|
Post by Dan on Jul 8, 2007 16:36:50 GMT -5
I saw this beautiful butterfly on a recent trip to Navy Island. It was very tame and didn't mind me getting in real close for a snap shot. With the wind tossing the milkweed around so much, it took about twenty shots to get a good one. I believe it is a swallowtail or spicebush butterfly. It had one tail clipped off so this one will remain safe from the collectors Dan
|
|
|
Post by scoobydue4 on Jul 17, 2007 0:15:37 GMT -5
That's an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. Next time you run across milkweed, look for monarch caterpillars on it. Milkweed is the only host plant for them. If you look under the leaves you can actually find monarch eggs, and raise them! I have milkweed in my garden just for this reason. I find the eggs, remove the leaf that it is on, and put them in critter cages. You need plenty of fresh milkweed leaves to feed the caterpillars because they just pound them down. they are eating/pooping machines. After about two weeks, the caterpillar will pupate, and in about another two weeks the monarch will emerge for you to go nuts with your camera. Its a very easy way to get those butterfly close-ups.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Jul 17, 2007 6:55:50 GMT -5
I've been looking for 2 years and only found 1! and no camera that day.
|
|
|
Post by scoobydue4 on Jul 17, 2007 23:06:07 GMT -5
I got these Tiger Swallowtails sucking the nutrients out of the sand on a local beach, they will do this with dung too!
|
|
|
Post by scoobydue4 on Jul 19, 2007 12:02:47 GMT -5
Monarch Caterpillar Monarch egg Male Monarch Female Monarch You can tell the difference between the male and female by the scent glands the male has on the lower part of its wings. Also, the females black bars are thicker than the males
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Jul 19, 2007 20:46:25 GMT -5
Thanks Scooby I never knew that. I have found lots of milkweed but still no caterpillars. Too early still maybe.
|
|
|
Post by scoobydue4 on Jul 19, 2007 23:49:35 GMT -5
I went out on the hunt yesterday, I found nine eggs and one caterpillar! I have always found it to be easier to the find eggs than the caterpillars.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Aug 27, 2007 14:35:53 GMT -5
Got a few more while teaching my Son how to use the camera. The digital did well against the old 35mm.
|
|
|
Post by scoobydue4 on Aug 29, 2007 1:40:37 GMT -5
Did you remember to sex the monarch?
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Aug 29, 2007 12:58:17 GMT -5
I seem to have found myself photographing only females. They are not as wary and sit longer. The males not only fly before you get a good shot but I admit I'm guilty of picking my subjects over as the males don't stand out as much. I have taken your information and passed it around and it raises quite a bit of interest. Funny because the monarch is so common that people seem to ignore them but when you give them a tiny bit of info like the difference in the sexes, they take a good long look at the next one they see.
|
|