Tag: Tiger Swallowtail

Butterscotch Autumn

Oh the beauty of this season, slowly slipping away. Leaves drifting to the ground becoming leaf litter.

And leaf litter becomes a winter home for many insects, including moths and butterflies. The Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thybe) is a moth that seeks shelter in leaf litter during the winter as a pupa. Butterflies include Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), which also overwinters as a pupa. Other butterflies that use leaf litter as their winter homes are the Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis), and the Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) both of which spend the winter in the adult stage.

These just a very small number of insects that seek shelter in leaf litter during the cold of winter. Leave that leaf litter, and the insects that are in their late autumn and winter homes, waiting for spring.

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Pollinators’ Delight

Heading out to yoga this morning, I had to stop to take some pictures. Pollinators on the Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) having a grand time, were calling to me. In the photo, I captured more than I expected. The Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) was what caught my attention, and there to its right a Bumble Bee (Bombus). The unexpected surprise though, the Plume Moth (Pterophoridae) which is barely visible in the lower left of this image.

Be watching for a post about Plume Moths. Maybe tomorrow? They are fascinating creatures.

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Butterflies Puddling

Tiger Swallowtails (Papilio glaucus), puddling

A common sight as I walk along the dirt road up here, a multitude of butterflies gathered at a puddle intent on gathering what they can, from the puddle. And puddling is what this is called. But it isn’t just puddles where they gather. They will also gather on scat, fermenting fruit, carrion, urine, even sweat on human skin.

The butterflies are seeking sodium, amino acids, and minerals. It’s mostly males that you’ll find puddling. They are gathering these three items to aid in reproduction. They pass them along to the female in their spermatophore during mating, which seems to aid in reproductive success.

Snout (Libytheana carinenta)

Tiger Swallowtails are the butterflies that I see puddling most often but certainly not the only ones. Other butterflies can be found puddling, such as Pipevine Swallowtails, Snouts, and Appalachian Azures, but don’t be surprised if you see others.

An advantage that I see as I find this activity taking place, the butterflies are so concentrating on their task that they don’t pay attention to me and my camera.

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Apple Tree Abloom

So many things blooming in the woods now. There are even a few apple trees in the woods, planted long ago. This one though is in the front yard of my cabin, planted just a few years ago.

Today it’s in full, white and pink, bloom. Pleasing the pollinators. This one a Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). Both the blooms and the pollinators, pleasing me too.

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