfly, a Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly, Bumble Bees and an Ailanthus Webworm Moth.  We are sad to hear of the demise of the local Honey Bee population.  We can only hope that Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) will run its course and the surviving bees will have the genetic resistance to make a comeback.

tiger swallowtail richard 300x243 Mystery Plant: Nectar bounty for Monarch, Tiger Swallowtail and others

Tiger Swallowtail, Ailanthus Webworm and other pollinators

Note to Readers: If you recognize this plant, please provide a name.

August 5, 2010 10:04 am
Daniel:  I wonder if the thorny, flowering plant with Tiger Swallowtail and Ailanthus Webworm Moth on it could be
Hercules’ Club (Aralia spinosa) or (less likely) Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridum).
Best,
Dave Fallow in Madison Wisconsin

Hello Daniel,
I never though it would be of any interest to anyone but since you posted it I became corrious and did a bit of internet searching. The bush is a :”Devil’s Walkingstick” or “Aralia spinosa L.” here is a link to the plant:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ARSP2&photoID=arsp2_008_avp.tif
Thank you for all you do and have a wonderful day.
Richard

Posted 05 August 2010 § Brush Footed Butterflies § swallowtails ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Black Swallowtail Metamorphosis

he

Butterfly
Location:  Bellville, Ohio
August 3, 2010 6:26 pm
I thought you might like these pictures of A Black Swallowtail, from start to finish.
Thanks
Jim

black swallowtail cat jim 300x193 Black Swallowtail Metamorphosis

Black Swallowtail Caterpillar

Hi Jim,
Thanks for sending us your wonderful documentation of the metamorphosis of a Black Swallowtail.  Maria Sibylla Merian would be impressed.  It appears as though the Chrysalis image is of the exuvia, the cast off skin after the butterfly has emerged.  It is also quite curious that the Chrysalis is up-side-down.  Generally the Swallowtail Butterflies make a Chrysalis that is upright and supported by the silk girdle.

black swallowtail chrysalis jim 300x206 Black Swallowtail Metamorphosis

Black Swallowtail Chrysalis (butterfly emerged)

The adult imago is a female.  The female has blue markings while the male has yellow spots.

black swallowtail jim 300x218 Black Swallowtail Metamorphosis

Female Black Swallowtail

Posted 03 August 2010 § swallowtails ‡ Comments (0) °

Common Buckeye

Common Buckeye
Location:  North Middle Tennessee
August 1, 2010 6:52 pm
Hi Daniel,
I ran across this little fellow in the yard yesterday. I know you have some of these already on your website. But it is so beautiful I just wanted to share it. Thank You for all that you do and have a wonderful day.
Richard

buckeye richard 300x211 Common Buckeye

Common Buckeye

Hi Richard,
Your photo of a Common Buckeye is lovely, and this will be our last posting of the morning, at least until we finish writing a comment letter to a Mitigated Negative Declaration regarding a proposed condominium project in the neighborhood that we promised we would write.  We will try to identify your wasps later in the day.

Posted 02 August 2010 § ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Male (and subsequent female) Eastern Tailed Blue

Hairstreaks and Blues
Location:  Mayfield, KY
August 1, 2010 11:43 am
I have been photographing many butterflies this summer. I bought a book on butterflies and moths. The pictures in the book are all illistrations which makes some identifications difficult. I have pictures of both hairstreaks and I believe the Eastern Tailed-Blue. (also how do you tell the difference between the female eastern tailed-blue and the gray hairstreak?… my book shows them both marked almost exactly the same.) I am sending the photo I have of what I believe is the Eastern Tailed-Blue. I would like to tag my album accurately, so please correct me if I am wrong. I still have a couple butterflies unidentified. Maybe I can send them in for your help later.
Janet Fox

male eastern tailed blue janet 300x226 Male (and subsequent female) Eastern Tailed Blue

Male Eastern Tailed Blue

Hi Janet,
The proper identification of the Gossamer Winged Butterflies in the family Lycaenidae, including the Hairstreaks and Blues, can be a daunting task, but we agree that this is a male Eastern Tailed Blue, Cupido comyntas.  According to BugGuide:  “male’s wings above iridescent pale blue with brownish-gray along outer margin; forewings with a short oblique black bar near middle; hindwings with a row of submarginal black spots and a small orange spot at the base of each projecting tail. Female’s wings larger with longer tails, gray above on body and wings, 2 or 3 small orange spots with black dots near margin of hindwings. Wings of both sexes below silvery gray with small dark spots and a few orange spots near margin of hindwings.“ That written description fits this image of a male Eastern Tailed Blue posted to BugGuide, but your specimen has two orange spots on the upper side of the lower wing near the tails.  It seems there is a degree or variability, since another image posted to BugGuide has two spots like your individual.  Your photograph has captured the butterfly in the process of puddling, taking fluids and minerals from a damp spot on the ground, and you can see the extended proboscis in your photograph.  For a good guide book with photographs is Jeffrey Glassberg’s Butterflies Through Binoculars series, broken up into two volumes for east and west.

August 3, 2010
Daniel,
Thanks for the fast response.  I have attached a pic of the other one. I am thinking it is the female eastern tailed-blue.  My book doesn’t show the gray hairstreak well, so I am not sure which one it is.
Thanks again for the help.
Janet Fox
Mayfield, KY

eastern tailed blue female janet 300x257 Male (and subsequent female) Eastern Tailed Blue

Female Eastern Tailed Blue

Hi again Janet,
We didn’t notice until today that you wrote back with a photo of a female Eastern Tailed Blue.  We are adding it to your original posting.

Posted 02 August 2010 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Questionmark Butterfly

Question Mark Butterfly
Location:  Cumberland Plateau, rural southeast Tennessee
July 31, 2010 11:26 am
Hello Bugman,
I saw this butterfly on one of our porch chairs and didn’t think I had seen the wing shape before. After I took its picture and checked with those on your site, I think it is definitely a Question Mark Butterfly. I had taken a photo with its wings folded showing what I thought was an unremarkable underside, but after seeing the description, found that indeed the ? shape is definitely there!
Thanks for your great site.
Bob Kieffer

questionmark bob 300x236 Questionmark Butterfly

Questionmark

Hi Bob,
You have provided our readership with excellent images of the open and closed wing views of a flawless Questionmark butterfly.  The closed wing view also shows the silvery interrogation sign on the lower wings.  When the wings are closed, the butterfly is easily camouflaged against dried leaves, making it difficult for a predator that is trying to find the resting place of the flashy winged butterfly it is pursuing.

questionmark bob 2 220x300 Questionmark Butterfly

Questionmark

Posted 31 July 2010 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Anise Swallowtail: Caterpillar molts to Chrysalis and Imago images

Anise Swallowtail
Location:  Cotati, CA
July 28, 2010 7:04 pm
I raised Anise Swallowtail butterflies locally for 15 years and have always had an amazing time watching them transform. I caught one of them in the middle of cocooning. Thought it would be nice to share! He later hatched into a beautiful butterfly!
Lauren

anise cat metamorphosis lauren 300x206 Anise Swallowtail: Caterpillar molts to Chrysalis and Imago images

Anise Swallowtail Chrysalis with larval exuvia still attached

Hi Lauren,
Your photographs are stunning.  We especially like that your Anise Swallowtail Chrysalis photo has captured the molting process and the exoskeleton of the caterpillar is still visible.

anise swallowtail lauren 300x237 Anise Swallowtail: Caterpillar molts to Chrysalis and Imago images

Anise Swallowtail

Posted 29 July 2010 § swallowtail caterpillars § swallowtails ‡ Comments (0) °

Tiger Swallowtail

Unknown Gorgeous Butterfly
Location:  Eastern Ohio
July 25, 2010 10:10 pm
Yet another beauty found out on the trails in Eastern Ohio. Its about 3-3.5 inches wide, and as you can see has amazing color! An ID would be superb!
Knaet

tiger swallowtail kneat 300x244 Tiger Swallowtail

Tiger Swallowtail

Ed. Note: The following email arrived about five minutes after the first.

Tiger Swallowtail?
Location:  Eastern Ohio
July 25, 2010 10:15 pm
Here are two excellent photos of what I believe is a Tiger Swallowtail, as identified by WTB. Verify for me, oh great bug identifiers!
Knaet

tiger swallowtail 2 knaet 300x259 Tiger Swallowtail

Tiger Swallowail

Hi Knaet,
The butterfly images attached to both of your emails are Tiger Swallowtails.  The individual in the first email appears to be puddling at the site of some moist soil.  We are uncertain if the second set of images is of the same specimen, which you correctly identified in about five minutes, or if you thought there were two different species of butterflies.  We suspect the former, in which case you should be congratulated on the proper identification.

Posted 26 July 2010 § swallowtails ‡ Comments (0) °

Monarch Butterfly

Butterfly And The Pink
Location:  Raleigh, North Carolina
July 24, 2010 9:44 am
Hi
I would guess this is a monarch, but I am not sure.
Thank you for your help icon smile Monarch Butterfly
erica stjohn

monarch erica 300x214 Monarch Butterfly

Monarch Butterfly

Hi Erica,
Your identification of the Monarch Butterfly is correct.  There appears to be an odd filter used on your photograph that give the tonalities a postarized effect.  We do not like to use photographs on our site that have exaggerated post production digital special effects, but since we don’t have many images of Monarch Butterflies, we are making an exception since most of the postarization is in the background and not in the Monarch itself.  We also noticed that you sent us numerous emails this morning.  We will probably not be able to answer all of them, but we will give it a shot.

Thank you for your response. I do apologize for all of the numerous emails. I lost what Info I had off my old site, and I am trying to build the new site better and including more ID and credit to others
That photo might have the posterized look to it. I will see if I can find the original as I sort and send the original to you. I had forgotten that one did.
Thank you for your time and willingness for any help. It is appreciated more than you could imagine!
Erica

Hi Erica,
There is no need to send another photo.  We just like informing our readership that they shouldn’t creatively alter the images too much in the interest of correct documentation.

Thank you! You have really made my day! icon smile Monarch Butterfly

Posted 24 July 2010 § Brush Footed Butterflies ‡ Comments (1) °

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