In late June and early July, wildflowers produce a myriad of blooms and
butterflies take full advantage of the availability of nectar. We have planted
a series of polllinator fields and the most recently planted, in 2012, is now a
mass of flowers. This photo shows blooms of purple cone flower, wild bergamot,
ox eye sunflower and common milkweed. On warm sunny days butterflies and bees
swarm around the flowers collecting nectar and pollen.
The sulphurs are one of my favorite groups of butterflies because of their
bright yellow colors. But separating the species can be confusing to the novice
watcher. This gorgeous sleepy orange is drinking from a purple cone flower
which has a head made up of many tiny flowers, characteristic of the aster or
composite family. It is called "sleepy" since the circular eye-like marks on
the wings of similar species, such as clouded and orange sulphurs, are lacking.
The tiny male pearl crescent is less showy than some species, but has a subtle
beauty when viewed up close. A wood nymph shown on a purple cone flower is
cryptically colored except for a series of small eye spots on the hind wing and
a light patch on the forewing with additional eye spots.
At our intermediate elevation in the Blue Ridge of Virginia the great spangled
fritillary is one of the most common large butterflies in fields, with wings
showing a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns, with a wide pale band across the
outer margins of both wings when they are closed. Yet mixed in with these is a
occasional aphrodite fritillary, more typical of higher elevations, with a much
narrower marginal pale band and an extra dark spot on the inner forewing. These
are classic sibling species in the same genus that are distinct but barely so,
illustrating how evolution can proceed by gradual separation of forms with
slightly different habits.
Although butterflies are generally the more flamboyant of the Lepidoptera with
many moths having rather somber hues (the better for camouflage), I came across
two moths recently that do not fit this pattern. The Io moth is inconspicuous
when its wings are folded (this illustrated female is reddish while the males
are yellowish), but when the wings are opened in response to disturbance, a
pair of remarkable eye spots is revealed. These appear to function as a bluff
to scare away predatory birds. The smaller black and yellow lichen moth uses
another tactic of bluffing by its resemblance to the poisonous net wing beetle,
which advertises its toxicity by a bright color.
Butterflies and moths are truly spectacular and cannot fail to astonish you
with their fantastic colors and forms. See what you can do with your yard to
make it more butterfly friendly for larvae and adults and you will be thrilled
by these "flying flowers."
Bill Dunson
Galax, VA and Englewood, FL
http://lemonbayconservancy.org/news-blog/nature-notes-by-bill-dunson/
http://pieenvironmental.blogspot.com/
http://www.galaxgazette.com/blogs
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Wildflower field at farm 7.1.15 Bill Dunson IMG_7683 aa.jpg
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Sleepy orange on echinacea farm 7.1.15 Bill Dunson IMG_7702 aa.jpg
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Pearl crescent male farm 7.1.15 Bill Dunson IMG_7716 aa.jpg
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Wood nymph farm 7.1.15 Bill Dunson IMG_7729 aa.jpg
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Aphrodite fritillary farm 6.11.15 Bill Dunson IMG_7291 bb.jpg
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Great spangled fritillary on echinacea side view outside farm 6.13.15 Bill Dunson IMG_7324 aa.jpg
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Io moth fermale farm 6.18.15 Bill Dunson IMG_7490 bb.jpg
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Io moth female farm 6.18.15 Bill Dunson IMG_7494 aa.jpg
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Lichen moth black and yellow VA farm 6.2.15 Bill Dunson IMG_7108 aa.jpg
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