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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Giant Swallowtail visits WTB?

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Subject:  Giant Swallowtail
Geographic location of the bug:  Mount Washington, Los Angeles, California
Date: 04/20/2018
Time: 011:20 AM EDT
This morning from the window, Daniel noticed this Giant Swallowtail land in the meadow out front.  Daniel has learned through the years to get a shot quickly before fine tuning adjustments and camera angle, and sure enough, as he moved closer for a better angle, this beauty flew off.  If memory serves us correctly, Giant Swallowtails, which are native to the eastern United States, first appeared in Los Angeles around 1998.  Cultivation of citrus trees and the adaptation of citrus trees as an acceptable food for the caterpillars have led to this significant range expansion.

Giant Swallowtail

 

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Birdwing Caterpillar from Australia

On · Category: swallowtails Tagged With: · 2 Comments

Subject:  What is this
Geographic location of the bug:  Malanda Far North Queensland Australia
Date: 04/18/2018
Time: 04:25 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  I am very interested to find out what caterpillar this is
How you want your letter signed:  From Austin

Birdwing Caterpillar

Dear Austin,
This stunning caterpillar is a Birdwing Caterpillar, but we cannot say for certain if it is a Cape York Birdwing, our first choice that is pictured on Butterfly House, or if it is the caterpillar of a Cairn’s Birdwing, also pictured on Butterfly House.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Grass Skipper

On · Category: Skippers · Add Comment

Subject:  Butterfly ID
Geographic location of the bug:  Waco, TX
Date: 04/05/2018
Time: 01:12 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Hello,
Can you identify this butterfly? It looks like some type of skipper to me, but it’s not in my butterfly guide.
Thanks!
How you want your letter signed:  Linda Taylor

Grass Skipper

Dear Linda,
This is indeed a Skipper.  When it comes to identifying Grass Skippers in the family Hesperiinae to the species level, we are woefully insecure, and we rarely attempt to drill down to the species level as so many members of the subfamily look so similar.  See BugGuide for images of the some possibilities.

Grass Skipper

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Female Black Swallowtails

On · Category: swallowtails · Add Comment

Subject:  Perhaps Black Swallowtail Butterflies?
Geographic location of the bug:  Coryell County, TX
Date: 03/22/2018
Time: 03:28 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Hello again!
Just wanted to share these beautiful butterflies visiting the phlox yesterday; warm weather here. I think these are Black Swallowtails. You have kindly identified them for me before. Two flew off together, dancing around each other in the air.
Thank you and very best wishes!
How you want your letter signed:  Ellen

Female Black Swallowtail

Hi Ellen,
You are correct that these are Black Swallowtails.  Both individuals are female Black Swallowtails which have a generous dusting of blue scales on the hind wings while male Black Swallowtails have more yellow spots.  Has your Whitelined Sphinx returned???

Female Black Swallowtails

Good morning, and thank you! Yes, the White-lined Sphinx has returned, with another individual,  and actual hummingbirds also, Black-chinned and Ruby-throated. The Sphinx are beautiful moths, and I had never noticed them in our yard before this year, although my neighbor has had them visit for several years. One has been visiting the always-popular Salvia greggii.
I hope you’ll both have a wonderful day.
Ellen

Female Black Swallowtails

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Help Save Butterflies: Fritillaries in the UK

On · Category: Brush Footed Butterflies Tagged With: · Add Comment

Subject:  Help Save the Butterfly
Location:  UK
Date:  January 31, 2018
Hey there!
I thought I’d pop over an email after reading an article on your site about butterflies: https://www.whatsthatbug.com/category/caterpillars-and-pupa/moth-caterpillars/bagworm/
After building a wonderful butterfly garden with my son last summer, I recently blogged a massive 3000 word guide on how we can stop their numbers declining.
Hopefully it generates a bit of awareness, and teaches people how to help if they fly into your garden!
Feel free to check it out here: https://diygarden.co.uk/wildlife/ultimate-guide-to-butterflies/
If you think it’s useful, please do link to it from you post. 76% of our butterfly species have declined over the past 40 years, so anything that helps spread the word about protecting these little chaps would be massively appreciated.
In return, I’ll happily share your article with my 7,000+ followers on social media!
Thanks so much for your help, and have a great day 🙂
Clive

Fritillaries

Dear Dave,
Thanks for your public awareness campaign and your active attempts in your own yard to create a butterfly garden, both of which earn you the honor of having this posting tagged with the Bug Humanitarian Award.  Are you able to tell us which Fritillary species is represented in your image?

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Mourning Cloak: Harbinger of Spring

On · Category: Brush Footed Butterflies · Add Comment

Subject: Butterfly seen today
Geographic location of the bug:  San Francisco Bay Area nature preserve
Date: 02/01/2018
Time: 08:58 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Saw this beauty today on an unusually warm February day.  ID help would be much appreciated. Thanks!!
How you want your letter signed:  David A

Mourning Cloak

Dear David,
Because they hibernate, Mourning Cloaks are often the first butterflies seen flying in the spring.  It is not uncommon to see a Mourning Cloak flying with snow still on the ground if it is a warm sunny day.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination