Eurytides marcellus

[Chuck]

Thanks to a prompting by JHyatt, and knowing that one of our other members is jonesing to raise marcellus, starting a thread to share images and data on this novelty of eastern USA, but not North Eastern, beauty.

Quick photo not to the standards of others, below. Top large dark specimens are Florida late July, the lower small whiter specimens from Kentucky in April.

[Chuck]

Interesting clash (or changed range?) of marcellus.

iNaturalist shows ONE record from New York state, which is easy enough to write off as a strat. In fact, and not surprisingly, according to iNaturalist records, marcellus, like so many species, has a range restriction outside of the Terminus of Southern Aggression, i.e., not in most of PA, nor NY.

Shapiro (Butterflies and Skippers of New York State, 1973) reports marcellus as a stray in Finger Lakes region, but bivoltine in Genesee and Orleans counties (western NY). He seems to be in conflict because he cites that marcellus does not occur in the coastal plains, which in fact includes Genesee and Orleans counties.

Though he is more specific citing that marcellus occurs in SW NY, as does the fooodplant Pawpaw, Asimina triloba. iNaturalist observations show this plant currently grows very spottily throughout NY, and currently with no more frequency in SW NY than some other areas. iNaturalist shows zero observations for Pawpaw in Genesee county and Orleans county. I've seen Pawpaw, but very rarely.

I wonder what this means.

[eurytides]

You must be talking about me lol. There are also a couple of records from northern MI (probably same individual) and Point Pelee in Ontario. It’s not that it can’t survive here due to the winters, it’s mainly lack of pawpaw. Historically, marcellus was a resident breeder in Ontario before 99% of the Carolinian forest was destroyed.

[Chuck]

I just returned from northern KY (Bullitt County) and E. marcellus is everywhere. They were common along an overgrown dirt road under power lines, some resting in the grass. Most though were nectaring (exclusively) on white blackberry flowers. Some were quite fresh, indicating recent eclosion. In the past, same place, I've found them in April and they were beat. That said, of those this past week a vast majority were of the "tailless form" (LOL, that's a joke, get it?)

Those that I observed this past week look dirty white in flight; later generations appear to be bright light blue in flight.

[Paul K]

Just wondering if we will see some here in southern Ontario this summer. I have never seen one yet.

[jhyatt]

I just returned from northern KY (Bullitt County) and E. marcellus is everywhere. They were common along an overgrown dirt road under power lines, some resting in the grass. Most though were nectaring (exclusively) on white blackberry flowers.

Chuck,

The spring brood has, as usual, been abundant here in the mountains of eastern TN and southwest VA. The little light-colored spring ones are always the biggest flight, with few of the darker, longer-tailed 2nd brood showing themselves. And the late summer 3rd brood is the least common of all, sadly. They're big and impressive, a lot like the FL specimens in your photo.

I generally take the spring ones at mud puddles (not a lot of flowers out when they're freshly flying), but the summer and late summer ones are usually seen at milkweed, buddleia, zinnias, etc. A milkweed along a dirt road hosting S. diana and E. marcellus together is a pretty sight!

jh

[Chuck]

I saw Papilio troilus, and undetermined thing like P tharos, and blues puddling, but in KY last week no marcellus puddling. In fact, I've never seen marcellus puddle. Interesting. I only brought two specimens back, I believe a pair, and the difference is interesting, one that is definitely female is larger, with apexed wings while the smaller has more rounded FW tips.

They're interesting in flight because they appear grey-ish white, rather nondescript. They're surprisingly tough to spot on the white flowers.

[eurytides]

Just wondering if we will see some here in southern Ontario this summer. I have never seen one yet.

Last record was a male seen and photographed at Long Point in 2016. There’s also a 2012 record from Point Pelee. We see one in ON every few years.

[58chevy]

The dark Florida specimens look very similar to E. philolaus, a Mexican species that strays into the Lower Rio Grande Valley of TX.