Papillonidae

This specimen is the largest, best preserved butterfly I have managed to pin - they are difficult to preserve well because at each step along the way, catching-killing-pinning, there are endless ways to lose scales. Papilionidae is a family containing the subfamilies Parnassiinae and Papilioninae. Papilioninae is characterized by having one or more tail-like prolongations on the rear side of the hind wing (hence the name - swallow tails). Also, the radius in the fore wing is five branched. They tend to be black and yellow, some with striped patterns (zebra swallowtails) and some have red and blue markings as well. This subfamily is generally regarded as being one of the largest and most beautifully colored North American butterflies. The males and females tend to have different colorations, and this subfamily contains the largest butterflies in the world (the giant birdwings of Asia and Australia may reach wingspreads of 255 mm).

Lepidoptera; Papilionoidea; Papilionidae; Papilioninae; Papilio cresphontes
Common Name: Giant Swallowtail, Orangedog

The larvae are smooth-bodied, often have eye spots, and have an eversible scent gland or osmeterium - when the larva is disturbed, it emits a disagreeable odor. The larva forms a chrysalis, and it overwinters in that form, emerging as an adult in the spring. The above species, Papilio cresphontes, is a large, dark-colored butterfly whose larvae feed on citrus in the South and on prickly ash in the North. This specimen was found in San Diego, and is a female - the males have bolder reds and blues on the underside of the hind wings, with a black border. You can see from my hand that the butterfly is pretty large - roughly 4 inches across from wingtip to wingtip.

Noctuidae

Even though I have never posted about Noctuidae, I have several specimens - and this is the newest. Turns out it is a rather distinct, easily identifiable specimen - its copper-pink-orange hind wings are diagnostic of one or two Copper Underwing species. There is some disagreement. Many sources identify a second Copper Underwing as A. berbera. A. berbera and A. pyramidoides are very similar in appearance, but A. pyramidoides is found primarily on the east coasts of the US whereas A. berbera is common on the west coast. Also, A. berbera has a more uniform color on the hindwing, while A. pyramidoides has a dark margin. and a pale center The subfamily Amphipyrinae is not extremely diverse, containing only one genus Amphipyra, and four or five species: A. berbera (?), A. brunneoatra, A. glabella, A. pyramidoides, and A. tragoponiginis. It used to be a larger subfamily, but the other genera were transferred to Hadeninae and Noctuinae. The genus Amphipyra feeds on leaves of deciduous trees and shrubs, including Sycamore Maple, Oak, and Willow. It is most commonly seen at night from July-September.

Lepidoptera; Noctuoidea; Noctuidae; Amphipyrinae; Amphipyra berbera / Amphipyra pyramidoides
Common Name: Svensson's Copper Underwing

The family Noctuidae, or Owlet Moths, are medium-sized, bulky moths with mottled brown-gray colorations. They are common across the US and are the largest family of Lepidoptera, with at least 4,200 genera. The adults feed on nectar and sugary compounds, flying mostly at night. The larvae inhabit a variety of environments. Some, the "cutworms" inhabit soil and feed on plant roots, proving to be pests. Others are unusual in their ability to feed on plants containing normally toxic chemicals, like Solanaceae, the family of flowering plants that includes nightshade, tomatoes, and tobacco.

Sesiidae

I received a clearwing sphinx moth from Kit's mom in Virginia and felt like doing a post about a similar-looking family of moths - the clearwing sesiid moth. The first moth pictured below is of the family sphingidae, of which I have already done an entry. The second moth is of the family sesiidae. Both moths are similar in that they have areas of their wings which are devoid of scales. The way one differentiates a sesiid moth from other moths with clear spots on their wings is that in sesiids, the front wings are long and narrow, at least four times as wide, and they appear wasp-like (mimics).

Lepidoptera; Bombycoidea; Sphingidae; Macroglossinae; Dilophonotini; Hemaris thysbe
Common Name: Clearwing Hummingbird Moth



Lepidoptera; Sesiidae; Sesiinae; Synanthedonini; Synanthedon resplendens (?)
Common Name: Clearwing Sycamore Borer

As for the family itself, sesiidae have a wing-coupling mechanism similar to Hymenoptera, with extra hooks along the wing margins to keep the wings together. Many species are brightly colored, and virtually all are diurnal. The two sexes are usually different colors, and the larvae bore into the roots, stems, canes, or trunks of plants or trees. Some serious pests are the peach tree borer, Synanthedon exitiosa, and the squash vine borer, Melittia cucurbitae. Sesiid sex pheromones have been synthesized to help capture males of sesiid pests, and they are capable of attracting almost all male sesiids. They often mimic wasps and bees, and their tail is described as lobster-like. The sesiid above lost a fair few scales in the pinning, so it is not in its prime condition.

Geometridae

Here is one of the specimens from Monterey, or more specifically Carmel. I keyed it out to Geometridae, and based on species images it is probably Scopula junctaria, but I submitted it for a second opinion since "looks like" identifications are hardly accurate. The superfamily Geometroidea contains the family Sematuridae, Uraniidae, and Geometridae. They all have bare probosces, and the larvae of Geometridae are long and slender. The larvae are commonly called "inchworms" or "measuringworms." The family Geometridae is the second largest among Lepidoptera, with 1,400 species in North America. They are mostly nocturnal and are genearlly small, delicate, and slender-bodied. The wings are broad with fine, wavy colorations. The males and females are usually different colors. They feed on nectar and the larvae feed on deciduous trees.

Lepidoptera; Geometroidea; Geometridae; Sterrhinae; Scopulini; Scopula junctaria
Common Name: Simple Wave Geometrid Moth

There are 38 species within the genus Scopula, 24 in the US, and they can be found across the country, coast to coast. A Geometrid moth of the subfamily Ennominae was one of the first studied examples of industrial melanism. In Great Britain, where heavy industry covers tree trunks with soot, the light-colored individuals of the moth have been replaced by dark variants which are otherwise rare. This example of natural selection was described in my first science classes - predators will easily find a light colored moth against a sooty tree, and have trouble finding darker morphs.

Back from Monterey

Well, there will be no official collection entries until I return to San Diego where my pinning and identifying equipment is, but here are some teaser live photos of insects and other animals spotted during the trip to Santa Cruz and Monterey. Those pictured below include a moth, a stone fly, two ants (I am 99% certain that that second ant is a winged reproductive individual, not a wasp), a beetle (fairly certain), and two bees, in addition to a banana slug and a salamander/newt - I'll wait for Phil to respond with an identification since he is the amphibian expert. Also, contrary to the popular myth, the underside of a banana slug does NOT numb the tongue. I very thoroughly tested this. The two bees are not common bumble bees or honey bees, so I look forward to keying them.

It ended up being quite a productive trip, since we found a caddisfly and a stonefly, both new ORDERS, not just new families. The stonefly, of family Plecoptera, is one of the older insect orders. They start their lives as aquatic nymphs, as do dragonflies. I will elaborate more on this order once I key the specimen to family - it will probably be one of my first entries after this hiatus!

Hornworms

The cocoon below contains the larvae of a hornworm, most likely the Five Spotted Hawkmoth, and is a major pest of Tomato crops particularly. No way to know what it is exactly until it hatches. The larvae can be about two inches long, and almost a centimeter wide. Usually it is green with small white or yellow stripes along the side, but there are varying colors. For some pictures of the larvae, check here. Once the larvae have had their fill of the plant, they burrow into the ground and form a cocoon. Recently, my dad found one buried in the loose dirt near his tomato plants.

Lepidoptera; Bombycoidea; Sphingidae; Sphinginae; Sphingini; Manduca
Common Name: Tomato Hornworm/Five-Spotted Sphinx Moth (?)

I will update once it hatches - until then, it shall remain mostly a mystery. I can be certain it is of the genus Manduca at least, considering the cocoon type and its location. The cocoon is about two inches long, and the loop on one end contains the developing proboscis of the moth. When disturbed, it wriggles its pointed end.

Arctiidae part 2

A second moth has emerged, which this time was able to fully pump its wings and looks much better. I suspect it is a male, because the female had non-feathery antennae and was laying eggs - more elaborate antennae is necessary for males to find females, as females release pheromones to attract mates. Also, the abdomen and hind wings are less pink, but that may simply be due to the lack of hemolymph in the female. Here are the pictures, which are much nicer compared to the other specimen.

Lepidoptera; Noctuoidea; Arctiidae; Arctiinae; Arctiini; Gramma nevadensis
Common Name: Nevada Tiger Moth

I am more confident in the identification now that the wings are more inflated and the color and markings are more accurate.

Arctiidae

A while ago I posted pictures of woolly black/orange caterpillars. A few weeks ago they stopped eating so I left them be to see if they were preparing to pupate, and when I returned from the cruise, two of them had pupated. Now, a total of four have pupated, one has hatched, and the other two caterpillars simply had not eaten enough to proceed to metamorphosis and died. I was correct in my estimation that they are from family Arctiidae, however the genus was incorrect - I was linking them incorrectly to a much larger larvae. At any rate, here are the pictures. On top we have the pupa, then various angles, and bottommost we can see all the eggs she has been laying. I do not know when she hatched, so she may have hatched a long time ago and due to not mating is now unloading all her unfertilized eggs. Her wings also do not look fully pumped with hemolymph, so it is hard to key as her wings may look different if they were fully inflated. As such, I have only identified her to genus, not species. I will further identify once I have another moth hatched.

Lepidoptera; Noctuoidea; Arctiidae; Arctiinae; Arctiini; Grammia
Common Name: Tiger Moth

There is some speculation that the genus Grammia is named so from the latin "grammus", which means marked, or in reference to the the Grammus mountain range. Both could refer to the markings on the wings, which are rather triangular. The family Arctiidae contains tiger moths, footmen moths, and wasp moths. The subfamily Arctiinae contains tiger moths, which are very common. These moths are primarily nocturnal, and their larvae are the "woollybear" variety. Cocoons are largely made from the body hairs of the larvae. The tiger moths of Grammia have black front wings with red or yellow stripes and the hind wings are usually pinkish with black spots.

Nymphalidae

I felt I should rearrange the data about Mourning Cloaks into the entry which actually features a picture of the butterfly. Once I return from the cruise, I will upload pictures of the adult Mourning Cloak.

*Update: I have returned, today is 25 April, and the chrysalis was formed on 6 April. That means that the chrysalis is 18 days old. It would appear that the estimate I found online was rather off, either that or my butterfly is taking its time. Here is a photo of the chrysalis, much developed. If you look closely, the abdomen segment has stretched, and the wing segment shows a lighter band around the edge, which corresponds to the yellow band on the edge of the Mourning Cloak's wing. From what I can tell, the butterfly is alive and well, and about to burst from its cocoon. I am glad I am here to see it!*

*Second Update - it has been 23 days now, and I extracted the butterfly from its dry chrysalis. The butterfly is completely intact, not dried out, but is unable to complete metamorphosis - possibly because it does not have enough energy/chemical reserves to emerge from its dormant state. Here are the photos of the extracted butterfly.

Mourning Cloak butterflies are members of Nymphalidae, or Brush-Footed Butterflies. There are about 210 species in North America, and they earned their name because the front legs are reduced and lack claws. Only the middle and hind legs are used in walking. The chrysalids are also suspended by the cremaster, a spinelike or hooked process at the posterior end of the pupa which is used for attachment.

Lepidoptera; Papilionoidea; Nymphalidae; Nymphalinae; Nymphalis antiopa
Common Name (Adult): Mourning Cloak

The Mourning Cloak derives its name from greek - Nymphalis means "of or pertaining to a fountain" and Antiopa was the name of the wife of Lycus, king of Thebes. A little history on Antiopa - she was the daughter of Nycteus and was violated by Epaphus. As a result, her husband cast her away and remarried Dirce. Dirce suspected her husband was cheating on her with his ex-wife, so she commanded that Antiopa be confined. At the time, she was pregnant, but she managed to escape and gave birth on Mount Cithaeron. Her twin children were raised by shepherds, and eventually learned of their heritage and avenged Antiopa by binding Dirce to an untamed bull. I have no clue how this pertains to the butterfly, perhaps the hardship of overwintering?

Apparently Mourning Cloaks are one of the earliest emerging butterflies of the spring season, and like other early season butterflies, they have dark colors. Darker colors increase heat absorption from the sun, aiding them in these cooler days before summer. Mourning Cloaks are also one of the longest lived butterflies, surviving for 8-11 months and overwintering. Of course, an individual Mourning Cloak probably doesn't live that long due to environmental hazards and predation. Mourning Cloak larvae also tend to aggregate together, as their spines are more repellent to predators in large numbers. However, when they have finished growing, they go off on their own to find a safe place to form a chrysalis.

Metamorphosis

Well, it looks like I was right about that Mourning Cloak larvae being on the brink of forming a chrysalis - yesterday he spun an anchor on a grass stem and started hanging upside down. Gradually throughout the day he seemed to become fatter near the anchor and the pseudo-feet (the little nubs a caterpillar uses to move the part of its body beneath its little real feet) became hollow. By morning it had shuffled off its old exoskeleton, revealing a gray, spiky chrysalis.

Now, according to internet resources, the butterfly should emerge in 10-15 days, depending on temperature (warmer = faster development). However, I leave on a cruise this Sunday, so it will certainly emerge while I am away on the cruise and I do not return for 12 days. To remedy this, I have an insect home which was supplied by a "Raise Your Own Praying Mantis" kit. It has net-sides and clear plastic sides. I never did raise the mantises because apparently it is very intensive, such as raising your own fruit flies to feed to the mantises, and over 200 mantises hatch from your provided egg case. I will place the chrysalis inside the enclosure, and instruct Kit on how to feed it.

Here is an easy-to-make butterfly feeding station:
Requires: 1 sponge, sugar, water, fruit (juicy preferred), saucer or plate.
1. Mix warm water and sugar - 2 teaspoons per 8 oz of water - then set aside to cool
2. Slice fruit to expose juicy segments, set on saucer or plate
3. Cut sponge to an appropriate size and soak up the sugar water with it so that it is still dripping and set on the saucer next to the fruit
4. Place in an area accessible to butterflies and wait
5. Extra step: decorate the saucer with colors that appeal to butterflies, such as pink, red, purple, or yellow. Bee colors, for those who are interested, tend to be whites and blues.

In my case, I (well, Kit) will be placing the saucer directly into the enclosure and that will be the butterfly's food until I return. The fruit will need to be changed every so often, and the sponge re-moistened. Here is the completed butterfly home.

One Day's Foray

Well, went to a slightly different location to hunt than usual - same stream/canyon network, just a different part of it. I took a lot of live shots, and have at least 6 insects that are on the pinning board right now. One is definitely a new family for the collection, not too sure about the rest. The following are live shots of specimens I did not collect for one reason or another - usually because I already have pictures or a member of that family.

The above Hemipteran is a member of family Coreidae, or Leaffooted Bugs. This one was found on cacti, as were the other specimens I caught that are currently in the collection. It is highly likely it is Narnia snowi, a Leaffooted bug that feeds on Prickly Pear Cacti. The blue damselfly is likely the male version of the species that was common in the area, with the more drab colored female pictured below. They have been keyed to Coenagrionidae, but without a more detailed key it is difficult to distinguish them from other common blue damselflies.

The above show a ladybug larvae. I was hoping for better resolution thanks to natural lighting compared to the picture I posted before.

Finally, here is a larvae I chose to capture - I don't think I have the heart to pin him right after he hatches (mainly because I just have this one, whereas with the other caterpillars I have six, so if they all metamorphose I won't feel too bad keeping one). This caterpillar is the larvae of the Mourning Cloak, a common butterfly in Southern California. It was actually the first butterfly I had any experience with, when one formed a chrysalis on the gate at my house when I was about 5 years old. I will take plenty of pictures, since this specimen seems sufficiently large that he will form a chrysalis soon.

Lepidoptera; Papilionoidea; Nymphalidae; Nymphalinae; Nymphalis antiopa
Common Name (Larvae): Spiny Elm Caterpillar

Riodinidae

Here is a recently caught specimen, a medium-small butterfly of the family Riodinidae, or Metalmarks. There is some debate whether the group Riodinidae is a subfamily of Lycaenidae, or a separate family under Papilionoidea. Lycaenidae consists of small, delicate, often brightly colored butterflies. The body is slender, the antennae are usually ringed with white, and the eyes are surrounded by scales. The larvae are flat and sluglike, many secrete honeydew, and some live in ant nests where ants can feed upon the honeydew they secrete. If we take the interpretation that Riodinidae is a subfamily of Lycaenidae, there are two other subfamilies - Miletinae and Lycaeninae.

Lepidoptera; Papilionoidea; (Lycaenidae; Riodininae) Riodinidae; Apodemia virgulti
Common Name: Behr's Metalmark

*I find the eye spots on this specimen to be particularly fantastic - it has the white of the eye, the pupil, iris, etc. I accentuated the eye spots on the lower right image*

More detail on the family/subfamily Riodinidae: Metalmarks are small, dark-colored butterflies that differ from the other Lycaenidae subfamilies in that the costal vein of the hind wing is thickened and they have a short humeral vein in the hind wing. Most are tropical or western. The larvae tend to feed on ragwort and thistle. This particular species has been found almost exclusively in California. This species' larvae also tend to feed on buckwheat.

Here are the final pinned versions of the above butterfly, the crane fly, and the sphinx moth.

*Corrected from Mormon Metalmark - according to bugguide: "this species differs from others in the mormo complex by the brick-red, or reddish-orange areas on the dorsal surface of both FW and HW, and generally darker appearance." Also, this specimen was found early spring, while a similar subspecies of Mormon Metalmarks is found in late summer or early fall.*