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Post by beetlehorn on Oct 13, 2012 19:02:17 GMT -8
After two years of relatively low numbers in the mountains of Eastern Tennessee, I saw a sharp rise in the population this summer. It still wasn't as strong as 2007-2009, but it looks somewhat promising. I am currently rearing a good number of these, and am also overwintering some. Hopfully I can bring a good number to maturity. I know this species has been covered before, but then again it is so interesting and beautiful, I think it deserves some attention now and again. Here is a fresh male nectaring on Butterfly Milkweed. Attachments:
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Post by beetlehorn on Oct 13, 2012 19:03:22 GMT -8
This is a late season female S. diana on Ironweed. Attachments:
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Post by Zacatak on Oct 14, 2012 0:59:27 GMT -8
i think i read in a book once that this was considered the most beautiful of the Nymphalidae family of North America.. if my memory serves me well. it certainly is quite an attractive butterfly
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2012 7:48:45 GMT -8
the female especially is stunning.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2012 9:14:41 GMT -8
Yes, the female is absolutely stunning. You should see one alive when the sunlight hits it, for it is really much bluer-----------it takes one's breath away  |
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Post by beetlehorn on Oct 16, 2012 20:24:59 GMT -8
I agree the female is rather stunning with all the different shades of iridescent blue, and sometimes green, but the males are in my opinion quite gorgeous and unusual in terms of color patterning because no other fritillary looks quite like it. Now imagine seeing them in large numbers nectaring together in stands of milkweed, bergamot, thistle, and ironweed. I sometimes just sit back and watch the interaction between not only Diana Fritillaries, but with other species that share the same habitat with the Dianas such as S. cybele, S. aphrodite, P. glaucus, P. troilus, E. marcellus, B. philenor, and a host of other insects. I think that is what Bill was referring to. I know this because I have seen his reaction when we discovered these hidden treasures deep in the backwoods of the southern Appalachians. Here is a group of females in late summer. Attachments:
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Post by beetlehorn on Oct 16, 2012 20:31:09 GMT -8
This is a group of males nectaring together on butterfly milkweed in early summer, which is the peak time to find freshly emerged males. In most years this would be around the end of June, until the second week of July. This is truly a spectacular sight not only for an insect collector, but anyone that is a naturalist at heart. Attachments:
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2012 10:12:51 GMT -8
my pair are nowhere near as fresh as ex pupae but I still treasure them. Attachments:
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Post by admin on Oct 17, 2012 19:38:29 GMT -8
We collectors out here on the Left Coast can only dream of seeing these in the wild - and we do a lot of dreaming!  Here's my pinned specimens in the studio. Attachments:
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Post by beetlehorn on Oct 18, 2012 4:38:09 GMT -8
Yes Clark, we do have some nice species here in the eastern US, but you have some very cool leps there as well such as S. nokomis, all the different subspecies of S. cybele(which look way different than our eastern ones). You also have some rather beautiful admirals such as A. bredowii and A. eulalia, L. lorquini, L. weidemeyeri, not to mention some others like your favorite Z. euridice. Your swallowtails are also very neat, my favorite is P. multicaudata. Very nice mounting job on the Dianas by the way. Tom
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Post by admin on Oct 18, 2012 8:56:35 GMT -8
Yes Clark, we do have some nice species here in the eastern US, but you have some very cool leps there as well such as S. nokomis, all the different subspecies of S. cybele(which look way different than our eastern ones). You also have some rather beautiful admirals such as A. bredowii and A. eulalia, L. lorquini, L. weidemeyeri, not to mention some others like your favorite Z. euridice. Your swallowtails are also very neat, my favorite is P. multicaudata. Very nice mounting job on the Dianas by the way. Tom Thanks for trying to make us westerners feel better! I did catch some nice nokomis this summer. |
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Post by leptraps on Oct 18, 2012 15:03:30 GMT -8
In 1974 I relocated from Cleveland, OH to Dublin, VA. It was a 30 minute drive from Dublin to the famed Poverty Hollow of the Clark's (Butterflies of Virginia). I remember with great fondness the first time I saw Diana's. However, there was more, there was the red Speyeria aphrodite, Polygonia faunus, Polygonia progne, Speyeria adalia, Calephis borealis and the always beautiful Erora laeta. There was the Little Meadows area above Mountain Lake. I found Speyeria atlantis, Colias interior, and Lethe appalachia. There was also the never ending variable dark forms of Pterourus glaucus females. I made my first bait traps in 1976. And the butterflies and moths I caught in them changed the way I collected. At one point in 1978 I had 20+ Bait Traps in the field. I miss the mountains of Virginia.  Attachments:
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Post by admin on Oct 18, 2012 22:01:41 GMT -8
"Apacheana" ~ The Movie
Avail yourself of some quality stereo headphones and take a trip with me to the habitat.
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Post by beetlehorn on Oct 19, 2012 4:15:07 GMT -8
Wonderful video Clark. I wish I had the skills to edit videos like that, because I have lots of footage similar to yours of Diana Fritillaries that I would like to post for other butterfly enthusiasts to enjoy. I even have vidoes of rearing Dianas, with closeup shots of larvea actively feeding on violets. A few years ago I reared a nice batch, and got the two different color forms of females, green and blue. Here is a pic from that endeavor. Tom Attachments:
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Post by admin on Oct 19, 2012 7:54:39 GMT -8
Wonderful video Clark. I wish I had the skills to edit videos like that, because I have lots of footage similar to yours of Diana Fritillaries that I would like to post for other butterfly enthusiasts to enjoy. I even have vidoes of rearing Dianas, with closeup shots of larvea actively feeding on violets. A few years ago I reared a nice batch, and got the two different color forms of females, green and blue. Here is a pic from that endeavor. Tom I'd definitely like to see your videos, especially on the rearing aspect. What format are they in? |
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