Speyeria diana

[daveuk]

Thought I would start a separate thread for this one.
Three of my pairs with data. Largest pair in top photograph. It looks like the females abdomen has greased up. Loathe to try & fix that without damaging a really great specimen. I have a couple more males in my collection.
A truly magnificent species.

[Trehopr1]

What a fine selection of specimens you have indeed acquired !

It remains one of the top 2 best species of Speyeria here in the eastern half of the US (along with S idalia). At least, these are the two (most often) mentioned species when collectors discuss "greatness".

I would leave that first (really great) female alone because you know this species (and in particular) the females of it are well known as greasers. I have seen a fair number of them in collections bearing greasy abdomens. It seems as though something like 60 or 70% of the time the abdomens on these grease up !

It's the beauty of the species overall which matters most. I think it's quite easy to overlook a greasy abdomen (on these) since the butterfly itself is largely a dark butterfly.

That's a much harder thing to do with a species such as O. victoria's (male) where an oftentimes greasy abdomen can be a real annoyance on that really outstanding species.

Female Diana's are especially desired even here by collectors and a minimum of $75 - $100 per A1 specimen is not at all unusual to pay for one. The very few dealers we have here that get them don't find them easy to come by because most collectors really covet the specimens they capture.

Well done....

[daveuk]

What a fine selection of specimens you have indeed acquired !

It remains one of the top 2 best species of Speyeria here in the eastern half of the US (along with S idalia). At least, these are the two (most often) mentioned species when collectors discuss "greatness".

I would leave that first (really great) female alone because you know this species (and in particular) the females of it are well known as greasers. I have seen a fair number of them in collections bearing greasy abdomens. It seems as though something like 60 or 70% of the time the abdomens on these grease up !

It's the beauty of the species overall which matters most. I think it's quite easy to overlook a greasy abdomen (on these) since the butterfly itself is largely a dark butterfly.

That's a much harder thing to do with a species such as O. victoria's (male) where an oftentimes greasy abdomen can be a real annoyance on that really outstanding species.

Female Diana's are especially desired even here by collectors and a minimum of $75 - $100 per A1 specimen is not at all unusual to pay for one. The very few dealers we have here that get them don't find them easy to come by because most collectors really covet the specimens they capture.

Well done....

Thanks Trehopr. I will take your advice & leave my best female alone. Will keep an eye on it too.
Some of our larger British Fritillaries are prone to greasing up in exactly the same way. Though we have nothing anywhere near as large or spectacular as S diana here of course.

[boghaunter1]

Beautiful specimens perfectly mounted... congrats! Sadly I actually don't have any S. diana in my collection. I quit exchanging butterflies/insects with U.S. collectors 20-25 years ago due to a sudden period of stringent wildlife law enforcement....don't know how it is today...

John K.

[daveuk]

Beautiful specimens perfectly mounted... congrats! Sadly I actually don't have any S. diana in my collection. I quit exchanging butterflies/insects with U.S. collectors 20-25 years ago due to a sudden period of stringent wildlife law enforcement....don't know how it is today...

John K.

Thanks John.
Sorry to hear you don't have S diana. Hope one day that's rectified.
Since Brexit I have noticed the cost of importing butterflies has increased here in the U.K.. There is a 20% Value Added Tax on everything imported now. Also some European countries I used to get birdwings from no longer export Cities 2 species to the U.K.
Very glad I got the Cities 2 specimens I have in my collection when it was much easier & cheaper to import them.