Battus philenor

Share the gems of your insect collection with the InsectNet community
Post Reply
User avatar
daveuk
Premium Member - 2024
Premium Member - 2024
Reactions:
Posts: 887
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 8:08 pm
Wales

Battus philenor

Post by daveuk »

Pair from Georgia. Upperside & underside & u/s with data
Attachments
Screenshot_20230317_192710_Gallery.jpg
Screenshot_20230317_192710_Gallery.jpg (578.45 KiB) Viewed 1178 times
Screenshot_20230317_192721_Gallery.jpg
Screenshot_20230317_192721_Gallery.jpg (586.93 KiB) Viewed 1178 times
Screenshot_20230317_192735_Gallery.jpg
Screenshot_20230317_192735_Gallery.jpg (281.09 KiB) Viewed 1178 times
User avatar
livingplanet3
Premium Member - 2024
Premium Member - 2024
Reactions:
Posts: 584
Joined: Tue May 24, 2022 4:55 pm
United States of America

Re: Battus philenor

Post by livingplanet3 »

daveuk wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 10:59 pm Pair from Georgia. Upperside & underside & u/s with data...
I saw a large, freshly emerged specimen of B. philenor in my backyard this afternoon. It's one of the first swallowtails I see every year, and is probably the most common one here, perhaps even more so than P. polyxenes. I live in a heavily wooded area, and there is plenty of philenor's host plant, Aristolochia. In my opinion, this is the most beautiful of the Battus species. The hindwings of many males are an amazing shade of deep, metallic blue. The verso is also spectacular.
eurytides
Meek
Meek
Reactions:
Posts: 196
Joined: Tue May 24, 2022 1:36 am
Canada

Re: Battus philenor

Post by eurytides »

I have enjoyed raising this species in the past. I wrote a monograph for the Toronto Ento Association about a decade ago.

https://www.ontarioinsects.org/publicat ... owtail.pdf
User avatar
58chevy
Meek
Meek
Reactions:
Posts: 376
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 5:58 pm
Location: Houston, TX USA
United States of America

Re: Battus philenor

Post by 58chevy »

I have never considered mounting this species upside down, but I plan to do so after seeing DaveUK's specimens.
User avatar
livingplanet3
Premium Member - 2024
Premium Member - 2024
Reactions:
Posts: 584
Joined: Tue May 24, 2022 4:55 pm
United States of America

Re: Battus philenor

Post by livingplanet3 »

Some nice photos of live specimens illustrating the iridescent blue coloration of this species, which is amazing to see in bright sunlight -

Image

Image

Image

Image
Chuck
Premium Member - 2024
Premium Member - 2024
Reactions:
Posts: 885
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 2:30 pm
Solomon Islands

Re: Battus philenor

Post by Chuck »

eurytides wrote: Mon Mar 20, 2023 11:18 pm I have enjoyed raising this species in the past. I wrote a monograph for the Toronto Ento Association about a decade ago.

https://www.ontarioinsects.org/publicat ... owtail.pdf
I've never read that paper. So wonderfully written, you're a man of many talents. Thanks for sharing the link.
Chuck
Premium Member - 2024
Premium Member - 2024
Reactions:
Posts: 885
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 2:30 pm
Solomon Islands

Re: Battus philenor

Post by Chuck »

To add: B philenor is probably the first Paplio to emerge in "spring" in Florida. Where one can find pink ground flowers there may be philenor. So for those escaping winter to Florida, keep your eye out.
eurytides
Meek
Meek
Reactions:
Posts: 196
Joined: Tue May 24, 2022 1:36 am
Canada

Re: Battus philenor

Post by eurytides »

Chuck wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2023 11:35 am
eurytides wrote: Mon Mar 20, 2023 11:18 pm I have enjoyed raising this species in the past. I wrote a monograph for the Toronto Ento Association about a decade ago.

https://www.ontarioinsects.org/publicat ... owtail.pdf
I've never read that paper. So wonderfully written, you're a man of many talents. Thanks for sharing the link.
You are too kind Chuck. I am glad you enjoyed reading it. I was told by one of the reviewers this was the most detailed discussion of philenor they have ever read.
User avatar
Trehopr1
Global Moderators
Global Moderators
Reactions:
Posts: 982
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2022 1:48 am
United States of America

Re: Battus philenor

Post by Trehopr1 »

This lovely butterfly is one I have posted about before in the past.
My discussion was more focused on the 2 color forms which the
males exhibit.

Below, are the two forms with the top one appearing as a "shimmering"
blue whilst the lower one is more of a "gun metal" bluish-green color.
These are NOT a play on light or camera angle !

They are as they appear in my photo.

Image
eurytides
Meek
Meek
Reactions:
Posts: 196
Joined: Tue May 24, 2022 1:36 am
Canada

Re: Battus philenor

Post by eurytides »

The nanoscale structures on the scales will have some variation, just like everything else. If the structures are off by a few 10s of nanometers, you will see a slightly different color (caused by interference of light rather than reflection or absorption).
Last edited by eurytides on Tue Mar 21, 2023 9:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Trehopr1
Global Moderators
Global Moderators
Reactions:
Posts: 982
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2022 1:48 am
United States of America

Re: Battus philenor

Post by Trehopr1 »

Thank you eurytides for that explanation.
I never really gave it much thought; I only noticed
that some males were "somewhat" diffrent looking
than the greater number that I have encountered.
eurytides
Meek
Meek
Reactions:
Posts: 196
Joined: Tue May 24, 2022 1:36 am
Canada

Re: Battus philenor

Post by eurytides »

Trehopr1 wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2023 8:55 pm Thank you eurytides for that explanation.
I never really gave it much thought; I only noticed
that some males were "somewhat" diffrent looking
than the greater number that I have encountered.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Cha ... _282774792
Post Reply

Create an account or sign in to join the discussion

You need to be a member in order to post a reply

Create an account

Not a member? register to join our community
Members can start their own topics & subscribe to topics
It’s free and only takes a minute

Register

Sign in