CLOSED: Butterflies

I went to the Butterfly Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, last week and was so busy taking pictures that I didn't get the names of any of these butterflies.

Can someone help me out?



This message was edited Aug 8, 2008 9:06 PM

I waited forever for one of the butterflies pictured above to land with its wings unfolded so I could get that blue. I think this is what they usually look like:


This message was edited Aug 8, 2008 9:30 PM

Although, it might have been this one....?

Your first and third pics are of a Morpho I feel sure. Here is a link to confirm some of the tropicals you might have pics of. This link is for the Morphos

http://en.butterflycorner.net/Genus-MORPHO.349.0.html?&no_cache=1&sword_list[]=morpho#c4027
I had an opportunity to volunteer at a Tropical BF exhibit this year, it was super!
I know we had a better link, I will see if I can find it.

This message was edited Aug 10, 2008 12:00 PM

Yup! Morpho! I remember now.

Here is the next one...

That is a Tailed Jay. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphium_agamemnon


Don't think I saw one of the second picture. No clue on it.

This message was edited Aug 8, 2008 11:47 PM

Got2B, the 2nd one is an Owl butterfly:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owl_butterflies

The other day I had at least 5 tiny blue butterflies. At first I thought it was those little white ones but they were a very light blue. I tried to take a pic but they are so fast I couldn't keep up with them. Does anyone know what they were?

Thanks everyone.

Here's another....

This is the same as above only they were a little busy....

That sweet little one is a Pink Cattleheart (Parides iphidamas) from Ecuador & Costa Rica.

Rose..... The bf you are describing, are they tropicals or seen in your location? The ones Got2Bgreen is asking about here, were seen in a Tropical Butterfly Exhibit in Canada.

This message was edited Aug 9, 2008 10:38 PM

I think they're native butterflies. I was able to capture it briefly in a mvi format. I wish I could post that. They are so tiny and zip in and out. They make me think of fairies!

Rose...Since they are so fast, look up Hairstreaks. There is one that is blue on the top wing. Just saw a pic on the home page today after your first post.
Here is the link.... http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/267/



This message was edited Aug 10, 2008 12:15 AM

Sheila, Thanks for the link - could they be this far north? I wish I could have captured a pic. I've been taking my camera with me every day I'm outside so maybe I'll see them again. They haven't been back since we first saw them a few days ago. I tried to get really close to one and it froze and didn't move. I was trying to get a picture of it but had the movie option going instead so the images aren't very good.

All the years I've been gardening, I have never had so many butterflies in our garden. Not many varieties but more than we'ever seen. Now the butterflies are the focus in our garden, not just the flowers.

It is all over IL. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1589&chosen_state=17*Illinois
Glad to hear you have bfs up there. We are wondering in the south what has happened to them. We have less than normal.

Thanks Sheila.

Here is the next one. This image is a bit fuzzy. Sorry about that.

This message was edited Aug 10, 2008 7:32 AM

Is this one also a pink cattleheart?

It is eating banana.

Post #...663 is an Emerald Swallowtail:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_Swallowtail

Very pretty pics!

Not sure on the last one, could be a Pink Cattleheart and the lower wing color hiding. If it isn't that one, not sure which it would be.
The other I definately agree with Fly it is a Emerald. You were very fortunate to get a picture of it. Most of the exhibits don't have many of that one from what we were told.
Make sure you add all of your pictures to our BugFiles when you get the IDs. The Emerald only has about 4 pics so far.

This message was edited Aug 10, 2008 11:42 AM

Thanks!

Here's another one.

Same one from a different angle.

This is another one that I thought was really neat. The spots almost look white next to the banana leaf but they were green.

Wow, your two shots of the Blue Wave must be added to our Bugfiles! Here is the link...just scroll down and click to upload an image. http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/207/
BTW, you can add that your BW is a male! The guide I have says they have the striking blue, and the female is more muted.
edited....
The last pic is of a Paper Kite, I loved the way they floated in the air! Here is the link for them. http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/1490/


This message was edited Aug 10, 2008 1:03 PM

The blue butterflies are just gorgeous!!! . Today we had a yellow swallowtail, monarchs and a bf that was black with blue dots. So I ran out to Home Depot and picked up a butterfly bush just to entice them a little more!

Here is the next one -

And one more...

This is another picture of the butterfly in this post - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=5394671

This pic has a little bit more light in the tail region.

I don't know if this will show up well enough to see the variety in the Postman butterflies or not. But the one you have with the red markings near the ends of the wings is definately a Postman. The one you posted a second picture of could be a variety of Postman also, but I am not sure of that.
The one between the last two is a Banded Orange Heliconian (Dryadula phaetusa).

Thank you, thank you, thank you. You're great at this.

This one is an Owl Butterfly, I am only posting it again because I was wondering about the damage on its wings. How much does this affect their ability to fly and what would cause this. Is this just an older butterfly?

I am posting this one just because I like how the photo turned out. I don't really expect and ID on it, but I suspect it is the next one I am going to post.

I think the last one is one of these.

It might also be this one.

Last one for now.

The three pics on #..2469, 71, & 73 are the same. They are variations of the Tiger Longwing (heliconius hecale).
The last is a Julia Longwing (Dryas iulia).
I am sure the damaged wings do hinder a bit, but won't keep them from flying. It does appear to be worn a lot. I know in the exhibit where I was they would get up against the conservatory glass windows and panic, flap like crazy, then fall when they exhausted themselves. Get up and do it all over again. Like a fly does against a window. Most bfs don't live more than 2 weeks also.
All the info I am giving you is from my month long volunteer experience at the FW Botanic Garden exhibit. It only comes every three years and I can't wait until the next one. That was so much fun.

Is this another Tiger Longwing?

This is another one that is a bit damaged.

And one more....

That is correct that is a Tiger Longwing.
The next is a female Great Mormon (papilio memnon) the males are all black.
The last is the Julia Longwing you pictured above.

This is the last actual butterfly pic I have. Not the best picture, but it was sitting on a sign.

The rest of my pictures are cats, cocoons, and eggs.

These are on a bananna leaf.