Canadian Tiger Swallowtail
Mar 21, 2023 19:25:33 #
Here is a Canadian Tiger Swallowtail Papilio canadensis puddling on some gravel. I was flat on my stomach. Birches are the preferred larval host plant for these. Found all across Canada and pretty common in northern Michigan.
Mar 21, 2023 20:14:53 #
Mar 21, 2023 20:20:44 #
Mar 21, 2023 20:41:54 #
Mar 21, 2023 21:16:06 #
Mar 22, 2023 05:41:48 #
Blenheim Orange wrote:
Here is a Canadian Tiger Swallowtail Papilio canadensis puddling on some gravel. I was flat on my stomach. Birches are the preferred larval host plant for these. Found all across Canada and pretty common in northern Michigan.
Mar 22, 2023 08:37:32 #
Mar 22, 2023 09:53:48 #
Job well done and a good perspective for the shot. I would have taken a nap if I were to lay on the ground.😜
Mar 22, 2023 10:50:08 #
Blenheim Orange wrote:
Here is a Canadian Tiger Swallowtail Papilio canadensis puddling on some gravel. I was flat on my stomach. Birches are the preferred larval host plant for these. Found all across Canada and pretty common in northern Michigan.
Nice shot.
Mar 22, 2023 12:18:14 #
sippyjug104 wrote:
Job well done and a good perspective for the shot. I would have taken a nap if I were to lay on the ground.😜
Thanks.
Yes, I was flat on the ground, but it is worse than that. Butterflies "puddle" to get minerals and nutrients, and favored spots are those that have been "watered" by passing male hikers, hunters, fishermen, etc. In this case, we have a gravel parking lot near a trout fishing stream. Empty beer cans suggest the possible inflow, and the presence of the butterflies and a certain aroma suggest the outflow. Male butterflies stock up on nutrients which are passed on to the female during mating and are essential for egg formation.
Mar 22, 2023 19:42:04 #
Mar 22, 2023 20:08:37 #
Mar 22, 2023 23:05:10 #
RodeoMan
Loc: St Joseph, Missouri
Thank you for sharing this image (and other ones that I have enjoyed but didn't necessarily comment on). I really appreciate your comments about the various subjects you post. A few years ago I read a book that I think you might enjoy -- Robert Michael Pyle Mariposa Road: The First Butterfly Big Year. Pyle takes a year to see as many butterflies north of Mexico as possible. He puts 88,000 miles on his vehicle and takes us along for the ride. Pyle authored the Audubon Guide to Butterflies, but I suspect you already knew that. Thanks again.
Mar 22, 2023 23:44:27 #
RodeoMan wrote:
Thank you for sharing this image (and other ones t... (show quote)
That is new information for me. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
I have done things like that - how many native plants can I find in a year and so forth. That can be a spur to get out there and to be more observant. When it becomes frantic and competitive, as it often does with things like birders' life lists and contests and the like, it can be counterproductive. Now I try to slow down and appreciate what is right near me rather than chase all over the place. Nevertheless, I do keep a list of plants I have never seen and possible locations to search for them in the coming year. Maybe balance is the key?
Thanks for your comments.
Mar 22, 2023 23:56:36 #
Thanks to all for the comments - BB4A, Larry, Ken, Retired CPO, Frank John Matthew, Jack, Don, topcat - I appreciate the encouragment.
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