Fantastic Bill !

These fellows are ALWAYS pretty spectacular
and seldom encountered overall.

Well Done....

Hello Anna, Thank you so much for kindly posting photo's of some of your holdings. The 3rd photo amongst your M. hecuba pic's is absolutely a spectacular specimen ! The females of theseus yaritanus and amphitrion attali are also especially nice. I can appreciate those brown morpho's because its not ...

This delightful little pierid species is one of localized appearance here in Illinois. It is one of our "seasonal colonizers" of the Midwest states. The larvae feed on Partridge Pea (Cassia) whilst the adults prefer Aster flowers. Old (relict) fields which have been taken-back by nature ar...

Anna, are morphos a specialty group of interest to you ? Would like to see others if you have them as I am fond of them generally. Would also like to know if you ever landed a (female) of Morpho absoloni ? That's a tough one and generally even more expensive than M. cypris cyanites. I believe the Ve...

Only once in my life have I seen this amazing species AND managed to capture it ! It was pure luck and happenstance that I would be on vacation with my family during the early spring (break) which schools have in my region. This is a time when some families take a trip somewhere or when the college ...

Hello Cabintom,

Here is that underside shot of whatever species this is....

Hope this clarifies this specimens status. Again, it is out
of Uganda.

I have adjusted the title of my post Chuck.

Here in the northern portion of Illinois the sighting of our (1st brood/spring) Tiger Swallowtails (P. glaucus) is a rather rare or infrequent occasion -- at best in the vast expanse of "suburbia" beyond the Chicago city limits. Suburbia (here) stretches west & southwest for some 60 mi...

Yeah, that A. rotunda (female) was another miss but,
I don't know how ? Definitely, saw and noted an interest
in that paratypus but, again think he had it in mind for
you.

Good thing we got there when we did because the "big
buyer" came along not long after and cleaned-out everything.

Wonderful selection chrisw ! I managed a few nice ones myself from that old collection. I have posted some of them here on another thread. Seems I somehow missed that 3rd and 4th photo's of specimens. I really desired that (female) A. frankae but, I think he already had his sights on you getting it....

This remarkable Batesian hornet-mimic of a moth is well known in most of the European theatre including parts of the Middle East. Found also in the southern reaches of Britain (from which this specimen is from); its markings and size afford it a measure of protection from being eaten by birds and ot...

Here we have a small European species with a VERY appropriate common name. A cinnamon brown color overall but, literally looking as though its outer wing edges have been scorched via heat or fire ! Another of nature's myriad and curious appearing (smaller) species of lepidoptera. Two males of varyin...

Indeed, cabintom I will get a ventral picture this afternoon
and post it later today.

As mentioned, these butterflies are "danged" numerous over
there AND varied so all is not always what it may seem....

Everywhere, and that is literally in all parts of the world (except Antartica); there are to be found many hundreds of strikingly beautiful smaller species of lepidoptera to be appreciated. Most are overlooked generally and a fair percentage really require a good strong look to notice them as they h...

This lovely and somewhat larger species of blue is
found in varying parts of Europe.This awesome pair
comes from a breeder in Poland. Just one of many
beautiful Lycaenidae present throughout Europe.

Wow, some pretty incredible variation there Cabintom.

Thank you so much for showing us some of the additional possibilities within this species. You have had a measure of good fortune landing so many different ones !

Thank you as well Adam !

Dang, that looks to be it !!👀😮🎉☺️ Man, I wasn't sure if I'd ever hear about this one. There are so many of these dang things around Africa and after (a while) they all start to look the same.... I really appreciate your detective (sleuthing) abilities at getting identifications for things I just can...

Wow, you nailed this one on the head livingplanet3 !


My sincere compliments on helping me with this one.
The Euphaedra group is regarded as a tough one to differentiate generally....

You have a good eye and have always been VERY good with identifications. Respect.

Many thanks again !

Are all your male M. cypris of the same subspecies ?

Have read there are now 5-6 subspecies named of this most
remarkable butterfly. Serious morpho aficionados usually
seek to acquire all relevent subspecies !

A daunting task indeed at times....