Monarch Butterfly, just emerged from chrysalis
(03/03/2006) follow up to cocoon picture
I just got a moment to follow up with this picture of my monarch hatching. I thought you might want to see it. Also, tell Lisa to watch for her box of chocolates. We sent out some chocolate butterflies.
Laurie Rose
Olde Naples Chocolate
Naples FL



Hi Laurie,
Thanks for the follow-up on your Monarch Chrysalis. We know Lisa will be waiting eagerly for her chocolates.

Mating Papilio anchisiades and Atlas Moths in the Butterfly Garden
(02/26/2006) Butterfly Porn
Hi bugfolks,
I recently visited a butterfly garden, and was shocked by the decidedly R-rated display of wantonness. Under every leaf, exhibitionist butterflies and moths were getting it on... It was possibly the best date of all times. Here are a few of my favorite voyeur shots for your Bug Love section, hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy your site!
Valerie



Hi Valerie,
Thank you for your fabulous letter and lascivious images. We are especially intrigued with your Atlas Moth orgy.



The exhibit butterflies are all hatched in the garden. For the Atlas moths, the cocoons are glued to ropes dangling from the ceiling in a dark little cave near a waterfall. The moths seem to like to cluster in that area, and many were pairing off right on top of their former husks.
Valerie

Crimson Mormon Swallowtail and art appreciation!!!
(02/17/2006) Here's a picture of a butterfly for your web
I looked over your website and I LOVED IT!!! Anyway, Here's a picture of a butterfly (Red Admiral, I think) for your amazing website
Kevin



Hi Kevin,
This is a tropical swallowtail, and we cannot give you a species since we don't even know where the photograph was taken. We do love the art appreciation angle of the swallowtail admiring an image of other butterflies.

Update (92/23/2006):
Hi I just found out what kind of swallowtail butterfly this is. It's not a red admiral(my mistake), Its a Crimson Mormon. It's scientific name is Papilio rumanzovia.

Spring Azure Female, we think
(02/14/2006) Blue (Subfamily Polyommatinae) Butterfly Indentifcation Help
Hello to the Bugman and friends,
I took this picture about a year ago. I believe it is a member of the Gossamer Wing Butterflies (Family Lycaenidae), specifically of the Blues (Subfamily Polyommatinae). I am unsure of the species though. If it helps to narrow down specific species, this picture was taken in Bellingham, Washington. I saw a posting about similar species on your wonderful website already, but the picture was of a newly hatched specimen. Hopefully my attached picture would be of some help. Thank you for the help.
Jonathan



Hi Jonathan,
What a beautiful photo. We believe this is a female Spring Azure, Celastrina ladon, but the Blues are very difficult for us to distinguish from one another. It might take a genius like Vladimir Nabokov to disect their tiny genitalia to be certain.

Tropical Checkered Skipper and Sleepy Orange
(02/09/2006) tropical checkered skipper
Hi there --
I didn't notice this one in your nifty collection yet. This male tropical checkered skipper is actually rather small, only about an inch and a half across. Were it not for the ability to take a close photo, I'd never have identified it. There are lots of these around. This was taken in my back yard. The butterfly below the skipper, however, I have been unable to identify. It was a fast mover, and this was the only half decent photo I could get, on a bad angle, as you can see. It was perhaps the size of a cabbage butterfly. I wish I could have gotten a shot of it with wings open, but it was not to be. Any ideas?
Joanne Wilson
West Palm Beach, FL

Tropical Checkered Skipper	Sleepy Orange

Hi Joanne,
Your letter represents two new species for us. The Tropical Checkered Skipper, Pyrgus oileus, is a southern species. According to our Butterflies through Binoculars Book by Jeffrey Glassberg: "You'll need your close focusing binoculars and some patience to get good looks at these animals, but your efforts will be rewarded." WE are almost certain your other butterfly is a Sleepy Orange, Eurema nicippe. The name sleepy does not refer to the flight which is quite frisky, though close to the ground. Sleepy refers to spots on the wings that resemble closed eyes. The food of the caterpillar is cassia.

Longtailed Skipper
(01/30/2006) big black moth?
Hi Bugman,
I am wondering if you can identify a bug for me? It is in a photo that a friend sent me from their trip to somewhere near Puerta Vallerta, Mexico. It looks like a large black luna moth (in shape). It has white markings on it's forwings, and long trailing hindwings. I am attatching a photo, but it isn't the graeatest. I've searched on line for the name of this insect, which I am assuming is a moth, and I can't come up with anything. I'd be ecstatic if you could identify it for me!!
Thank you,
Lonna Stauffer



Hi Lonna,
This isn't a moth, but a Longtailed Skipper, a butterfly in the family Hesperiidae that is sometimes referred to as an evolutionary group between butterflies and moths since they possess characteristics of both moths and butterflies. They are not large, despite the appearance in the photo. Longtail Skippers generally have a wingspan under two inches.

Painted Lady
(01/27/2006) Butterfly photo
This photo was taken in Glacier National Park, Montana, in August 2005. What type of butterfly is it? Is it a really common butterfly that is all over the US or is it more common in a certain area? (I'm from Florida). I compared it to the photos on your website and it looks like the photo of a painted lady...is that right? Anything interesting you can tell me about it?
Jaime



Hi Jaime,
You are absolutely correct. This is a Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui. It is sometimes called the Cosmopolitan as it is the butterfly with the most worldwide distribution. This is also a migratory species, though not as well known as the Monarch. It yearly migrates from northern Mexico in huge impressive swarms to repopulate the western U.S.

Anglewing and Crab Spider: Food Chain!!!
(01/23/2006) A comma makes a full stop.
Spotted this Comma butterfly on Buddleia during a summer mid - afternoon whilst taking some garden shots. I was intrigued to see it in the same position, some two hours later. Closer inspection revealed it in the clasp of a pure white crab spider obviously lying in wait for its next victim.
Paul Dobrée - Carey
Dorset, England, UK



Hi Paul,
What a lovely addition to our new Food Chain page.

Two Tailed Swallowtail: Adult and Caterpillar
(01/22/2006) Two-tailed Tiger Swallowtail
I really enjoyed looking at your site. I have these photos I thought you might like to see of the Two-tailed Tiger Swallowtail. I think it's just so awesome! The first photo is one I raised that eclosed out of season (due to warm winter weather). The second is the final stage of the caterpillar. In Texas they really like to use the Hop Tree as a larval host plant.
Linda



Hi Linda,
Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos with our readers.

Long-Tailed Skipper
(01/02/2005) moth?
We found this lovely moth in the barn. It poised just long enough for us to take a photo of it and then it flew away. I have looked in both butterflies and moths on your site and can not seem to find one that looks like it. Can you id it for us?
Yvonne Griffiths
North Central FL



Hi Yvonne,
You were not able to locate this Long-Tailed Skipper, Urbanus proteus, on our site because it is a new species for us. We are very happy you sent it in. Skippers are classified as butterflies, but they have enough differences to be considered a group of insect with characteristics of both butterflies and moths. The Long-Tailed Skipper is a southern insect and the larval food are plants in the legume group.

Swallowtail from Mexico
(12/25/2005) ID butterflie
Hi, I've seen this Butterflie in Mexico..... What is?
Thank you!
Alessio



Hi Alessio,
This is one of the Swallowtail Butterflies in the subfamily Papilioninae. Many members from this group have tailed hind wings. Your image is not a species we recognize, but the markings are remarkably similar to a tailed species known as the Pipevine Swallowtial, Battus philenor. That butterfly ranges in Mexico and we do not want to rule out the possibility that your butterfly is a Pipevine Swallowtail that has lost its tails. The fragility of the wings often results in those appendages being easily damaged and lost.

Western Tiger Swallowtail
(12/12/2005) western tiger swallowtail
Dear bugman,
Thanks for identifying my cricket hunter. I'm pretty sure this is a western tiger swallowtail, and I noticed you didn't have a picture of one with its wings spread out - it's so pretty! Thanks for your website!
Erika



Hi Erika,
What a lovely addition to our site.

Painted Lady
(11/19/2005) Painted Lady
It's not often you see a photo of a painted lady with it's wings splayed out.  The resolution on this photo is high and the colours are stunning.  I had to do a little chasing to finally get this picture, but it was worth it.
Nadjia



Hi again Nadjia,
We were only going to post a couple of your images, but there are some very nice ones. We applaud your diligence in capturing this Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui. In California, we have West Coast Ladies that often migrate in huge numbers in the spring. This year's desert bloom brought out millions of them. It was very impressive to see.

Gulf Fritillaries: Voyeurs of the insect world
(11/18/2005) Mating butterflies - Tampa
First, I'd like to say I'm SO jealous of the people who can get pictures of the mating Cecropia Moth! I believe this is a Monarch, but I really couldn't tell you for sure. I just got some rather keen pictures and thought I'd share them! I live in Tampa, FL. First set from a few months ago: Mating butterflies, one more comes over to check it out...



Then a couple MORE come over! The next set is clearer, and was taken today: Thanks for the website! Very interesting!
Jen in Tampa



Hi Jen,
These are not Monarchs. They are Gulf Fritillaries. We just love the curiosity.

Thanks so much! It's the passion flower plant I have that makes them crazy, isn't it? :o I have one grown wild out back and ever since I planted it I've seen them around. I'm catching catterpillars(sp) out there too.
Jen

Hi again Jen,
Passion Flower is the food plant, so those are Gulf Fritillary Caterpillars you are collecting.

Owl Butterfly
(10/26/2005) hi bugman,
here's an old Owl Butterfly
Ben



Hi Ben,
Thank you for the photo and also thanks for including the scientific name, Caligo memnon, on your Owl Butterfly file. This genus is often used as a textbook example of protective marking, as a predator will often be startled by the eyespots. When the butterfly hangs up-side-down from a branch, it really does resemble the face of an owl.

Polydamus Swallowtail	Longtailed Skipper

Common Buckeye
(10/04/2005) Common Buckeye
After viewing the butterflies in your site, this appears to be a Common Buckeye.  I like the coloring on this one, I found interesting reading on how the eye on the butterfly is a light lavendar when fresh, and changes eventually.  Some appear quite different in color. This butterfly landed on my friends young daughter in Bella Vista Arkansas.  I was fortunate to see the Butterfly migration this year in southern california.  The sky was filled with them for a few days going over the house.
Steph Hart



Hi Steph,
We just had someone write in with a caterpillar ID and it was a Common Buckeye. Next day he sent in the new Chrysalis and now you have completed the metamorphosis for us.

Satyr Butterfly	Ebony Jewelwing

Monarch
(09/17/2005) Monarch or Viceroy?
Can you tell me what kind of butterfly this is?  It looks like it might be a Monarch or Viceroy.  Picture taken in New Jersey.
Steve



Hi Steve,
This is a Monarch. The wings are shaped differently and there is no black bar on the hind wings.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
(09/15/2005) Close up image of a Tiger Swallowtail
Hello, I've seen mentioned more than once in this site that your local Swallowtails are camera shy. This one certainly wasn't. The image was taken in (northern)Illinois on a plant called Tithonia, aka "Mexican Sunflower" (though it is not a helianthus), an excellent beacon for butterflies, hummingbirds and the like. This image has been cropped, but the full-size image makes a wonderful background for a computer screen. Thank you for providing an informative site.
Regards,
Jeff



Hi Jeff,
Thank you for the wonderful photo of an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Papilio glaucus.

White Peacock
(09/11/2005) White Peacock
I see you do not have any pictures of the White Peacock and thought you may like this. These were everywhere near a lake in Florida.
Mark



Hi Mark,
Yes, this is a new species for us and we would love to have it. The White Peacock, Anartia jatrophae is a Southern species that occasionally strays further north. It frequents open areas. I also think this is the first time we have had one person with five images on our homepage at once.

Queen	Viceroy

Palamedes Swallowtail
(09/10/2005) Palamedes Swallowtail
Sorry for the recent barrage of emails but here is another. I believe these are the Palamedes Swallowtail. They were in full abundance at a state reserve near Orlando Florida.
Mark



Hi Mark,
Your emails swarmed into our mailbox in more abundance than the performance enhancing drugs, fake rolexes and porn sites. We really had to pick and choose and we are going for your lovely Palamedes Swallowtail, Papilio palamedes, which is a new species for our archive. This southern species is fond of swamps and though it superficially resembles the black swallowtail, the yellow band on the hind underwing is quite distinctive, and your image showcases it beautifully.

Mourning Cloak Butterfly
(09/08/2005) Moth
pretty moth, it looks kind of like a bit of bark sitting there.
Amy



Hi Amy,
This isn't a moth but a Mourning Cloak Butterfly.

Red Spotted Purple
(09/04/2005) What Butterfly?
I think Red Spotted Purple, but the spots are orange. Thanks for any help,
Don Nelson
New Site, Alabama



Hi Don,
You are absolutely correct. I guess with common names, the difference between red and orange is relative. Thanks for adding your image of the underside of this gorgeous butterfly to our archive.

Viceroy: Monarch Mimic
(09/01/2005) Viceroy? Male or female?
First, I love your web site! Fantastic!  I may have to catch and identify the spiders and other critters that seem to like my apartment now that I have a way to identify them. Secondly, today I had a delightful surprise as I walked out to my motorcycle after work. As I approached, this lovely butterfly landed on the side view mirror of my bike. She(?) patiently waited and slowly flexed her wings in the sun while I dug out my camera phone to get these unfortunately blurry pictures. My question is whether this is a Monarch or a Viceroy?  My impression is that it is a Viceroy, due to the horizontal black vein across the lower section of the hind wings. Are there other easy ways to conclusively distinguish the Monarch from the Viceroy?  And finally, if this is a Viceroy, is there a visual way to distinguish the sex (like the Monarch male's black spots?)
Thanks,
David Lauridsen
Cincinnati, OH



Wow David,
What a nice letter. Yes, this is a Viceroy, Limenitis archippus which is very closely related to the Red Spotted Purple and White Admiral which it does not resemble. It was long thought that Viceroys tasted good to birds and Monarchs did not, but our Butterflies Through Binoculars Book by Jeffrey Glassberg says that "Recent evidence suggests that, at least in Florida, Viceroys are also distasteful to birds. Presumably, a greater number of similar-looking unpalatable individuals in an area results in a faster learning curve for birds, sparing butterflies." Also according to Glassberg: "Viceroys are smaller than Monarchs and they often glide on flat wings while Monarchs and Queens sail with their wings in a V." We can't really tell you how to easily distinguish male from female Viceroys, but we are amused you thought your specimen was female. We presume it is because motorcycles are chick magnets.

White Admiral
(08/29/2005)
First of all I have to tell you my children and I love this site .We had fun taking pictures while camping in Nova Scotia, Canada and then trying to identify the various insects using your site .We would appreciate your helping identifying the insects that we could not identify for ourselves .I have attached all the insect pictures from our trip.
Thank you,
The Skinner Family



Hi Skinners,
Though we have written back personally about all your insects, we are only posting the White Admiral since it is a new species color variation for our site. The White Admiral, or Red Spotted Admiral, is a color variation of Limenitis arthemis. The other color variation is already posted on our site and that is the Red Spotted Purple.

Giant Swallowtail	Tiger Swallowtail

Birdwings Mating in Butterfly Garden
(08/26/2005) butterfly lovin'
Hi Bug Man,
I sent you a query about tiny, tiny thorn-headed larvae the other day   and have since been mesmerized by your site.  The larva I had chosen   for a photo shoot has since desiccated beyond recognition on a napkin   (sorry, little guy), but I thought, in the meantime, I'd send a   butterfly picture I took last winter, at a butterfly garden.  Is this   cheating in the world of whatsthatbug.com? Anyway, I remember they were in this position for a long time, at   least ten minutes, and it looked painfully snug.  But hope you like   the photo.  What kind of butterflies are they?  And does the male or   female have more color?  Male, right? Yours
Allison



Hi Allison,
These are tropical butterflies, and we can't give you a positive identification. They are either some tropical Swallowtail, or a close relative, one of the Birdwings. You are correct. The male is more colorful.

Aphrodite Fritillary
(08/23/2005) Butterfly Photos and Identification
Hi Bugman!
I was wondering if you could identify these two butterflies for me.  They were spotted at the Tyler Arboretum in southeast Pennsylvania .  Although I have a healthy fear of most bugs, like most people the sight of a butterfly is a welcome one (and significantly less anxiety-producing!).  I am developing a new found respect for bugs through your site though.
Thanks,
Katie Alley



Hi Katie,
Your one butterfly image is of a Greater Fritillary, probably the Aphrodite Fritillary, Speyeria aphrodite.

Painted Lady
(08/22/2005) Buckeye?
Hi,
I photographed this interesting butterfly yesterday on my butterfly bush in Northern New Jersey. Could you please tell me the species? Thanks so much. BTW< Love your site!
Deb Potter
Wyckoff, N.J.



Hi Deb,
Nice photo of a Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui, also called the Cosmopolitan for its worldwide distribution. Not as well known as the Monarch, these butterflies also migrate. The larval food plant is thistle.

Red Spotted Purple
(08/21/2005) Butterfly
This butterfly posed nicely for this picture last July around Jordan lake in NC.  Any idea what the common name is? I've thoroughly enjoyed your site all afternoon today!
John Snyder



Hi John,
Glad you enjoyed our site. This is a Red Spotted Purple color variation of the Red Spotted Admiral, Limenitis arthemis. The other color variation is known as the White Admiral and has white bands across the wings. There are numerous red spots on the under sides of the wings. They are usually found in moist woodlands. Food for the caterpillars include cherry and poplar.

Isabella's Heliconian
(08/18/2005) Butterflie
What is? Thank you.
Alessio



Hi Alessio,
This is Isabella's Heliconian, Eueides isabella.

Heliconians Mating: Banded Oranges
(08/16/2005) Bug Love
Hey bugman!  Long time reader, first time contributor here.  I just recently became obsessed with entymology and now carry my camera with me everywhere hoping for a photo op.  While I was in the butterfly garden at Boston Science Museum today, I found these two beautiful specimen going about their private business. Thought you might like it for the bug love page. Thanks for your time and keep up the good work! p.s. Sorry my camera is so bad, trying to get a better one for future endeavors.
Jeff



Hi Jeff,
We hare so happy to hear you have been enjoying our site for a long time. We cannot give you an exact species name on these tropical Heliconians, just the Subfamily Heliconiinae.

(09/03/2005) I've spent the past two summers volunteering at the Hershey Butterfly House. The two orange, mating heliconians are Banded Oranges and they are native to Texas. ~Abby

Monarch Laying Eggs
(08/14/2005)monarch
Hello Again, I have never seen a monarch more determine than this one   to land on the milkweed.  And than I realized she was trying lay her   eggs!
Take Care, Janet
Dundas, Ontario



Hi Janet,
Thanks for the image.

Common Buckeye
(08/12/2005) Moth
Ran into this beautiful moth while hiking in the S.F. Bay Area. I have been unable to identify it. Can you help me? Thanks,
Dale



Hi Dale,
This isn't a moth but a Common Buckeye Butterfly, Junonia coenia. Larval foods include monkey flowers and snapdragons.

Scent and the Power of Pheromones: Fiery Skippers
(08/07/2005) Hi again Daniel,
Here's a shot of a couple of fiery skippers engaged in who knows what. I'm assuming the male on the right is checking the female to see if she is ready to mate. I never saw any mating going on. The female worked her way around the flower stopping now and then to vibrate her abdomen and wings with the male close behind. I've been seeing this behavior for several days and finally was able to get a shot of it. Photographed in Atlanta, GA on 8/6/05.
Bill DuPree
Atlanta, GA



Hi again Bill,
Your images are always such a treat. All you have to do is look and the money we spend on perfumes and colognes to know that scent is an aphrodesiac. Your Fiery Skippers are relying on natural pheromones as an aphrodesiac.

Papilio cresphontes
(08/05/2005) Giant Swallowtails
Hi Bugman,
Here's a picture of some Giant Swallowtails that I saw on my vacation in Cancun.
Bryce



Thanks Bryce,
This is a new species for our butterfly page.

Black Swallowtail, newly hatched
(08/04/2005) Chrysalis on fennel plant
This morning, as I was leaving for work, I noticed a new arrival.  I guess this answers my question of "How long til it hatches?" Enjoy the pictures.  
Ken



Hi Ken,
Thanks for the follow-up. This is a Black Swallowtail as we suspected.

The Monarchs have landed!!!
(07/31/2005) monarchs on my milkweed
I still like the milkweed beetles more, but this is the initial reason I decided to let the milkweed grow rampant in my garden (despite my neighbor's request that I pull it all in the spring). I hope these are indeed real monarchs, please let me know if they aren't.
Thanks,
John



Hi John,
The Monarchs have landed. We hope you get caterpillars.

Skipper
(07/26/2005) Moth Query
Hi
Attached is a picture I took of a moth beside the ocean on mid Vancouver Island BC July 24th at 6:30 or so..  I have searched far and wide for a name.  It is very hairy all over, and looks like it could be some kind of cousin to the Silkworm Moth, but appears quite a bit smaller.  It is about 1 - 1.5 in long, and with a full wingspan, about 2 inches wide.  It appears a bit more bronze than my picture in the full sun shows, but still orange enough to look tigerish. Can you identify it for me. Thanks, I love you website and refer to it often.
F. Hansen



Hi F.,
This isn't a moth. It is a Skipper in the Family Hesperiidae. Skippers have some characteristics of both butterflies and moths. They get their common name from the rapid, direct, and bouncing flight. Positive identification of your specimen takes an expert in the family.

Tiger Swallowtail
(07/14/2005) I was looking for the identity of the Pearly Wood Nymph on your website after my brother in Michigan sent me a picture. I was so impressed with the information you've made available to folks like me. I saw that you have been unsuccessful in photographing the tiger swallowtail so I thought I'd share some that I've taken here in Indiana.
Kathy Roesener



Hi Kathy,
Thanks for the compliment as well as your beautiful photographs.

Two Stages in Gulf Fritillary Metamorphosis
(07/03/2005) Gulf Fritillary larva and butterfly
I live in Ventura California and saw this caterpillar in a local park a few months ago (early spring).  I thought it was a Gulf Fritillary larva until I saw a confirmed Gulf Fritillary larva on your website.  Mine looks redder and does not have a orange head.  What does it eat? I can't find this butterfly in any of my family's bug books, can you help identify it? thanks for your help,  
Andrew Strauss



Hi Andrew,
Both your caterpillar and butterfly are Gulf Fritillaries, Agraulis vanillae. The caterpillar feeds exclusively on Passion Vine. The adults take nectar. Hogue describes the caterpillars as slate gray or purple on the back with burnt orange stripes on the sides.

Ruddy Daggerwing	Julia Butterflies Mating

Sulphur Butterfly
(07/01/2005) butterfly
Hello again Bugman,
I like this subject better than the roach picture I just sent.  What kind of pretty butterfly is this? We live in NC.
Nancy



Hi Nancy,
This is one of the Sulphur Butterflies in the genus Colias. It appears as though yellow spots in the black wing border are visible through the wings, indicating she is female, and the slight orange color indicated most probably the Alfalfa Butterfly, Colias eurytheme.

Black Swallowtail
(06/29/2005) Some Kinda Swallowtail
Hi there,
This beauty was on my Chicago area butterfly bush this morning.  Do you know which variety this is?
Many thanks,
Joe



Hi Joe,
This is a Black Swallowtail, a female judging by her small yellow spots. This is a common butterfly found in open meadows. The larval food include parsley, carrots, celery and Queen Anne's Lace.

Tiger Swallowtail
(06/19/2005) nice pic
Just thought you would like this pic. Took it the other day in Belton, Texas
Alma Jo



Hi Alma Jo,
It really is a swell photo of a Tiger Swallowtail. We don't seem to be able to get them to pose in our yard. They inevatably fly away the minute we appear with a camera.

Coral Hairstreak
(06/18/2005) Moth or Butterfly on Butterfly Weed
I went up to the farm Missouri) with my husband and found this insect on a butterfly weed plant.  I was wondering what sort of insect this is? I like it black and white face and antenna.   Thanks Mary  There are actually two insects here ( mating?) but this photo is the clearest of the actual insect.
Jackie and Mary



Dear Jackie and Mary
Your butterfly is a member of the Gossamer Winged Butterflies in the Family Lycaenidae, more specifically one of the Blues in the Subfamily Polyommatinae. We are guessing either the genus Plebejus or Lycaeides. There is much variation in coloration in local populations within the same species. Most larvae feed on legumes including lupines, rattleweed and clover. The Lycaean Blues are the group of butterflies that fascinated the great author Vladimir Nabokov.

Thanks Thank you for your quick reply and the information about  the identification of the butterfly and the information about the author.  I have just started in photography and have found that now I am becoming very interested in the names of insects and wildflowers. I did find a pretty clear photo that shows the other butterfly.  Thanks again
Mary



Your photos are very nice Mary, We surely appreciate the latest romantic image. Is it any wonder the author of Lolita was so besmitten with these lovely creatures?

Ed. Note: We just received the following correction.
(08/09/2005) misIDed pictures
Hi, I love the pictures on your site, I noticed a couple of mistakes in the identification of two pictures. It is a Lycaenid, however the species is definitely Harkenclenus titus, the Coral Hairstreak, which is a beautiful tailless hairstreak, and is quite uncommon in my experience.
Mike

Gossamer Wing
(04/05/2005) A visitor in my Kitchen
In Medford, Southern Oregon. About a centimeter in length:



You have a newly metamorphosed butterfly from the Family Lycaenidae, the Gossamer-Wings. This family includes the Blues, Coppers and Hairstreaks. I can't make out the exact species due to the stage of metamorphosis. Once the wings are fully extended and hardened, identification becomes easier, though many of the species in this family can only be identified with exactitude by dissection of the sexual organs.

Thanks for your help Daniel. I imagine dissecting a tiny insect's sexual organs is slightly outside my realm of expertise!!!! (LOL) So I'll settle for just knowing it's a Lycaenidae.
Keith

Desert Pearly Marble
(03/21/2005)



California desert wildflowers have been getting quite a bit of publicity, and not just locally. Our very high rainfall has caused the desert to burst into bloom. Spring break provided the excellent opportunity to slip out of the offices of What's That Bug? which is currently down due to heavy traffic. Paco the gardener and I headed out to Joshua Tree National Park for an overnight camping trip and photo safari. I shot with a Hasselblad, but luckily Paco also had a digital camera with a macro lens when I spotted this little beauty along with five friends calmly resting on a single plant early in the morning in Queen Valley. The night had been quite cold and the butterflies still had not become active. They posed for several hours. A trip to the gift shop at the national park entrance produced a wonderful book which we quickly added to our library. Butterflies through Binoculars The West by Jeffrey Glassberg is an excellent Field Guide to the Butterflies of Western North America. I knew this beauty was a Pieridid, but wasn't sure of the species. Jeffrey Glassberg knows. There are excellent photos of the Desert Pearly Marble, Euchloe hyantis lotta as well as subspecies California Pearly Marble, Euchloe hyantis hyantis. The habitat is "open arid regions including desert, juniper-pinyon pine and sagebrush." It feeds on crucibles.

California Tortoise Shell
(03/08/2005)
I tried sending a couple of pics of a butterfly I can't identify, but the message got bounced back as exceeding your mailbox size. Is there some other way of posting the pics so you could see them?
Grace L. Suarez
Lawyer and Life Coach



Hi Grace
We asked Eric Eaton for help with your Nymphalid, and he quickly provided the following information:
"It is a California tortoiseshell, Nymphalis californica, assuming this was taken in the U.S. Nice image.  I think they overwinter as adults, like the mourning cloak does.
Eric"

Common White
(09/12/2004) Do you have an id for this one?
Hello Bugman!
I promise not to "bug" you too often, but I just came home from a photography trip at Tule Lake in northeastern California with some butterflies I can't identify.  The one butterfly image I have cleaned up and made ready for viewing is this little beauty.  Got any ideas?  Thanks for your help. 
Alice Steele



Hi Alice,
Your butterfly goes by the unassuming name Common White, Pieris protodice. It is easily confused with the European Cabbage Butterfly while flying, but its checkered wing pattern becomes obvious when at rest. Caterpillars feed on a variety of plants including Wild Mustard. It is an introduced Old World species first reported in Quebec about 1859, and according to Hogue, quickly spread over most of North America.

Tiger Swallowtail and Ermine Moth
(08/10/2004) Ermine moth (tropical)
Hi,
I just had my moth identified and was researching it when I came across one of your threads.  They're from the south, but someone in Long Island had seen them as well.  Attached is a picture I had taken this morning, and only found it by accident; I was photographing a swallowtail on my dahlia.
Tracey Schiess
New Milford, NJ



Thanks for the awesome photo Tracey,
We have been trying to photograph a Tiger Swallowtail in our garden for an entire year so we could post the photo. They are very elusive, flying away whenever we approach with a camera. Perhaps the Western species is more camera-shy than your Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Papilio glaucus. We suspect the range of the Ermine Moth, Atteva punctella, has been extended as the food source, Ailanthus Trees or Trees of Heaven, have spread like weeds throughout the country.

Hackberry Butterfly
(07/06/2004) Howdy.
I am in north central Texas.
I've got these guys everywhere - especially in my red oak and peach trees.
What are they? Thanks for the help.
Gary Gauvin
Rockwall Texas



Hi Gary,
You have one of the Fritallary Butterflies. This is a very difficult group of butterflies to establish an exact species, and your specimen has much damage. I can tell you that the caterpillars eat violets. Your specimen is probably a lesser Fritallary, possibly the genus Boloria.

Ed. Note: We just received the following correction.
(08/09/2005) misIDed pictures Hi, I love the pictures on your site, I noticed a couple of mistakes in the identification of two pictures. This is actually a Hackberry Butterfly of the genus Astrocampa, and appears to be the Tawny Emperor, Astrocampa clyton (Its hard to tell with the rubs).  Lesser Frittilaries tend to live in marshy, alpine environments ( I saw three species in the Uinta Mts. in NE Utah at about 10,000 ft. this summer), and are not found in the southeast. Feel free to ask me any questions and keep up the good work, Mike

(03/04/2004)
Bugman,
Thanks for the quick reply on the beetle pic I sent out to you. It was interesting info... Now, I thought I would hit up your butterfly knowledge with this skipper sp. that me and my buddy have photographed at work. The shot is from Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida, which is just south of Tampa Bay. This skipper is typically seen on the edge of a small, usually wet wooded area next to our headquarters building. The best I could do with it was say it is a Grass Skipper...I am hoping that it may be possibly a Three-spotted Skipper or a Eufala Skipper, both of which, according to the NPWRC website would be first county records for Manatee County. I won't be surprised when I get your reply that so-and-so butterfly expert will say this is a Sachem or some other common Skipper...
Thanks again,
Colin Gjervold
Sarasota, Fl

Hi Colin,
Sorry for the delay. Here is what I found out from Weiping at the Natural History Museum. This skipper is Cymaenes tripunctus.

We have been trying unsuccessfully all summer to photograph the swallowtails in our yard at the What's That Bug? headquarters. They fly lazily above the plants, landing for brief moments whenever we don't have our camera. The minute we get the camera, they refuse to land. One morning in August, we finally photographed this Anise Swallowtail, Papilio zeliacaon, feeding from a zinnia.

A Red Admirable, Vanessa atalanta, from our yard at the What's That Bug? headquarters. These beauties like to fly around our garden in the late afternoon, landing long enough to pose before flying off.