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Common
Eggfly Butterfly from Australia
(03/15/2008) Something for your database - Hypolimnas bolina
nerina
Hi guys,
Got this photo today of a female Common Eggfly Butterfly,
Hypolimnas bolina nerina, family Nymphalidae. The males are
common and numerous but this is the first female I've had
the chance to photograph. Taken 15th March 2008, Gold Coast.
Queensland. regards,
Trevor Jinks
Australia
Hi Trevor,
We always enjoy the photos you send. We are happy to get your
photo of a Common
Eggfly Butterfly.
Red
Spotted Purple
(03/10/2008) Red Spotted Purple?
Hello Bugman,
I was enjoying your website looking at butterflies and I think
that what I thought was the Spotted Admiral Butterfly might
actually be the Red Spotted Purple butterfly. Am I correct?
I found this in my front yard in northwestern Louisiana
in the midsummer part of last year. It had perched on
some foliage that I had growing in my garden and just
sat there and let me snap away with my camera. I saw
where in one post, you said you were short on Red Spotted
Purple photos, so sent these in. The last one is the
front view of it. I also am sending you some pictures of the
Gulf Fritillaries Butterfly. These were found on azalea
bushes in my mom's yard. She too lives in northwestern Louisiana
across the street from me. These were taken in midsummer
of the year last year also about the same time I took the
photos of the Red Spotted Purple.
Nancy T
 
Hi Nancy,
Your Red Spotted Purple images are beautiful. The White Admiral
and the Red Spotted Purple are distinct subspecies of the
same species.
Big Greasy from Australia
(03/05/2008) PLease help.
Hello,
I took these pictures whilst on a beach in Queensland, Australia.
Now I am back in England I am having great difficulty finding
out what it is (with Latin name) for a photo competition.
Can anybody help. regards,
Chris Carter
 
Hi Chris,
Your lovely butterfly, Cressida
cressida, has been saddled with the unfortunate common
name, the Big Greasy, due to its transparent wings. TrekNature
also indicates: "It is a taxanomic puzzle as its closest relatives
are to be found in Argentina. " The Big Greasy was featured
on a stamp in Australia in 1997.
UPDATED:
Metamorphosis of the Common Mormon (02/11/2008)
Unknown Swallowtail Butterfly from "Only Eddie Knows Where"
is a Common Mormon
(02/09/2008) Please help to identify this butterfly
Hi there,
I managed to keep 3 caterpillars that were destroying my curry
leaf plant & one of them transformed into this beautiful
butterfly. Attached is the shot of the butterfly that I took
before I set it off free. Please can you help identify this
species of butterfly? Thanks a lot for your help. Cheers,
Eddie
Hi Eddie,
The best we can do without a location of origin is a Swallowtail
Butterfly in the family Papilio.
Oh I'm so sorry Daniel.....I'm from Singapore. Appreciate
your help. Cheers,
Eddie
That was a big help Eddie. Your butterfly is a Common
Mormon, Papilio polytes romulus. We are thrilled that
our search led us to a Butterflies
of Singapore website.
Hi Daniel,
You & Lisa are the greatest :-) Thanks for everything & also
leading me to the Butterflies of Singapore website. Never
knew it existed. If you need photos of the Common Mormon in
the caterpillar & chrysalis stages, I will be glad to forward
them to you for your "What's that bug?" website. Thanks once
again & keep up the good work.
Eddie
 
Wow Eddie,
We couldn't have hoped for better photos. Thanks for creating
this awesome metamorphosis documentation of the Common Mormon
from Singapore for our site. Your photos demonstrate two significant
characteristics of the genus Papilio. First, the caterpillar
photo shows the Osmeterium
or scent gland. Caterpillars in the genus Papilio possess
a hidden scent gland that is often brightly colored and forked
in shape. It is hidden and only appears when the caterpillar
is threatened. Your chrysalis photo shows the silken girdle
that keeps the pupa upright, another characteristic of the
genus Papilio.
Monarch
Butterfly: The Wanderer found onboard ship in Brazil
(02/07/2008) Moths!
Hi,
I came across your website whilst trying to identify these
moths, my husband is currently working aboard a ship in Brazil
and these little guys hitched a ride!
From the info you have on the site I think I am right in saying
that possibly 3 of the moths are the Black Witch even though
they vary in colour a little bit..?? I have no idea
about the rest but they are all big moths from 6 - 8
inches across. Best wishes from
Elaine in Northumberland, UK.
Hi Elaine
All but one of your images are of moths. The image labeled
Moth 6 is actually a Monarch Butterfly, justifiably known
as The Wanderer. We agree that several images appear to be
Black Witches or closely related species. Moths 4 and 5 are
two different species of Sphinx Moths.
Red
Spotted Purple
(02/01/2008) butterfly
Do you by any chance know the name of this butterfly?
Thank you.
This is a Red Spotted Purple, a very beautiful North American
species. The name does not make much sense unless you see
the red spotted underside of the wings.
Female Diana Fritillary
(01/21/2008) Diana Fritillary
Someone had sent in a picture some months ago of a Diana Fritillary
and you put in on your web site. If I remember correctly,
you mentioned that this was a rarely seen butterfly.
While I spent a leisurely day at Wilson Creek Gorge in North
Carolina, I feel fortunate to have spotted this butterfly
and was able to photograph it. It is truly beautiful!
Thought you and others might enjoy seeing it. Looking forward
to your new web site. Happy to contribute,
Patrick Crone
Hi Patrick,
We are so lucky to receive your gorgeous photo of a female
Diana Fritillary, Speyeria diana, a rare species with local
populations. BugGuide
states: "A spectacularly dimorphic species. Males are brown
with an orange border. Femaleas are blue and black members
of the Pipevine Swallowtail mimicry complex" meaning that
the two sexes look nothing alike. We also know that you are
requesting an identification on a Geometrid Moth, and that
will take a bit of research. Since we are in charge of a hiring
committee at our job, we need to go to work several hours
early on this pre-dawn, rain-soaked, Los Angeles day, and
we don't have time to provide an answer at the moment.
Southern
Dogface and Mystery Egg (maybe White Lined Sphinx)
(01/20/2008) dogface & egg???
While looking through some of my photos I noticed what seems
to be an egg beside this butterfly. I think this is a southern
dogface? There are several butterflies that look close in
resemblance. Could you tell me if this is in fact a dogface
and is that possibly one of it's eggs? This pic was taken
in October this year.
Scott from Austin Texas
Hi Scott,
According to BugGuide,
"larvae [of the Dogface] feed on legumes" and to the best
of our botanical knowledge, the plant in this wonderful photograph
is not a legume. That would indicate that is was either an
errantly placed Southern Dogface Egg, or more likely, the
egg of some other insect. The plant appears to be a fuschia,
though we are not certain. If the plant is a fuschia, the
egg might be from a White
Lined Sphinx, Hyles lineata.
Daniel,
Your guess is reasonable. It looks like a Sphingid egg and
lineata would be a good choice.
Bill Oehlke
Zebra Longwing and Bordered Patch
(01/18/2008) I hate winter
While I know it's winter in the USA I thought you might like
some photos that were actually taken in the good ole USA.
These were taken earlier this year when it was actually warmer
and things were moving around. The country or as we think
of it is Texas. Austin that is. I do enjoy seeing bugs from
around the world though. You guys are great and very helpful.
Can't wait for it to warm up and see what appears in my yard
this year. Hope you all have a great 2008.
Scott
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| Zebra
Longwing |
Bordered
Patch |
Hi Scott,
Thanks for sending us your butterfly images. Though we have
received previous images of both the Zebra Longwing and the
Bordered Patch, they are underrepresented on our site.
Rocky
Mountain Parnassian
(01/13/2008) phoebus parnassian?
Is Attachment 1 a sooty azure? So appreciate your help.
Rose
Hi Rose,
This is a Parnassian, but we are not certain what species.
The Parnassians are found in both the mountainous areas of
Western North America and Eurasia where they are called Apollos.
The local populations of various species have much variablity
and the same species might look quite different on neighboring
mountains. With that said, you gave us no information. Your
email is quite confusing. Did you also send a photo you believe
to be a Sooty Azure? You did have Parnassian correct on the
subject line. Where was the photo taken? Since collectors
are rabid for the Parnassians, you don't need to give us an
exact location, but a general vicinity would be nice.
Follow-up on parnassian. The photo was taken in 1977 between
Denver and Colorado Springs in the woods along County Line
Road -- a long time ago. From the web site "Moths & Butterflies"
by Montana State Univ, I thought it might be a Sooty Azure.
Thank you for verifying it as a Phoebus parnassian. I'm
so grateful to my 4-year-old neighbor for referring me to
your site, and thanks so much.
Rose
Update: (01/15/2008)
Hello Daniel:
Regarding: Parnassian (01/13/2008) phoebus parnassian?
More follow-up on the Colorado Parnassian. The pictured butterfly
likely is a Phoebus Parnassian, at least it would have been
when the photo was taken. The parnassians, like many other
butterfly groups, have been subject to taxonomic revisions
in recent years. Depending on where you are or what books
you read, the “phoebus” of Colorado are now considered a subspecies
(Parnassius phoebus smintheus) or a distinct species (P. smintheus).
Either way it is now generally called the Rocky Mountain Parnassian
or, in parts of Canada, the Smintheus Parnassian.
Karl
Monarch
Butterfly
(01/11/2007) Monarch Butterfly with wings fully spread
Hi Daniel,
Since my Geneva, Illinois garden is quite dead at this time
of year, I enjoy going to your website to view all of the
beautiful garden visitors from around the world. I noticed,
that although you have many pictures of Monarch butterflies
on your site, you don't have a good picture of one with its
wings fully spread. This past summer I was finally able to
get a shot of a Monarch in full wing spread, and thought you
might like a copy for your files. Thanks,
Doris
Hi Doris,
Thanks for your wonderful photo, a welcome addition to our
archives. As you realize, now that winter is upon us, many
of our recent postings are from Australia. We have two Australian
Hemipterans to post from yesterday, but we couldn't resist
your kind letter and beautiful photo of a male Monarch Butterfly.
Daniel,
I'm glad that you like the picture. It was not easy to obtain.
Monarchs do not keep their wings spread for very long -- not
more than a few seconds. I had to use the sports mode on my
camera, which takes numerous pictures in rapid succession.
It took many monarch visits, and hundreds of shutter clicks
to get the perfect shot. I am happy that I was able to contribute
to your great site. Thanks,
Doris
Unknown South African Swallowtail
(01/09/2008) 3rd contribution
Dear Bugman,
I stumbled across your website last week and I love it!
Well done for creating such a website – I spent most
of my weekend going through your archives. I am so happy to
see that there are many other bug lovers out there!
I am going to send you a collection of bug photos that I have
taken over the years – I love bugs, but I don’t
know enough about them to identify them so here are some bugs
for you from South Africa to identify J. I’ll send them
to you separately: 3.Butterfly A pretty butterly I photo graphed
in Hluhluwe (South Africa) Cheers,
Steph
Hi Steph,
Once again, we can get very general, but not specific. This
is a Swallowtail Butterfly. Many, but not all Swallowtail
Butterflies are in the genus Papilio. Your other 10 requests
might have to wait a bit.
Citrus
Swallowtail Caterpillar and Citrus Swallowtail Butterfly
(01/04/2007) Australian bird shit caterpillar
Hi Bugman,
I am no entomologist but I like science and looking at it
I was thinking: What is that? A bird shit caterpillar !!!
Wow, how darwinian !? Searching on the net I discover
you have the same in Kansas... I thought you'd be interested
to know that we have the equivalent in Australia living on
our lemon tree, it's the citrus thing that triggered my interest.
Two bugs adopting the same mimicry eating the same kind of
leaves...? It's more than just a case of co-evolution.
And I suspect the butterfly associated to this caterpillar
is this gorgeous one that goes up and down and up and down
in the hot summer afternoon in our backyard. I have a pic
somewhere I'll try to find it if you are interested. On the
pic the caterpillar is in a defensive position, normally the
pointy bits are not erected and it looks just like a bird
poo. New years greetings from Oz
Olivier Bruge & Peter Young
Canberra
Hi Olivier and Peter,
Your caterpillar is a Citrus Swallowtail or Orchard Swallowtail,
Papilio aegeus. The Butterflies
of Australia website has images of the caterpillars and
the adults. Your caterpillar is an early instar, and the coloration
will change with subsequent molts. We would love to get a
photo of the adult butterfly if you are able to send one.
Down under Papilio Aegeus !
Hi Daniel,
Thank you so much for your answer. Here is the pic of the
butterfly I was very happy to know that my huntch was right.
I love the idea that this beautiful insect comes out of a
big poo!! It's a great evolutionary version of Andersen's
"hugly duckling". ... Have a g'day (as we say here)
Olivier Bruge,
Canberra, Australia.
Great Purple Hairstreak
(12/31/2007)
Just curious about this little critter, any help welcomed.
I’m having a hard time identifying him. Thanks
for your help. Thanks,
Denise Cox
Hi Denise,
Happy New Year. This little beauty is a Great Purple Hairstreak,
Atlides halesus. Its coloration is actually a vibrant iridescent
blue when the wings are open. We wish you had provided us
with a location, but we are guessing you are writing from
Texas or Florida.
Good morning! Thank you for the quick response. You were
right, Florida (Jacksonville) it is. He was just there for
the viewing, and I just had to get a snap. Have a wonderful
New Year! Thanks,
Denise Cox
Large Orange Yellow
(12/27/2007) What kind of butterfly?
I photographed this guy feeding on a Turks cap flower. The
close-up shows something on its head like a metal ring. Could
it be a tracking device or part of one. I live just south
of Melbourne, Fl. thanks,
mike
Hi Mike,
Your butterfly is a Large Orange Yellow, Phoebis agarithe.
According to BugGuide,
it can be found year round in South Florida. We don't see
anything unusual on the head.
Mating
Wood Nymphs
(12/23/2007) Bug Love
Hi Bugman,
I again viewed your Bug Love postings and did not see these
guys whom I believe to be Large Wood Nymph butterflies. Photo
from central WI. May 2008 bring you unimaginable riches,
Dwaine
Hi Dwaine,
Until now, Wood Nymphs, mating or otherwise, have been sadly
under-represented on our site. Wood Nymphs, which are also
known as Satyrs, are in the subfamily Satyrinae. They are
feeble flyer that are found in wooded areas and they rarely
visit flowers. Your image is probably of the Common Wood Nymph,
Cercyonis pegala. Jeffrey Glassberg in his book Butterflies
Through Binoculars: The West, writes that the Common Wood
Nymph "comes in two basic color forms, each with many variations."
Yellow Admiral
(12/16/2007) New Zealand moth?
Hi
Took this shot of what I believe to be a New Zealand moth
flying around in daylight. Can you help with identification?
Thanks
Cameron Hill
Hi Cameron,
This is actually a butterfly known as the Yellow Admiral,
Vanessa itea. We located a website
with photos and information that states: "A real speed demon,
these butterflies always seem to be in a hurry. When they
land they flash their wings to display that bright yellow
spot. An impressive sight. The adult butterflies sometimes
congregate on the damaged trunks of Gum Trees ... to feed
on the sap flow." The species was known as Bassaris itea at
the time it appeared on a New Zealand postage stamp.
Hayhurst's Scallopwing
(12/08/2007) ID please
Daniel, I haven't sent in a req. for ID in quite
some time, but need a little help with this one...I believe
it to be a type of Dusky Wing Skipper, but cannot find this
exact one anywhere. Any help you can give will be most
appreciated...=-)) Still visit often and wishing you
and Lisa Anne a Merry Christmas and great Holiday Season....!
Pat Garner
Hawk Point, MO
Hi Pat,
You are correct in thinking this is a Skipper, but it is not
a Dusky Wing. It is Hayhurst's Scallopwing, Staphylus hayhurstii.
The larval food plant is lambsquarters.
Buckeye Butterfly
(12/07/2007) Two pretty bugs 1 butterfly 1 unknown to me.
Florida
The first one I am not sure what it is, but it had some pretty
colors on it. The other is a butterfly that I found in my
garage, don't know how it got in there but it was very pretty.
It would be great if you could tell what kind of bugs these
are. I live in SW Florida. Thank you for your time,
Heather
Hi Heather,
Your unknown insect is a Polka Dot Wasp Moth, and we currently
have an image on our homepage. Your butterfly is known as
a Common Buckeye.
Lorquin's Admiral
(12/04/2007) Can you help me by identifying this beautiful
butterfly that i photographed on a whitewashed driveway on
south Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. Thanks so much! Yrs,
Michel Murray
Hi Michel,
This gorgeous butterfly is the Lorquin's Admiral, Limenitis
lorquini.
White
Tipped Black and Gulf Fritillary
(12/03/2007) ??????????
Howdy again!
I'm still trying to figure out what this is. I looked
thru your site and cannot find it, mainly because I don't
know which catagory it would be in. I'd really like
to know what it is. Can you help! By the way, here's
one of my photos of a Gulf Fritillary: I have several, but
this one is the best, I think. Thanks
D. Bryant,
East Texas
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| White
Tipped Black |
Gulf
Fritillary |
Hi D.,
This interesting moth is known as a White Tipped Black, Melanchroia
chephise. It is one of the Inchworm Moths in the family Geometridae.
The North
American Butterfly Association website has some information
on this species. We are also happy to have you open winged
view of the Gulf Fritillary to post with the Bug of the Month
entry for December.
Another Gulf Fritillary Metamorphosis
(11/29/2007) Gulf Fritillary metamorphosis.
I just thought I would share with ya some pictures I took
of a gulf fritillary butterfly i found as a caterpillar. I
hope you enjoy them.
Mike D
 
Hi Mike,
Shortly before you sent in your letter, we posted another
letter depicting the metamorphosis of the Gulf Fritillary,
and we chose it for our Bug of the Month.
Tropical Brushfoot Butterfly: Eighty Eight
(11/29/2007) Iguazu butterfly
Hi -- This butterfly seemed to like my salt - he followed
me for ages on a boat on the Iguazu River. They seem to be
very common in the Iguazu National Park, Argentina. Can you
identify it for me? Thanks
Yvonne
Hi Yvonne,
This is a Tropical Brushfoot Butterfly in the subfamily Biblidinae
of the family Nymphalidae. It might be in the genus Diaethria,
small colorful butterflies with strong markings on the underside
of the hind wing. Some species in this genus are called Eighty-Eights
like Cramer's Eighty-eight, Diaethria clymena, because the
markings resemble the numbers. Cramer's
Eighty-Eight has been reported from Texas.
Correction: (11/29/2007)
Iguazu Eighty-Eight
Hello Daniel This morning’s postings included a tropical brushfoot
from Iguazu National Park, Argentina (Yvonne). I think you
correctly identified this as a variety of Eighty-Eight in
the subfamily Biblidinae, but I believe the genus is Callicore,
specifically C. hydaspes (Hydaspes Eighty-Eight). There are
a number of web sites with good photos, including: http://nymphalidae.utu.fi/pictures/Callicore_hydaspe_NW126-27v.jpg
http://www.treknature.com/gallery/South_America/Brazil/photo84887.htm
Regards,
Karl
Bug
of the Month: December 2007
Gulf
Fritillary Metamorphosis
(11/29/2007) thanx
You guys have been wonderful and I appreciate your getting
back to me with some answers. I am sending you all a couple
of shots of the changes in a gulf fritillary butterfly I happened
to catch all happening at the same time. I hope they are of
some use . Again, keep up the good work. This is a fantastic
site. I just wish you could input colors on the search area
because I don't know exactly where to look to find some of
these critters until I get an answer back. Thanx,
Scott Austin TX
 
Hi Scott,
It is time for us to choose the Bug of the Month for December,
and we will be using your wonderful documentation of the metamorphosis
of the Gulf Fritillary. This lovely orange butterfly has caterpillars
that feed on passionflower, and can be found in warmer climates
in the U.S. where that plant is cultivated, including California,
Arizona, Texas and Florida. We know that our website has numerous
problems, but at this point, it is such a behemoth, it probably
cannot ever be tamed.
Bronze
Copper and Purplish Copper
(11/27/2007) Hello Daniel - Two coppers
Beauty is where you find it, even in the weedy “waste”
land of a vacant lot destined for strip mall development.
This bronze copper and purplish copper are from Winnipeg,
Canada. Coppers are one of my favorite groups of butterflies;
ubiquitous and beautiful if you take the time to look closely,
but too often overlooked. I noticed you only had one example
in your collection so I thought you could use a few more.
By the way, this unimpressive little site was home to 4 other
species of butterflies and at least 3 damselfly and dragonfly
species. You have a great site and I check it almost daily
to see what’s new. Thanks.
Karl
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| Bronze
Copper |
Purplish Copper |
Hi
Karl,
Thanks for your wonderful letter and your great photos of
a Bronze Copper, Lycaena hyllus, and a Purplish Copper, Lycaena
helloides. Many years ago, here in Los Angeles where land
is such a hot commodity, we embarked on a campaign to have
a vacant lot on every block to be used as an undeclared park.
Weeds on vacant lots are major insect attracters, and the
Gossamer Winged Butterflies are well represented. In Los Angeles,
we don't see Coppers much, but we do see the Blues and Hairstreaks.
Also, thanks so much for including the site photo as our readers
should know they don't need to go to exotic locales to experience
the beauty of nature.
Tiger Swallowtail Dark Form and Black Swallowtail
(11/21/2007) Two-tailed Tiger Swallowtail dark form??
Hi Bugman,
I L-O-V-E your website!!!! A co-worker turned me on
to your site. Since then I have been able to identify many
strange visitors (e.g. carpenter bees, giant resin bees, sow
bug killers, etc.) to my Geneva, Illinois garden. I have also
come to realize that most of my dark colored swallowtail visitors
are not Black Swallowtail butterflies, as I had assumed, but
rather dark form femail Tiger Swallowtails. But, I think that
I have a new one for you. Is there a dark form of a Two-tailed
Tiger Swallowtail? I have compared this butterfly to all of
the other butterflies that I have photographed. I also searched
your site & the internet. This appears to be the dark
form of a Tiger Swallowtail, but it definitely has 2 tails.
Is this possible? I thought that you might also enjoy this
great picture of one of the few Black Swallowtail butterflies
that have stopped by for a brief visit. Thanks ever so much!
Keep up the good work!
Doris Bolin
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| Tiger
Swallowtail: Dark Female |
Black
Swallowtail |
Happy Thanksgiving Doris,
The butterfly in question is a dark form of the female Tiger
Swallowtail. There is an image on BugGuide
that also has two tails. Thanks for sending our readership
such a nice comparison of the dark female Tiger Swallowtail
and a female Black Swallowtail.
Variegated
Fritillary, Buckeye, and Drone Flies
(11/17/2007) flies, bee mimics, and butterflies
This was taken in my garden a week or so ago in Nottingham,
Pa. It gets southern exposure, so it was pretty warm in the
sun. This yellow mum, which smelled so good, attracted LOTS
of attention. it was covered in some sort of bee mimic flies,
many butterflies, small black flies, house flies, and little
flies that looked like sweat bees. None of the different species
seemed to care about the others, except to compete for what
little nectar was there. I hope you can identify some of these
for me. thanks,
Lee Weber
Hi Again Lee,
The butterflies are relatively easy. First, we rotated your
image, so you should see the site. At the top is a Variegated
Fritillary, Euptoieta claudia. At the bottom is a Common
Buckeye, Junonia coenia. Also at the bottom with close
wings is what appears to be a Common
Cabbage Butterfly, Pieris rapae. The large bee mimics
are Drone
Flies, Eristalis tenax. Thanks so much for sending such
a rich and wonderful image.
Spotted Blue
(11/15/2007) Thanks for your answer!!
Thank you, Daniel for answering my husbands query about the
Golden-Winged Elder Borer. ... Have really enjoyed browsing
your site and have another query for you if you have time.
Like a good girl, I went through all your butterfly pictures
first. I didn't see any exactly like this, although the Coral
Streak and Lycean Blues looked similar. Could this just be
a variation? It has a lot more black spots and the wings were
so hairy, I thought maybe it was even a moth. BTW, we found
it in Wyoming in June. Kind Regards,
Joelle
 
Hi Joelle,
This is one of the Blues, Gossamer Winged Butterflies in the
family Lycaenidae. We believe it is one of the Spotted Blues
in the genus Euphilotes. In his book, Butterflies Through
Binoculars: The West, Jeffrey Glassberg states: "Euphilotes
Blues usually are markedly black-spotted, especially on the
FW [forewing] with checked fringes." Our money is on the Square
Spotted Blue, Euphilotes battoides, though another excellent
candidate is the Dotted Blue, Euphilotes enoptes. It is difficult
group to identify exactly. Your photos are lovely.
Red Spotted Purple
(11/10/2007) Extreme close up
Dear Bug Man,
I am sending two Butterfly pictures for you. One was
a blessing on a really sad day, I was looking out a window
into the branches of a blooming Mimosa tree, here in metro
Atlanta, and in flew a very trusting beauty and when I held
my hand out my new friend walked right on. We played
together for a while and I even was able to rub my friends
back. (I was very careful not to touch the wings.) It
laid flat and rested on my palm for five minutes then I put
it out the window, it flew back in and landed on me.
I held my hand up and it climbed on and I again put it out
the window. I had to blow a puff of air on this wonderful
creature, so it would fly back into the tree. Next is this
acrobatic Monarch, We have butterfly bushes in our yard
and I keep my camera close because these beauties are always
visiting. I take hundreds of pictures of them, but these
were cool because of the view of their bodies. Thanks for
allowing me to share,
Robin
Snellville, GA
Hi Robin,
We really enjoyed your image of a trusting Red Spotted Purple,
but your other butterfly is a Tiger Swallowtail, not a Monarch.
Painted
Lady
(11/10/2007)
Attached is a picture I took 11/09/07. I'm in NW Ohio
and the temperature was in the 50's. I looked at your
site to try to determine if this was a butterfly or a moth.
I guess previously I was under the impression that moths had
feathery antennae, but evidently that's not so. At any
rate, I thought this one was dead, as it sat for several
minutes while I took pictures, but then it moved.
I guess it was just sunning itself. I would appreciate
knowing what it is. Thanks so much for your help.
Nada Knauss
Hi Nada,
This is a Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui, also known as The
Cosmopolitan due to its near worldwide distribution. BugGuide
has a nice wing comparison that will help one distinguish
the Painted Lady from a closely related species, the American
Painted Lady.
Mating Palamedes Swallowtails
(11/06/2007) Palamedes swallowtail mating before wings open
This Palamedes swallowtail just emerged from the chrysalis.
He doesn' t even have his wings open yet.
Liz Stalvey
Winter Springs, FL
Hi Liz,
Thanks for sending in your awesome documentation of a Palamedes
Swallowtail "chrysalis robber" and his mate.
Pale Leafwing or Pearly Leafwing from Costa Rica
(11/03/2007) Costa Rican Butterfly
Hi Bug Person,
On a recent trip to Costa Rica – I took this shot &
went thru The Butterfly Handbook by Miller & Miller &
I cant find its name Attached is its photo. Thanks in advance
Regards,
Preston
Hi Preston,
We spent way too much time trying to unsuccessfully identify
what we presume to be a Brush-Footed Butterfly in the family
Nymphalidae. Perhaps one of our readers will write in with
an answer.
Update: (11/04/2007) Costa Rican butterfly
Hello bug-nuts!
I think Preston's Costa Rican butterfly is consul electra.
See Philip J. DeVries' "The Butterflies of Costa Rica",
Vol. 1. You're right on the genus; nymphalidea. Any chance
to re-visit Costa Rica, even through you site, is very welcome.
Heaven for bug-nuts!
Don Dinndorf
St. Augusta, MN
P.S. There were still a few moths flitting about the woods
as we hunted deer yesterday. Weird for this far north.
Hi Don,
We located some images
of Consul electra, the Pale or Pearly Leafwing, online and
they seem to match the photo sent to us. Thanks for your assistance.
Gulf Fritillary: Newly Emerged Butterfly and Caterpillar
about to Pupate
(10/26/2007) Gulf Fritillary
I love Passion Vine, though I rarely get to enjoy the flowers.
Instead, I have tons and tons of Gulf Fritillary butterflies,
and encourage their growth by moving the caterpillars around
my garden so they can all get a decent meal. I was thrilled
to find this newly emerged butterfly in between the other
two developing chrysalises, and wanted to share the picture
with you.
Emma
DeLand FL
Hi Emma,
Thanks for sending us your photo of two stages in metamorphosis
of the Gulf Fritillary, a newly emerged butterfly and a caterpillar
about to pupate.
Probably Orange Sulphur: White Female Form
(10/26/2007) Pink-edged Sulphur butterfly?
Bugman,
I took this picture of what I think is a Pink-edged Sulphur.
I never saw it with it's wings open. So, I don't know
for sure if it is. Could it be a Common or Clouded Sulphur?
I took this picture a couple of months in southern Indiana.
I noticed that the Pick-edged Sulphur usually is found further
north of this area. Can you tell by these photographs
which one it is? Thanks,
Patrick Crone
Hi Patrick,
We actually believe this is an Orange Sulphur, Colias eurytheme,
which has a white female form. There is a photo posted to
BugGuide
taken in Illinois in October that looks virtually identical
to your photo. Sulphurs in the genus Colias are often difficult
to distinguish from one another.
American
Painted Lady
(10/21/2007) PAINTED LADY IN CONNECTICUT (MAYBE) (10-21-07)
Hello, Daniel!
Well, I was thrilled to think I photographed my first-ever
painted lady. I'm puzzled, however, because t his pretty
butterfly, found yesterday, in a Connecticut garden, does
not quite match painted lady pictures shown on your site.
A variation, perhaps? Many thanks!
Susan B. Naumann
 
Hi Susan,
This is a different species of Lady, the American Painted
Lady, Vanessa virginiensis. BugGuide
has an excellent upper wing comparison with the cosmopolitan
Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui. There are two large "eyespots"
on the under surface of the lower wing of the American Painted
Lady.
Sleepy Orange Butterflies
(10/19/2007) Sleepy Orange butterfly
Bugman,
I have a question concerning the wing structure on a Sleepy
Orange butterfly. I am sending you 3 photos for consideration.
I took some photos of a Sleepy Orange several weeks ago and
notice that a little piece was missing from the end of it's
hind wing. I didn't think too much about it at the time
because I thought the little bit of yellow showing through was
the color of the fore wing. I don't think this is the
case at all. Not until I recently photographed another
Sleepy Orange and looked closely at the picture did I begin
to question whether or not the hind wing was a two-layer wing.
The second picture shows, what looks like a separating of
the hind wing in little layers like old paint flaking off,
revealing the layer underneath. What do you think?
Is this wing perhaps a two layer laminate wing (if that's
the right way to describe it). When I went back to look
at the older folders more closely, I notice in the 3rd picture
a little piece of wing sticking out from the side. That's
where the little piece was missing. It would be interesting
to know about the hind wing being a dual layer. Wonder if
you peeled away the top layer would it reveal a bright yellow
wing underneath the outer layer? It would be interesting to
know. I have never notice this separating of the wing
before. It looks too that it separated right where the
little brown markings are on the hind wing. Maybe this is
not what you do. Maybe you just identify them.
If you accept the challenge of finding out, will you let me
know? I would greatly appreciate it. Curious,
Patrick Crone
 
Hi Patrick,
While your theory is fascinating, it is not the case. All
Lepidopterans, butterflies and moths, have scales on their
membraneous wings. The phenomenon you observed is a damaged
wing with a missing and or partially detached portion, and
the coloration of the upper surface showing when the wings
are closed. By the way, we are thrilled to have your images
of the Sleepy Orange, Abaeis nicippe.
(10/20/2007) Another question about Sleepy Orange
Daniel,
I have another question about the Sleepy Orange butterfly.
I was determined to get a shot of the wings open on the Sleepy
Orange, Abaeis nicippe. I am really confused and need your
help. Sleepy Oranges are hard to catch with their wings spread
out so you can see the inside color of the wings. I have
been trying really hard to get a shot when it flies away.
After many tries, I managed to get a small glimpse of one
as seen in the first photo. Today I was taking pictures of
a Sleepy Orange and stayed with it to see if I could get a
better shot of the wings open as it flew away to the next
flower. I got a better shot of the whole wings and noticed
the black border was different on this one. What's going
on? Is there a difference between the male and female? Which
is which? The outside of both are the same though. Please
help me. Just when I think I am understanding what's right,
I get thrown another curve ball. I'd really appreciate your
help. Confused,
Patrick Crone
 
Hi again Patrick,
Our reference book, Butterflies Through Binoculars: The West
by Jeffrey Glassberg, indicates that there is seasonal variablity
in the Sleepy Orange. Additionally, there is often much variation
between individual specimens. You might try to contact your
nearest natural history museum to see if you can view their
Sleepy Orange specimens to get some idea of the individual
variation. We are not sure if there is an easy way to distinguish
the sexes from one another. BugGuide
does have an image posted that is identified as a male and
female, and there is a difference in their wing markings similar
to the difference your photograph indicates.
Buckeye
(10/18/2007) Another unsolved butterfly identification
Mr Bugman,
I have recently photographed some Buckeye butterflies here
in Charlotte, NC on 10/14/07. Some from the top
view and from the side. However, the side shot
pictures I took recently look different from a butterfly I
photographed a couple of months ago in southern Indiana.
I thought it was a Buckeye and now I am wondering what it
is. It's markings on the underside of the fore wing
and hind wing look completely different from the pictures
I took recently of the side of the Buckeye. And it is
lighter in color. I tried to find one similar and I
just don't know if it is a Buckeye. Can you confirm?
Thanks,
Patrick Crone
Hi Patrick,
We just noticed this additional submission from you. You are
correct. This is a Buckeye and it matches an image posted
on BugGuide.
Cassius Blues Mating
(10/14/2007) Whats my Moth/Butterfly????
I live in Port Charlotte, FL. I was taking my dog out
back when I came across, and apparently disturbed these two
moths, or butterflies. Can you tell me which it is.......Thanks
Megan
Hi Megan,
We believe these are mating Cassius Blues, Leptotes cassius,
based on an image we located on BugGuide.
They are Gossamer Winged Butterflies in the family Lycaenidae.
Longtailed Skipper
(10/13/2007) Spectacular tail
This hawk moth has a really spectacular, long tail. From head
to the tip of the tail it's probably 2 inches long. The spots
on the wing are clear. This was photographed in my flower
garden in Friendsood, Texas.
Bruce Wright
Hi Bruce,
This is not a Hawkmoth. It is a Longtailed Skipper, a butterfly.
Thanks for sending in your great photo.
Buckeye Metamorphosis
(10/10/2007) Our Caterpillar Turned into a Butterfly Today....or
is it a Moth??
Hello,
I had written a few weeks back (see below), and hadn't heard
back from you...I completely understand why...no worries really
:) But my four year old and I decided to "keep"
the caterpillar. I was going to put him outside the next morning,
but woke up to him in a cocoon! I figured he'd be fine if
we kept him until he emerged. And today it happened! My daughter
noticed the cocoon was empty and his short visit was over. Thought
you might like a before and after shot :)
Brittany Clarke
(09/28/2007) Caterpillar Question
My four year old found this little guy in the grass. We live
in the northwestern part of Virginia & was wondering what
kind of caterpillar this is. After looking through your site,
the closest I can guess is a Mourning Cloak or Brush Footed???
Your help is much appreciated!!!! :)
Brittany Clarke
 
Hi Brittany,
Thank you so much for your patience, both at our lack of response,
and with the wait for your Common Buckeye caterpillar to metamorphose
into the adult Common Buckeye butterfly.
Orange Sulphur
(10/05/2007) Sulphur?
Greetings Bugman,
Great site and great service you perform. Been looking all
over the web for a name to go with this fellow. If I'm
not mistaken, it's a sulphur of some sort. Every time
I think I've identified it, the maps don't indicate that my
area has them. So far, I've considered Christina Sulphur,
Little Sulphur and Orange Sulphur. My guess is, all
three are wrong. Took this image along the Umpqua River
in Elkton, (Southwest Coastal Range) Oregon - Douglas County,
on 09/11/2007. Any suggestions? Thanks,
Phil
http://www.whereartmeetstheheart.com/photos.html
PS - Sorry for the image quality and missing portion of the
wing, but the butterfly took off just as I took the shot -
it's actually airborne. When it landed again, it was
on the other side of the river.
Hi Phil,
We believe this is an Orange Sulphur, Colias eurytheme. It
is native to your region.
Monarch Butterflies: Rough Sex
(09/28/2007) Battering Butterflies
Hello Bug Man!
We love your site in this house! While at the shore
each year I enjoy photographing butterflies. I am attaching
several photos of two butterflies that appeared to be wrestling
on the ground. This went on for a few minutes with the
two ultimately flying off in different directions. I
have never seen such aggressive behavior. Is it associated
with mating? Any help appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Tracey Hynes
 
Hi Tracey,
This is a pair of Monarch Butterflies. A mating pair will
stay engaged for a lengthy period of time. Perhaps what you
witnessed was a difficult "uncoupling".
Red Banded Hairstreak
(09/26/2007) Red Banded Hairstreak?
Hey bugman,
thanks so much for posting my photo of the wheelbug. I have
another one to share with you. I believe this is a red-banded
hairstreak (correct me if im wrong). there were two of them
nectaring on some goldenrod the other day and i took some
pics. I think this was my favorite one. Enjoy and thanks again
for a wonderful website.
Mike D.
Hi again Mike,
Your Red Banded Hairstreak photo is awesome. Thanks for adding
to our archive.
Milbert's Tortoiseshell
(09/24/2007) All sorts of bugs
Hey there,
I just discovered your site, and it's wonderful! Just by browsing
through your pages I've managed to identify many of the unknown
bugs I've photographed over the last few years. (I have loads
of butterflies, a fair number of dragonflies, and plenty more;
many of which I've managed to identify over the web or in
books, but plenty more are still a mystery to me.) I figured
I'd pull out a few of my favorites to send to you--hopefully
you can help me identify several of them, and the rest are
ones I've identified but didn't see on your site. (Please
feel free to edit this, remove some photos, etc.) ... This
guy's a Milbert's Tortoiseshell (pretty hard to mistake these
for anything else!) I encountered at Logan Pass in Glacier
National Park, Montana, last summer. I didn't see any photos
of these in your butterfly pages, so I figured I'd share.
I encountered quite a few butterflies as well as other beautiful
insects in the alpine meadows there, but the Milbert's Tortoiseshell
is definitely the most striking. ... Anyway, I hope you enjoy
my photos and can identify/confirm them all. I have plenty
more where they came from, so if your inbox isn't too flooded
already, I'd be happy to send more!
Susan B
Hi Susan,
We edited the content of your letter and are posting the Milbert's
Tortoiseshell to our site. In the future, please only submit
one identification request per letter than includes any helpful
information and will will get back to you if time permits.
Thank you for your enthusiasm.
Female Diana Fritillary: Rare Find
(09/23/2007) Is this a red spotted purple?
Hi there Bugman!
I really enjoy perusing your site, it's great! I looked through
all your butterfly pictures (and the ones at http://nabamidtn.org/
) and the closest that I get to for this butterfly is the
Red spotted Purple. Is that right? It doesn't look exactly
like it, byut that was the closest that I could find. They
were very beautiful and I spent most of the week running around
and chasing them in an effort to get a decent picture.
The second one was starnded on the pavement (it had been run
over by several cars-between the wheel base-, so I finally
rescued it and placed it in the grass, where I was able to
get several pictures). I saw several butterflies like it in
Gatlinburg, TN this last week (late September). None of the
locals seemed to be familiar with it. If it the same as the
second one that I saw, it's underwings are black with orange
spots. Actually the two don't look exactly the same, so I
suppose that I have two differnt kinds. These photos are cropped
and resized, but otherwise not manipulated. I have the full
resolution shots if you are interested in them (5 megapixel).
Both were located in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.
Thanks for any info that you may be able to send my way!
Nelda
Hi Nelda,
One of your photos is of a Red Spotted Purple, and we have
no shortage of those images on our site, so we will not be
posting it. Your other image however has us very excited.
It is of a female Diana Fritillary, Speyeria diana, a species
that exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism. Some Fritillaries,
including the Diana
Fritillary, seem to be getting very rare.
Common
Buckeye
(09/20/2007) Hi, I was wondering if this is a moth or butterfly
and what kind it is. I shot him among my marigolds in
St. Marys, Georgia. Thanks,
Regina Wiss
Hi Regina,
Your butterfly is known as the Common Buckeye, Junonia coenia.
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.
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