Category Archives: Butterflies
Banded Hairstreak butterfly
This freshly emerged Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus) was perched on a hackberry leaf outside my back door. Butterfly colors come from tiny scales that cover the wings. As these scales gradually wear away, so does the vibrancy of the insects’ … Continue reading
Posted in Butterflies
5 Comments
Pipevines
This humble vine is at the center of a evolutionary tangle of butterflies: The vine makes poisonous defensive compounds which keep away most chewing insects. But pipevine swallowtails have evolved the ability to not only eat the pipevine, but to … Continue reading
Posted in Butterflies, Plants
2 Comments
Annual butterfly count
Despite a wet start with few butterflies visible, the day dried out and warmed up and finally yielded thirty three species, one shy of our record from 2008. The best butterfly of the day was a goatweed leafwing, a very … Continue reading
Posted in Butterflies
Leave a comment
Northern Pearly-eye
I was lucky to get this photo. Pearly-eyes usually fly away when approached too closely. Note the black bases to the clubs at the end of the antennae — this distinguishes the Northern from the Southern pearly-eye. And the antennae … Continue reading
Posted in Butterflies
Leave a comment
Sport drinks for butterflies
Eileen Schaeffer sent me this great shot of a hackberry emperor on her finger. This species loves to sup on salt and this individual is no exception: check out the unfurled proboscis.
Posted in Butterflies
Leave a comment
