InsectNet forum

This female was sold to me by Chuck Ianni a few years ago as a female P erskinei. I am not sure this is correct. Possibly a female P bridgei michae?
Sadly missing part of an antennae when I got it.

Maramasike Island (note spelling) is immediately south of Malaita, too far north for P. erskinei which is found on San Cristobal and Ugi. This is probably a female of P. bridgei michae.

Adam.

Adam is correct.

Below: Papilio erskinei are the bottom two, right most row. Papilio bridgei michae is the middle row, second from top. P erskinei is unique with the red spots; none of the Papilio bridgei ssp have red spots.

adamcotton wrote: Thu Aug 25, 2022 8:21 am Maramasike Island (note spelling) is immediately south of Malaita, too far north for P. erskinei which is found on San Cristobal and Ugi. This is probably a female of P. bridgei michae.

Adam.

Thanks Adam.

Chuck wrote: Thu Aug 25, 2022 12:11 pm Adam is correct.

Below: Papilio erskinei are the bottom two, right most row. Papilio bridgei michae is the middle row, second from top. P erskinei is unique with the red spots; none of the Papilio bridgei ssp have red spots.

Thanks Chuck

Roxley Tara, a name some may recognize, is from Makira (San Chrisobal). He occasionally had Papilio erskenei. Some years ago he became provincial minister, maybe he still is, so I don't know if he's still in the butterfly trade.

That's a very impressive drawer Chuck !

Are those all personally collected ?

That exceptionally large (male) at the top of column 2 is a "horse" of a specimen....

Is that P. bridgei michae or something else as I am unfamiliar with all of these.

I did not catch the erskinei, nor the Pb michae.

Though I've been to Makira twice, I never once saw erskinei. Which is odd, as both bridgei and woodfordi are fairly common elsewhere in secondary growth.

But, keeping in mind, there like here can change species significantly over a period of two weeks. One wouldn't expect that in the tropics, but it is indeed the case. That said, those same periods I was on Makira were the same I was on other islands, and found bridgei, so beats me. I also found very few fuscus on Makira, whereas on Guadalcanal they are in every garden.

I'd have to pull "the horse" out and look at the label to see what it is. I guess I never noticed the size. This group expanded to two drawers, as nobody wanted the papered specimens I had, so after 20 years I set them. In doing so, I found a third erskinei, and a female at that, which was a real delight.