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tweetypye

Butterflies are hard to ID....help appreciated

tweetypye
15 years ago

I'm new to this forum and thought maybe some of you experts on here could identify several butterflies for me. The first 2 photos are of the same butterfyl. I know it's a swallowtail, but there's so many different ones out there. :)

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I think this is a Callippe Fritillary, is it or is it a different one?

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This is a different one from the first photos...what kind of swallowtail is it?

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This is a Mourning Cloak isn't it?

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Is this a Tiger Swallowtail?

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I think this one is a Golden Banded Skipper correct?

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I believe this one is a Two-tailed Swallowtail, but not sure.

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Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

Jan

Comments (6)

  • MissSherry
    15 years ago

    Your pictures are gorgeous!
    The first two pictures show a male eastern tiger swallowtail.
    The next picture is a variegated fritillary.
    Next is a yellow form female eastern tiger swallowtail - female tigers have a yellow and a black form, and in both forms, they have lots of blue on their lower hindwing.
    Next is a mourning cloak, just like you thought - beautiful!
    Next is a black form female tiger swallowtail.
    Then you have a silver-spotted skipper.
    Last, but not least, is an old, faded and a bit torn, male eastern tiger swallowtail - the first thing to go when they age is the tails.
    Sherry

  • tweetypye
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks so much Sherry, it's so hard for me to ID them, so many look similar. I have the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies, but it's still hard for me. :)
    The Mourning Cloak is an easy one. LOL
    Jan

  • butterflymomok
    15 years ago

    I think your Silver Spotted Skipper is a Hoary Edge Skipper. It looks like it has a smeary white spot that follows the margin of the hind wing. Check out and compare pictures of the Silver Spotted Skipper and the Hoary Edge and see what you think.

    Sandy

  • tweetypye
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I just looked up both the Hoary Edge and the Silver Spotted Skippers in my NAS fied guide....my skipper didn't look like either of the photos in my book. It was very dark, looked black mostly.Is there a website I might find more photos on?
    Jan

  • tweetypye
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    OK, I found a site online with photos of butterflies by state....my skipper was the Silver Spotted Skipper. It was identical to one of the 7th and 9th photos on the page linked below. It's strange though how they look so different in lots of the photos shown. I guess maybe some are males and some females?
    Jan

    Here is a link that might be useful: Silver Spotted Skippers

  • butterflymomok
    15 years ago

    Tweetypye,

    There is only one difference between the SSS and the HES. It's the silver spot on the underside of the hind wing. Color variations happen in both species. Sometimes the BFs are almost black; and other times they are lighter colored. In SSSs, there is a contained spot with clear margins that is somewhat centered on the hindwing like an island. In the HESs, it's a smeary spot that makes connection with the margin of the hind wing--like a peninsula. I see a smeary spot that extends all the way to the edge of the wing. I'm including a link that shows what I'm referring to.

    Respectfully,

    Sandy

    Here is a link that might be useful: Hoary Edge

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