Polygonia interrogationis

[eurytides]

Not rare in my area, but also not usually seen in large numbers. I caught a female nectaring in my yard and sleeved it over nettle. She laid eggs on both the plant and sleeve. I was able to raise a series of 8 individuals. Males on the left and females on the right, all ex pupa.

[Chuck]

These are one of the first butterflies seen in spring, after overwintering as adults. They are extremely wary that time of year!

And since birds like them, they're often missing large sections of wing, so the depicted specimens are wonderful. Strange that the depth of the blue in the tails doesn't really show in photographs.

[eurytides]

I am not sure if it’s lightning, resolution, or both. When I emailed the iPhone picture to myself, I had the option of sending the file as small, medium, or large and the largest file I could save but still upload is just over 100kb…so, not great.

[Trehopr1]

Wonderful specimens again !

Well done...

Have you managed to get any of the winter form ?
This is the one which emerges in the late summer or early fall and overwinters as an adult.

The black of the hind wings is non-existent except, for some black spots with extensive orange replacing the black coloration of the summer form. The Violet coloration outlining the hindwings is also more extensive and tends to be brighter than that of the summer form.

Hence, for a time in older literature it was commonly called the Violet-tip.

I have always had a much harder time encountering the winter form as opposed to the summer form of this butterfly !

[eurytides]

These eggs were laid in summer and this should have been the winter generation. However, when raised indoors, I think the temperature and light still resulted in the summer form.

[mothman55]

I get the fall form on my catocala bait along with comma and Comptons./Users/haldonly/Desktop/PXL_20221118_193829583.MP.jpg

[mothman55]

PXL_20221118_193829583.MP.jpg (398.7 KiB) Viewed 349 times

[Trehopr1]

Oh yeah !

Now that's what I'm talking about. That's the real deal; the BEST of the forms to catch !

I envy you having so many because I've only got 2 to my name but, if I desired I could have probably filled a drawer
(stacked) by now with the summer form.

Location, location, location....

[Trehopr1]

Of particular note is how extensive the violet edging is in the winter form. Not only does it cover most or all of the hindwings but, it covers much or even all of the forewing edging (on some specimens).

Really, just one of the best butterflies to be had in North America.

[daveuk]

I have these pairs of both forms from Canada. I particularly like the violet wing edges of this species.