Stopping for a sip

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This lovely Spicebush Swallowtail stopped by the gardens to visit the apparently tasty lantana flowers.

While working outside in the gardens this week I have also seen literally hundreds of Gulf Fritillary butterflies, a handful of Zebra Longwings, dozens of Cloudless Sulphurs and Orange Barred Sulphurs and lots of skipper that I have not had time to identify. A few other species I have noted in the past few days: Sleepy Orange, Phaon Crescent, Long Tailed Skipper, Ceranus Blue, Pipevine Swallowtail, Tiger Swallowtail and White Peacocks.

Inside the Flight Encounter the Zebra Longwings, Monarchs, Long Tailed Skipper, and Polydamas Swallowtails are laying eggs like it is going out of style. Also, the Cloudless Sulphurs, Orange Barred Sulphurs, and Sleepy Orange butterflies are laying eggs all over the cassia plants.

What butterflies are you seeing this fall?

Florida Viceroy

One of seven recognized subspecies of the Viceroy Butterfly, the Florida Viceroy (Limenitis archippus floridensis) is a brush footed butterfly found throughout the state of Florida and in portions of Georgia. The adult Florida Viceroy butterfly is most often spotted near wetlands which contain concentrations of their larval host plant Willow (Salix).

The Viceroy butterfly is a Mullerian co-mimic of the Danaides milkweed butterflies. Whereas the milkweed butterflies sequester toxins from their milk sap host plant Milkweed, the Viceroy butterfly sequesters salicylic acid from its host which makes the Viceroy distasteful to predators. By each resembling the other the Viceroy butterflies and the Danaides species help to reinforce their coloration and patterns as toxic to predators, helping all species in the mimicry complex gain more protection.

The Florida Viceroy butterfly lays eggs singly on the ends of willow leaves and the caterpillar hatches in about five days. The larvae are cryptically colored in brown, grey and cream which helps them to be camouflaged against the bark of their host. The larva and pupa of the Viceroy butterfly both resemble bird droppings which helps to make them seem a little less tasty to avian predators.

What’s in a name?: Limenitis is New Latin for “of harbors” and derives from an ancient Greek term for haven or harbor. Archippus is Greek for "master of the horse" and is the name of a 1st century Christian saint and the first bishop of Laodicea in Phrygia (modern Turkey).

The species was first described by Dutch entomologist Pieter Cramer (1721-1776) in 1776. Cramer and entomologist Caspar Stoll (1730?-1791) published a 33 issue work entitles De Uitlandsche Kapellen which featured 1658 butterfly species and 396 illustrated plates. Most of De Uitlandsche Kapellen was published after Cramer’s death in 1776.

Viceroy butterfly photo credit: Bob Peterson- Limenitis archippus floridensis on willow. Juno Dunes Natural Area, Palm Beach County.

White Peacocks and an Explorer Scientist

They have finally returned! I posted back in August about the complete absence of a normally common butterfly: The White Peacock. Normally common on the MOSI campus, this species had been unobserved here this season after the dramatic cold of last winter. As of this week, they have returned. Two individuals were spotted in the MOSI gardens this week so we are hopeful that a resident population will be soon to follow.

Found throughout the Southern United States, the White Peacock Butterfly (Anartia jatrophaeis) a fast and erratic flying tropical butterfly. Adults of this species can often be found in open weedy areas, especially those near to retention ponds or waterways where the host plants become abundant. It is not uncommon to find small populations of this butterfly cruising the margins of a pond, all quite happy to live their whole life cycle out around that singular source of water and larval food. Males are very territorial and will fly off any intruders that happen into their several square feet of territory.

Females deposit their tiny green eggs on the undersides of larval hosts like Water Hyssop (Bacopa monnieri). The caterpillars are a dark charcoal grey to black in color with tiny dots of silvery white and are covered in branching spines. When threatened by a predator (or a keeper trying to move them to fresh food) the caterpillars arch sharply backward and often throw themselves from their host plant. If they land on muddy ground they are nearly impossible to see. If they land on water the branching spines on the larvae help them to float. The caterpillars will ride along the surface of the water until they can climb out on a bit of plant or at the water's edge.

The chrysalis are either bright green or black in color and blend almost perfectly into their surroundings. The pupae are sometimes made very close to the ground so at the adult butterflies emerge they may have to climb to a higher vantage point to begin pumping fluids through the veins in their wings, bringing their wings to full size.

A little history and and incredible scientist: The species was first described in 1763 by Carl Linnaeus as Papilio jatrophae. Linnaeus cites a 1705 illustration by Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717) of the various life stages of the species. Maria Sibylla was a German scientific illustrator and naturalist who directly observed the lives of insects and gathered evidence to contradict the popular ‘modern’ theory that insects were “born of mud” through spontaneous genesis. Through observation and careful recording of data, Maria Sibylla helped people to understand the process of metamorphosis.

Maria Sibylla traveled to Suriname in 1699 to collect insects and some of her engravings can be seen here. Her scientific endeavors and travels in South America were sponsored by the city of Amsterdam in which her scientific observations had gained her much renown. After two years of travels, Maria Sibylla was forced to return to Amsterdam due to malaria. Her observations and engravings from Suriname were published in Metamorphosis insectorum surinamensium (Transformations of the insects of Surinam). The White Peacock butterfly is resident in sub-tropical North America but can also be found throughout Central and portions of South America.

Now blooming: Common Wireweed

Common Wireweed (Sida acuta) is a common wildflower that can be found blooming just about everywhere at this time of year. Wireweed is in the mallow family (Malvaceae) and may have originated in Central America but it is now spread throughout the tropics and can be considered a weed in some places. The genus Sida contains over 150 species and it is speculated that more than 200 species may exist.

An excellent nectar plant for small butterflies, patches of Wireweed tend to be buzzing with pollinators and small butterflies. In the past few weeks I have observed a few species of Checkerspots, well over a dozen species of Skippers and many other tiny butterflies frequenting patches of these flowers in bloom.

What’s in a name?: The genus name Sida was adapted by Carl Linnaeus from Side, the ancient Greek name for the waterlily (Nymphaea alba L.). The waterlily and pomegranate tree were both given names containing the root Side by Theophrastus, the Father of Botany. Theophrastus (371 – c. 287 BC) was a Greek scholar who wrote two important botanical treatises including the 10 book Enquiry into Plants and the 8 volume On the Causes of Plants. These books contain many important observations on the growth and properties of plants and are considered among the most important studies of flora from antiquity.

A Tale of Two Tails

This tiny caterpillar was found amidst a collection of willow leaves gathered to feed some Viceroy caterpillars. The twin-tailed larvae is a Black-etched Prominent Moth (Cerura scitiscripta) and the tails are not just for show. When disturbed the caterpillar can flail the tails over its body to scare off predators. This species is also reported to be able to spit acid.

These moths are found from Florida west to Texas and north into Canada. Larvae host on willow, poplar and cherry. Adult moths are mostly white with some black marking on the upper wings and have a wingspan of 25-40 mm with females being much larger than males.

A Touch of Autumn

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Here in Florida the signs of Autumn are more subtle than in other areas of North America. With fewer species of deciduous trees and shrubs you have to look closer to find Fall.

A yellow Sweetgum leaf, a red blush on Virginia Creeper foliage, a riot of purple berries on a branch of Beauty Berry or a mulch of acorns strewn through the yard are the visual cues that accompany cooler temperatures and shorter days. Autumn is creeping in so in closing I would share a favorite poem about this golden time of year.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Robert Frost 1923

Spicebush Swallowtail

The Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) is a remarkable butterfly at every stage of the game. The adult butterfly is quite large with a wingspan of three to four inches across.

This species displays sexual dimorphism which means that males and females have different coloration. Males have hind wings with a pale green to yellow coloration. Females display a blue iridescent coloration which imitates the distasteful Pipevine Swallowtail as part of the Swallowtail mimicry complex. In the photograph above a female Spicebush Swallowtail is nectaring on plumbago while and interested male suitor attempts to gain her attention.

Pearly white spherical eggs are laid singly on the undersides of new growth of host plants. Larva host on Spicebush, sassafras, tulip tree, sweetbay magnolia, camphor , and redbay where caterpillars create leaf shelters and use them to hide from predators. Larvae start off brown in color but molt to a brilliant green. Late instar caterpillars appear a bright orange or yellow in color as they prepare to pupate. Chrysalis can be either green or brown in color.

What’s in a name?: In Greek mythology Troilus was the beautiful son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy. Some stories include Troilus and his sister Polyxena being set upon by Achilles while watering their horses. In this version of the tale Troilus seeks sanctuary in a temple of Apollo but Achilles catches up to the boy and murders him at the alter. Other tales from mythology depict Troilus in unequal combat with Achilles who prevails in the battle. Troilus and his love for Cressida are subjects of plays by Chaucer and Shakespeare.

Palamedes Swallowtail

The Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes) is a sizable butterfly with a wingspan of 4.5 to just over 5 inches.

The male Palamedes Swallowtails has a broad yellow postmedial band and a yellow sub-marginal band. The female of the species has a narrower band with spots of blue which imitates the distasteful Pipevine Swallowtail as part of the Swallowtail mimicry complex. The butterfly shown pictured is female and the blue spots on the lower wing are clearly visible.

Palamedes larvae host on Red Bay, Swamp Bay and White Sassafras. The caterpillars look very similar to those of the Spicebush Swallowtail with large eyespots near their heads and brilliant green coloration in their later instars. The two species are difficult to tell apart as larvae but side by side the Spicebush larvae have larger eyespots than Palamedes caterpillars. Also, I have noted in the lab that Palamedes are a lot less likely to roll leaves and create leaf shelters than Spicebush Swallowtails.

The chrysalis of the Palamedes Swallowtail is a lovely green color with a lateral white stripe that runs down the side of the pupa. This species can overwinter in the pupa and usually has 2-3 broods per year. The Palamedes Swallowtail is found in coastal states from Virginia south to Florida and West to Texas.

The species was first described by British Entomologist Dru Drury in 1773. Drury collected some 11,000 specimins during his lifetime and also published his three volume Illustrations of Natural History which contained some 240 illustrations of insects.

What’s in a name?: In Greek mythology Palamedes was the son of Nauplius and the grandson of Posidon and Amymone, one of the Danaids. Palamedes was a clever man who was said to have invented dice and several letters of the Greek alphabet however his cleverness proved to be his undoing when he made himself and enemy of Odysseus. The great hero Odysseus attempted to avoid sailing for the Trojan war by feigning madness but Palamedes revealed the ruse. Palamedes was said to have been framed for treason by Odysseus and executed for his betrayal.

Photo Credit: Palamedes Swallowtail butterfly photo provided by Bob Peterson for which I am fiercely grateful. I once chased a Palamedes Swallowtail in an attempt to get a good picture, tripped over a root and managed to get a blurry picture of foliage and dirt and a banged up knee. Thanks for saving me from that likely fate again.

Blog Milestone: This is the 300th post on this blog of butterflies, butterfly plants, Florida gardening and botanical information. I hope to provide another 300 posts over the coming years and continue to provide interesting information and answers to questions on all butterfly related topics. As always, if you would like a question answered or addressed as a blog post then please drop me a line at kristeng@mosi.org. Cheers and happy butterflying.

Pipevine Swallowtail Larvae

As a follow-up from yesterday I snapped this picture of a late instar Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) larvae. This glossy black caterpillar is at most a few days away from becoming a chrysalis.

With their long black tubercles these caterpillars look positively alien to me. When reared outside, this caterpillar can have a reddish coloration, perhaps from exposure to UV light. Much like the Polydamas Swallowtail larvae these two color forms can look startlingly different from each other.

What’s in a Name?: The genus Battus is named for the Greek shepherd of Pylos who witnessed Hermes stealing cattle and promised to remain silent about the theft. Battus did not keep his promise and was transformed into a creature as silent as a stone. Also of the same name, King Battus of Cyrene (the Greek colony located in the modern area of Libya) founded the Battiad dynasty that rules for eight generations.

King Battus was the first Greek king in North Africa and was known for his pronounced stutter. Battology is the medical discipline dealing with stuttering.

The species epithet philenor (Greek φιληνωρ) literally means "fond of men" or "loving one's husband". What this term has to do with butterflies or this species was not explained by Carl Linnaeus who described the Pipevine Swallowtail in 1771.

Pipevine Swallowtail

Pipevine Swallowtails (Battus philenor) are one of the most distinctive and commented upon butterflies that can be found in the Tampa Bay area.

Eggs of Pipevine Swallowtails are laid in clusters and are reddish-orange in color as opposed to the yellow-green clusters of eggs laid by the Polydamas Swallowtail. Larvae feed on Pipevines (Aristolochia species), including Virginia Snakeroot (Aristolochia serpentaria). Unlike the Polydamas Swallowtail (Battus polydamas) these caterpillars are unable to consume several species of ornamental Pipevines that are commonly sold in garden centers. Adult butterflies can be confused easily and will still lay eggs on Pipevines that their larvae cannot consume.

These caterpillars can tolerate eating a non-native species of Pipevine that can sometimes be found at specialty plant sales. Trilobed Pipevine (Aristolochia trilobata) is native to Belize and other neighboring areas of South America and is also known as Calico Vine or Bejuco de Santiago.

The slow and small growing nature of Virginia Snakeroot means these larvae need some walking prowess. When a caterpillar finishes a stem of Virginia Snakeroot it must go forth on foot to find new food sources. When the larvae are in a hurry, they can move very quickly. As they walk they tap their long tubercles (kind of a fleshy antennae) in front of them a bit like a cane being used by a blind person. Caterpillars have simple eyes that can perceive light and shadow but they don’t seem much of an image. Perhaps these tubercles help them to feel their way along. I recently added a video on the Lepcurious YouTube channel of these caterpillars speeding on the lab table. You can check out the turbo caterpillars at this link.

Pipevine Swallowtail larvae and adults take in the aristolochic acids in the leaves of their host plants and become distasteful to predators. Because of these acids, Pipevine Swallowtails are often avoided by predators and may be a Batesian model in the Swallowtail mimicry complex in some parts of their range. This means that other species mimic the look of the distasteful Pipevine Swallowtail to gain protection from predators by looking like something known to be distasteful.

The male adult butterfly has beautifully iridescent blue lower wings and also has blue patches on the underside of the lower wing with 7 round orange spots at the wing edge. The female Pipevine Swallowtail has a much deeper blue coloration and appears to be almost entirely black on the upper-side of the wing with a row of white dots on the edge of the hind wing.

Dainty Sulphur

Another of the tiny butterflies found roaming the low growing flowers of grassy areas is the Dainty Sulphur (Nathalis iole). These tiny butterflies are fast moving and tend to fly within just a few inches of the ground.

This butterfly is the smallest member of the pierid family of whites and sulphurs. The appearance of the Dainty Sulphur is highly variable with some individuals being almost white in color and winter form butterflies often sowing a much brighter yellow color.

Dainty Sulphurs host on beggars ticks (Bidens ssp.) such as Spanish needles (Bidens alba), common chickweed (Stellaria media), Indian Chickweed (Mollugo verticillata)and a few other species of plants. These butterflies are a very common sight in almost all of Peninsular Florida.

Although considered a native Florida species, early collections of butterflies from the state lack specimens of the Dainty Sulphur and show that this species may have migrated into peninsular Florida sometimes around the 1920’s. For more on this topic check out this article: Nathalis iole (Pieridae) in the Southeastern United States and the Bahamas by Harry Clench from the Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society Volume 30, Number 2