Agrias butterflies

[livingplanet3]

A. phalcidon excelsior fm. "paradoxa" - female - dorsal...

Do you own most of these Agrias specimens that you've posted? If so - WOW!

[daveuk]

A. b. beautifica - male - Ecuador (very variable sp.)

John K.

One of my two males from Ecuador. My other male has red replacing the orange on the U/S. Have not got a female. Looking at your picture very sad I haven't. Wow !!

[boghaunter1]

Hi livingplanet3..

I Wish!... Sadly NOoooo... as mentioned before elsewhere, these are all specimens I found, for sale, on an older, long lost, external hard drive (from downloaded online photos of misc. dealers offerings). Over the years I gleaned the most stunning images off the internet & these are all part of my personal "digital" photo collection. All of these were very expensive & beautiful specimens that were, no doubt, quickly grabbed up by well heeled collectors who sadly squirreled them away... never to be seen again by regular collectors/people... I don't think a very small group of rich, elite collectors should deprive regular people from seeing some of the most beautiful butterflies in the world.

To repeat... I am posting these photos under "fair use" online policy for educational/entertainment purposes ONLY. I am in no way making any money (commercial business) by selling these photos... I simply want others to see gorgeous butterflies that the majority of us regular collectors will never be able to attain.

John K.

[livingplanet3]

another A. sahlkei...

I find these specimens especially stunning! I'm not sure if I'll ever own such; they likely command too high a price.

[wollastoni]

A. phalcidon excelsior fm. "paradoxa" - female - dorsal


Agrias phalcidon excelsior fm. paradoxa, dorsal, female, Brazil.jpg


A. phalcidon excelsior fm. "paradoxa" - female - ventral


Agrias phalcidon excelsior fm. paradoxa, ventral, Brazil.jpg


John K.

Dear John, this splendid (and rare) specimen is not a form paradoxa, but a form jupiter.
If you need Floquet's paper about Agrias phalcidon excelsior forms, let me know.

[boghaunter1]

Hi Wollastoni,

The data included with the above specimens of A. phalcidon excelsior fm, "paradoxa" was the data provided from the original online seller of those truly splendid specimens... it was not my determination. Thank you for the correction & info offer. What I would really like are to get copies of Floquet's? 2 Agrias books? I tried to locate copies when they 1st came out, with no success. Weren't they privately printed in quite limited numbers...can't recall?

John K.

[Trehopr1]

A very recent and pleasing acquisition to my Agrias
holdings is this Agrias beata (female) from Peru. It
was collected in November of 2020.

This is a species which I have always desired. As has
been mentioned by others it remains a species with
a lot of variable colors. Sometimes, more blue (here
or there) other times more green or bolder margins.
It is more common to see (males) than females in
collections and this one remains quite well known and
is "a step-up" species (pricewise/availability) from the
more commonly seen/encountered Agrias lugens.



It is only now in my early sixties that I can manage (afford)
an Agrias (here & there) for my personal delight in my
collection. Just wasn't possible earlier with kids growing
up and modest paying jobs....

I suppose that I'm a (novice) in the ownership of Agrias
as my specimens only number 10 but, each one is a true
delight to see whenever I'm looking through my collection.

[livingplanet3]

A very recent and pleasing acquisition to my Agrias
holdings is this Agrias beata (female) from Peru. It
was collected in November of 2020.

This is a species which I have always desired. As has
been mentioned by others it remains a species with
a lot of variable colors. Sometimes, more blue (here
or there) other times more green or bolder margins.
It is more common to see (males) than females in
collections and this one remains quite well known and
is "a step-up" species (pricewise/availability) from the
more commonly seen/encountered Agrias lugens...

Very nice! As with other Agrias, the verso of beata is also quite striking (and variable, depending on the ssp.) -

...It is only now in my early sixties that I can manage (afford)
an Agrias (here & there) for my personal delight in my
collection. Just wasn't possible earlier with kids growing
up and modest paying jobs....

I suppose that I'm a (novice) in the ownership of Agrias
as my specimens only number 10 but, each one is a true
delight to see whenever I'm looking through my collection.

I gave Agrias little thought until quite recently, as for most of my years collecting, most were either unavailable to me and/or out of my price range (and indeed, many still are). But, it's easy to see why this group has long been so popular with collectors, with their vibrant colors and bold patterns. I'm sure that the "rareness" aspect of some species and forms has also been a draw for some collectors (the ones who can afford them, that is)!

[daveuk]

A very recent and pleasing acquisition to my Agrias
holdings is this Agrias beata (female) from Peru. It
was collected in November of 2020.

This is a species which I have always desired. As has
been mentioned by others it remains a species with
a lot of variable colors. Sometimes, more blue (here
or there) other times more green or bolder margins.
It is more common to see (males) than females in
collections and this one remains quite well known and
is "a step-up" species (pricewise/availability) from the
more commonly seen/encountered Agrias lugens

It is only now in my early sixties that I can manage (afford)
an Agrias (here & there) for my personal delight in my
collection. Just wasn't possible earlier with kids growing
up and modest paying jobs....

I suppose that I'm a (novice) in the ownership of Agrias
as my specimens only number 10 but, each one is a true
delight to see whenever I'm looking through my collection.

Very nice Trehopr. I am still missing a female of this species in my collection. I think to get a really representative collection of this genus you are going to need very deep pockets indeed. Most of the rarer species are way out of my price range. You mentioned lugens. Here are two nice Peruvian male forms from the 1990s in my collection.

[Trehopr1]

Those are two gorgeous examples Dave !

I have one of the same quality myself although, yours both have a bit more blue than mine.

I'm once saw a dealer at the Toronto Fair (when it was held years ago) and he had a whole series of these males for very affordable prices but, they were basically all A2's.

At least a beginning collector or someone with very limited funds or no specimens of Agrias (at all) had the opportunity to own this species.

[daveuk]

Those are two gorgeous examples Dave !

I have one of the same quality myself although, yours both have a bit more blue than mine.

I'm once saw a dealer at the Toronto Fair (when it was held years ago) and he had a whole series of these males for very affordable prices but, they were basically all A2's.

At least a beginning collector or someone with very limited funds or no specimens of Agrias (at all) had the opportunity to own this species.

Thank you Trehopr. I was lucky to get some very nice papered specimens of forms from Peru in the mid 1990s from a British dealer I have since sadly lost touch with.
To me this is one of the most beautiful of all the Agrias despite it being considerably commoner in collections than other species of this genus. Two more forms in my collection. Top one is sardanapalus & the bottom is my favourite form of the ones I got from this dealer. Form subdelormei with a blue stripe at the bottom of the forewing.

[Trehopr1]

Holy cow Dave, those are like "scale perfect" !!
I'm going to have to get an enlargement of that photo and post it in my office !

Simply outstanding....

[Trehopr1]

Here is my lone sardanapalus male which
I acquired only a scant 4 years ago.



It "boggles" the mind to think their are enthusiasts
out there with whole "series" of gems like this !

I mean (seriously) the cost involved, the connections
you need to have and the "aggressive" nature you must
possess to pursue a species with such dog-ged determination.

It's something.... Definitely on another "level" of serious-ness
beyond the "average joe" collector.

[daveuk]

Here is my lone sardanapalus male which
I acquired only a scant 4 years

It "boggles" the mind to think their are enthusiasts
out there with whole "series" of gems like this !

I mean (seriously) the cost involved, the connections
you need to have and the "aggressive" nature you must
possess to pursue a species with such dog-ged determination.

It's something.... Definitely on another "level" of serious-ness
beyond the "average joe" collector.

That's probably the best sardanapalus I have seen Trehopr. Beautiful & flawless specimen

[livingplanet3]

That's probably the best sardanapalus I have seen Trehopr. Beautiful & flawless specimen

Agreed - a very fine example!

[hewi]

another sardanapalus with blue inner margin.
one can well understand that BATES gave this butterfly the name sardanapalus

135644399_1.JPG (160.68 KiB) Viewed 5535 times

[Trehopr1]

Another very recent and pleasing acquisition to my
Agrias holdings is this male of Agrias narcissus. It is
through the kindness of our fellow forum member
(DaveUK) that this wonderful species can be shared
and appreciated by someone (me) not having one of
my own.



A recent "trade" with Dave for something I ran across
in an old collection meant we each had something that
we could share and enjoy and build a friendship on; beyond
our cyber-acquaintance.

Dave's generosity extended beyond my initial (one for one)
proposal by including additional papered leps and a few select
(set) leps (which he added to surprise me) ! His thoroughness
in keeping me updated in tracking my parcels progress was
VERY caring and AMAZING.

I've always desired this species (even if it meant only having
just one); its that spectacular.... Having first seen it in Smart's
book (full page spread); who wouldn't. It will always remain
a "very special" gem and a fine rememberance of a good person
that I have met along the path of this science and passion.

[daveuk]

Another very recent and pleasing acquisition to my
Agrias holdings is this male of Agrias narcissus. It is
through the kindness of our fellow forum member
(DaveUK) that this wonderful species can be shared
and appreciated by someone (me) not having one

A recent "trade" with Dave for something I ran across
in an old collection meant we each had something that
we could share and enjoy and build a friendship on; beyond
our cyber-acquaintance.

Dave's generosity extended beyond my initial (one for one)
proposal by including additional papered leps and a few select
(set) leps (which he added to surprise me) ! His thoroughness
in keeping me updated in tracking my parcels progress was
VERY caring and AMAZING.

I've always desired this species (even if it meant only having
just one); its that spectacular.... Having first seen it in Smart's
book (full page spread); who wouldn't. It will always remain
a "very special" gem and a fine rememberance of a good person
that I have met along the path of this science and passion.

You did a very good job of re-setting that specimen Trehopr.
Attached is the photo of it before I sent it to you. I was delighted with the trade you did me for this. A very rare female Stichophthalma nourmahal. Will post a picture of that specimen on the forum soon.Thanks for all those kind words.

[Chuck]

That's heartwarming to see regular members here helping each other.

And the re-set specimen is spectacular, nice job.

[wollastoni]

Long time I didn't post anything here.

A rare Agrias phalcidon fournierae form rebillardi. Even rarer than the typical rebillardi form, this is a bicolor form with purple below the red patch. There are few other bicolor rebillardi specimens known. The purple effect is due to a red suffusion mixed in the blue in these 2 cells.

phalcidon-fournierae-rebillardi-bicolor.jpg (215.07 KiB) Viewed 4793 times

From Maues Miri, Brazil.

More information about the wonderful Agrias phalcidon fournierae on the Agrias website : https://agrias-butterflies.com/agrias-p ... ournierae/