InsectNet forum

Pair from Georgia. Upperside & underside & u/s with data

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.

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 have never considered mounting this species upside down, but I plan to do so after seeing DaveUK's specimens.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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