We don’t, and never had, known what is and not is a hybrid. There have been suspicions, and even Linnaeus made predictions that many butterflies are hybrids.

Troides (ornithoptera) allotei was shown to be a hybrid by breeding efforts. Today though most are revealed by genetics.


There are of course naturally occurring hybrids, some common. It’s when these hybrids reproduce in the absence of parental species that they become a species on their own.

Not to be confused with a subspecies which is a genetic mutation from one species. Genetics reveals which is which.

The Canadian tiger swallowtail split from an ancestor, which also was an ancestor of the eastern tiger, and is now extinct. Two species. Somewhere about 400,000 years ago the two species collided and interbred, starting the Appalachian tiger swallowtail. The two parental species still exist, but generally don’t interbreed with appalachiensis, yet it maintains its own population/ species.

If one is a “lumper” not a “splitter” then appalachiensis would go in the glaucus box. And MST is unequivocally NOT the eastern tiger, we know that would be best stuffed into the canadensis box. But any moron can look at an MST and tell you it’s not canadensis. So the whole species box fit is falling apart.

Ok, I get some it, being self sustaining and presumably, appearance. So- how do you know it's a hybrid in the first place, and not just a similar animal?
Seems like you need some forensics for that to be determined. Or is that part of determining species to begin with? Then discovering through DNA or
some other factor that an animal is a hybrid of two different species and now can self replicate.
Have I missed something in the posts that would have answered my own questions?

sounds like a learning curve is ahead for you.
As far as glue, either super glue or a multi purpose like "Duco cement" (brand).
Having done just a few display cases using glues, avoid hot glue, it will sag, I'd probably avoid
pinning, eventually the pin may loosen and your specimen will spin.

I've never painted an insect, I've used a lot of modeling paint though, I'd try acrylics and avoid enamel,
of course, I could be wrong about anything, because I haven't done much insect art.

If you need to relax insects, there are endless methods and everyone has a favorite. Recently a method was offered in a post here that
called for putting insects in a closed plastic container with damp paper towels and put into the fridge for the duration, which
varies from 1 day to 7 depending, no anti fungal is needed, I used this method to relax Ornithoptera and it worked very well.

Hi everyone! I'm a beginner when it comes to insect pinning/preservation, and I'm currently working on an art project that will require me to attach multiple insects to clay. The sculpture may have to be moved around a lot and I don't want anything to break. I've heard that E6000 glue is good, but I'm not sure how it will hold with clay.

I also have to destroy the wings of the insects to make it seem like they're burning, and I'm not sure what type of paint is safe for the insects. Will fabric acrylic paint work??

I also wanted to preserve the insects in life like positions, but I don't really know how (ex: wings partially open).

Final question: Can I just glue the preserved insect to the clay, or should I pin it to the clay?

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!!! Thank you all and have a wonderful day

kevinkk wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 7:01 pm I read the posts. I don't know if I understand it. I didn't read the links.
Can anyone cite an example? That may or may not help me understand.
Is this issue like the various Hyalophora columbia(s)? Like columbia columbia, columbia gloveri, or more like the
Hyalophora kasloensis?

When I started the thread I didn’t know the answer. A hybrid by itself is not nameable. A clade (group, if you will) that is the long-ago result of the recombination of two parental species and is self sustaining is nameable.

The main focus of science has been on homoploid recombinant birds. One of the best known, if not the first, is a seabird that was described long ago, and was more recently discovered genetically that it’s a self-sustaining islanded population resulting from hybridization between two geographically separated parental species.


It appears, as science learns more, this is not uncommon.

Thank you!

adamcotton wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 7:55 pm I think it is better not to try to flatten the antennae of butterflies if they are not naturally straight.

I generally try to straighten out my antennae, as I find it more visually pleasing, in addition to being a fulfilling challenge. My reasoning is that it's generally understood that live Papilionids have curved antennae anyway.

I do understand the merit of leaving the antennae curved - sometimes, I set them in such a manner that they appear straight when viewed from above, but retain their natural curvature when viewed from the side. The T. rhadamantus in my display picture is one such example.

As for the larger, flashier stuff, here are two species that need no introduction:


Trogonoptera trojana


Troides plateni

The four specimens pictured here were produced from captive breeding on Palawan.

Chuck wrote: ↑Tue Nov 19, 2024 4:43 pm I’ll bet you have some fabulous smaller endemics on Cebu

Indeed we do! However, my collection is currently limited to the more common species. I have a few collecting spots located in urban and suburban areas, and have not yet had the opportunity to venture into our mountains in search of the really exciting stuff. Hopefully that will change soon.

For now, a cursory skim through Treadaway's 1995 checklist of Philippine butterflies reveals that I have a few other subspecies that I think are worth posting to this thread:


Euploea mulciber cebuensis, found only on Cebu.


Pachliopta kotzebuea bilara, found on Cebu and Bohol. Both specimens are female, with the bottom mounted verso.


Cyrestis maenalis cebuensis, found only on Cebu.


Athyma kasa parakasa, found on Cebu and Camotes.


Cepora aspasia tolmida, found on Cebu and Camotes. I don't normally collect specimens in bad condition like this, but since this was the first (and, as of writing, remains the only) specimen of this species I was able to catch, I decided to make an exception.

Note that the subspecific IDs I have provided above are only based on the distributions cited in Treadaway's checklist. It's possible that some of them are erroneous, though I believe I have correctly identified them to at least the species level.

Ref.: Treadaway, C. (1995). Checklist of the butterflies of the Philippine Islands (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera). Nachrichten des Entomologischen Vereins Apollo, Suppl. 14: 7-118

I think it is better not to try to flatten the antennae of butterflies if they are not naturally straight. Some species have curved antennae and some straight, so spread them accordingly.

Adam.

PS. Superb species!!!

I read the posts. I don't know if I understand it. I didn't read the links.
Can anyone cite an example? That may or may not help me understand.
Is this issue like the various Hyalophora columbia(s)? Like columbia columbia, columbia gloveri, or more like the
Hyalophora kasloensis?

Personal gripes with pre-dried specimens aside, I have since sought the advice of an acquaintance who has had success in collecting this species on Cebu island, which is where I live. Apparently, there are a few spots about an hour's drive from the city where these winged jewels still fly. I hope to follow up on that tip over my semestral break in December.

For your consideration is a male specimen of Troides magellanus collected in April of 2023 in Aurora Province, Philippines. This species is my personal favorite - I hope that viewing the images that follow will adequately justify my opinion. It is a truly magnificent species of birdwing. Females are among the largest butterflies found in the Philippines, along with its cousin, Trogonoptera trojana. In addition to T. prattorum, it is one of two known butterfly species that make use of limited view iridescence to produce those spectacular opalescent blues and greens when the hindwings are viewed from an oblique angle.

Regrettably, I do not have more specific collection data for this specimen, as it was purchased (along with a matching female) from a dealer. Of course, there is always the possibility that what limited data I have is outright fabricated, but nonetheless, it remains a highlight of my collection. The specimen arrived papered, and the abdomen seemed to have been flattened in the paper triangle, so I had to incise the ventral abdomen in order to stuff it with cotton. A 'crease" remains visible on the dorsal side. Similarly, the antennae were not as cooperative as I had hoped, and though I had straightened them perfectly on the spreading board, they warped into a more natural (lifelike?) contour shortly after I removed the specimen from the board.

A good read about homoploid recombinant hybrids.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6308868/

martellat0 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 19, 2024 9:16 am Throwing my hat into the ring with this Papilo (Chilasa) osmana, a species which (if I recall correctly) is restricted to northeastern Mindanao as well as southern Leyte in the Philippines. These localities consist of adjacent islands (and lesser islets) which are separated by about 20 kilometers of water. I purchased this specimen some months ago from a dealer, as my collecting exploits have thus far only been limited to a few spots around my hometown of Cebu.



Along with the considerably rarer P. carolinensis, this swallowtail was described by Julian Jumalon - a local lepidopterist and artist - in the year 1967. He named P. carolinensis after the University of San Carlos in Cebu, where he was in charge of organizing collecting expeditions around the country on behalf of the university, as well as managing its entomological collection.

P. osmana was named after his son Osman, who followed in his father's footsteps as a lepidopterist, accompanying him on several expeditions. To this day, he manages his father's collection of Lepidoptera along with his sister Humaida.

As it happens, I am currently a student at USC (albeit in a field unrelated to entomology) and have since become friends with the Jumalon family. In fact, they were the ones who encouraged me to start collecting in the first place - just over two years ago - so acquiring this particular species felt somewhat satisfying, personally speaking. Perhaps someday, I will be able to add carolinensis to my collection as well.

That’s great, thanks for sharing that. I’ll bet you have some fabulous smaller endemics on Cebu- don’t overlook them in favor of larger species.

Throwing my hat into the ring with this Papilo (Chilasa) osmana, a species which (if I recall correctly) is restricted to northeastern Mindanao as well as southern Leyte in the Philippines. These localities consist of adjacent islands (and lesser islets) which are separated by about 20 kilometers of water. I purchased this specimen some months ago from a dealer, as my collecting exploits have thus far only been limited to a few spots around my hometown of Cebu.



Along with the considerably rarer P. carolinensis, this swallowtail was described by Julian Jumalon - a local lepidopterist and artist - in the year 1967. He named P. carolinensis after the University of San Carlos in Cebu, where he was in charge of organizing collecting expeditions around the country on behalf of the university, as well as managing its entomological collection.

P. osmana was named after his son Osman, who followed in his father's footsteps as a lepidopterist, accompanying him on several expeditions. To this day, he manages his father's collection of Lepidoptera along with his sister Humaida.

As it happens, I am currently a student at USC (albeit in a field unrelated to entomology) and have since become friends with the Jumalon family. In fact, they were the ones who encouraged me to start collecting in the first place - just over two years ago - so acquiring this particular species felt somewhat satisfying, personally speaking. Perhaps someday, I will be able to add carolinensis to my collection as well.

I caught this new publication title and laughed out loud.

Two new rove beetle genera in Staphylininae that reduce “Heterothops” and “Quedius” taxonomic wastebaskets (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae)

Just from the title I suspect it's a must read

https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/135558/

What I find striking is the color patterns- size aside, I recognized patterns very similar to Papilios, Nymphalids, Satyrids, etc. that occur in or near Papua.

Interesting, thanks for sharing that. I wonder how the species is faring in North Africa?

I read that great paper few days ago. Stefan Schröder, as always, made a tremendous work.

Riodiniidae are VERY hard to see in Papua, that's why they are not well known at all. They tend to fly in the dense forest away from paths and rivers where collectors go.

I had the luck to catch Praetaxila huntei in 2009 in the Baliem Valley. The only Riodiniidae I saw in my various trips to Papua.
In comparison, you will see hundreds of Riodiniidae everyday in the Amazon.

So many species have there.
We have 0 in Ontario and 1 in western Canada which status is unknown.