|
Post by wollastoni on Aug 19, 2020 6:08:57 GMT -8
All these pictures were taken with a Tamron 180mm macro lense. It is a very powerful lense for butterfly pictures and about twice cheaper than the Canon 180mm macro.
|
|
|
|
Post by wollastoni on Aug 19, 2020 6:11:10 GMT -8
In conclusion, I really would like to thank Danny for this great week ! We also had fun in Chicago together !
It was great to discover NA classic butterflies, some of them are very impressive for European eyes.
That's also what Insectnet is about : making butterfly friends across the ocean !
|
|
|
Post by jhyatt on Aug 19, 2020 6:14:19 GMT -8
You were lucky to find Polygonia progne -- P. interrogationis and P. comma are much more common, and both are usually larger than progne.
The Poanes is very probably zabulon, but the underside is confirmatory. P. hobomok is similar on top...
Lovely photos!
jh
|
|
|
Post by wollastoni on Aug 19, 2020 8:25:50 GMT -8
Indiana is somewhat comparable with low altitude NW Europe : same kind of vegetation and farming practices. When you travel in Indiana, you feel a little bit like in the North of France / lowland Germany (with lower population density).
The big difference is the very low number of Satyrinae species (not a single one Satyrinae species encountered in 5 days !) and Lycaenidae (only 2 species). In Europe, Satyrinae are the easiest species to encounter ! Another difference is the bigger number of Papilionidae species (and specimens) and the presence of few "neotropical-origin" species : Junonia, Papilio cresphontes...
|
|
|
Post by jshuey on Aug 19, 2020 9:15:30 GMT -8
Nice Photos. The massed larvae are sawflies. The Speyeria is cybele. And I'd call the P. progne, P. comma.
john
|
|
|
Post by Paul K on Aug 19, 2020 10:24:50 GMT -8
Nice Photos. The massed larvae are sawflies. The Speyeria is cybele. And I'd call the P. progne, P. comma. john John, are you sure these are sawflies? I only can see 4 pair of prolegs. My guess would be Notodontidae
|
|
|
|
Post by bugboys3 on Aug 19, 2020 10:59:12 GMT -8
Great photos. Glad you enjoyed your visit. The Papilios have had a very good year this year. I have had dozens of P. cresphontes and glaucus this summer in my garden along with a few P. polyxenes.
|
|
|
Post by jshuey on Aug 20, 2020 4:49:02 GMT -8
Nice Photos. The massed larvae are sawflies. The Speyeria is cybele. And I'd call the P. progne, P. comma. john John, are you sure these are sawflies? I only can see 4 pair of prolegs. My guess would be Notodontidae No not really sure. I was just using gestalt based on body posture, size, and the fact that they are gregarious. j
|
|
|
Post by jhyatt on Aug 20, 2020 6:25:49 GMT -8
John Shuey may be right about the Polygonia. Comma is much more common. This one is so worn that it has the lighter-colored look of a progne, and the silver mark is kind of in between the usual P. comma curve and the angular line of progne...
jh
|
|
|
Post by exoticimports on Aug 20, 2020 10:34:48 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by trehopr1 on Aug 20, 2020 11:16:43 GMT -8
Those are delightful pictures and it sounds like a most rewarding trip with a GOOD guide !
I believe, those other two "hairy" looking but, sharply dressed caterpillars were 2 different species of "tussock moth" (subfamily: Lymantriinae). The caterpillars are lovely creatures and fun to hold (like the wooly bear type); and no hidden poisonous spines like those "saddleback" caterpillars and the like...
Thanks for posting your pictures of the trip.
|
|
|
Post by mothman27 on Aug 21, 2020 4:18:53 GMT -8
Great pictures and it's very interesting to hear how my state's fauna appears to a European. It does seem you got a good selection of the typical species.
A few comments:
The P. progne appears to be a female of P. comma, the two are very similar but Polygonia progne is smaller and the underside is grayish while the female P. comma is more brown." While I have seen P. progne here in Indiana a number of times, P. comma is exponentially more abundant.
As mentioned, I agree that the Speyeria is almost certainly S. cybele rather than C. aphrodite as the latter is much less common.
Both of the caterpillars with lots of setae I believe are Halysidota tesselaris, a pretty common tiger moth here.
The striped caterpillars, as John S. suggested are indeed Notondontidae, more specifically I believe a Datana sp.
Hopefully these are helpful.
Tim
|
|
|
Post by wollastoni on Aug 21, 2020 7:28:42 GMT -8
Thank you for all the nice comments. Another picture of the same Polygonia, in case it helps being 100% sure about the P. comma female / P. progne
|
|
|
Post by Paul K on Aug 21, 2020 15:12:27 GMT -8
I suppose it is P.comma. The outer edge of the forewing is deeply curved in P.progne where your specimen has rather straight edge.
|
|
|
Post by jhyatt on Aug 22, 2020 5:39:17 GMT -8
Yep, that's more like P. comma. jh
|
|