More Spring Captures

[58chevy]

A Luna, A polyphemus, Paonias excaecatus, Smerinthus jamaicensis

[Chuck]

Very nice- and to think, we get the same species- but two months plus later.

[adamcotton]

Chuck,

This begs the rhetorical question whether they get MST down south before you do. I assume not.

Adam.

[boghaunter1]

Very NICE indeed 58chevy!..... We also get the same spp. (rarely the Luna... very localized) up here in NE, SK, Canada on average about 3 months later as well! Still snow on the ground here, but now entering another warm spell so could be an early, drier (perhaps drought) spring/summer. Thanks for posting.

John K.

[Chuck]

Chuck,

This begs the rhetorical question whether they get MST down south before you do. I assume not.

Adam.

Hi Adam,

I assume you mean "Mid Summer Tiger" Swallowtail.

There is no record of it in TX, nor anywhere near TX. Hybrids with canadensis, whether recombinant or casual, are restricted to a thin line in western Canada, Great Lakes to Atlantic shore, and down the Appalachian chain to VA. There is one hybrid record I know of from FL of which I'm suspect, but I've not taken the time to chase it down.

There do exist for glaucus two spikes/ groups, one far larger than the other (not ssp maynardi.) Coincidentally or not, a really nice, unique looking photo of glaucus from TX was posted last year. Starting with iNaturalist, it's clear that that morph in the photo isn't just a unique variation- I mapped it at least to eastern TX and forgot how far east. That's as far as I got. So I have no idea if there is any correlation, that's a project for someone else.

FWIW, maynardi too appears to venture far further west than recognized. Noting that only the southern most maynardi are considered pure, it's unclear the status of western maynardi, the level of hybridization, etc.

To me, the most frustrating issue is that there are now hundreds of frozen specimens, hundreds of thousands of set specimens, yet modern genetic testing isn't getting done. I suppose same could be said for Speyeria which are arguably more a conundrum.

[58chevy]

A few more: palamedes, glaucus, cresphontes, D rubicunda, P sennae, A nicippe

[livingplanet3]

A few more: palamedes, glaucus, cresphontes, D rubicunda, P sennae, A nicippe

I wish that palamedes ranged into North TX - such a spectacular and large swallowtail!

[58chevy]

P palamedes is the most common swallowtail in the Houston area. They are everywhere.

[Chuck]

For you guys in TX, Dryocampa kendalli was recently described. It's locally common around San Antonio / Bourne. It's flight period is now. Reportedly the larvae are easily found.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observation ... id=1497570

[58chevy]

D kendalli is on my radar. I plan to look for it soon.

[livingplanet3]

P palamedes is the most common swallowtail in the Houston area. They are everywhere.

In my area, Battus philenor is likely the most abundant swallowtail. P. cresphontes, glaucus, and polyxenes are also common, and are the only other species of swallowtails that I've ever seen here. I seem to be slightly too far west for P. troilus.