Pink Tiger
This Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) was looking a little tattered and torn, showing the wear of weeks on the wing this summer. It took a long drink from this pink coneflower which was also looking a little past its prime, but that clearly did not matter in making a perfect moment of nature’s beauty and grace.
Read MoreEastern Tiger Swallowtail
There is no way to overstate how perfect, fresh and crisp this gorgeous Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) looked while feeding on the Eastern Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) last week. This individual was meticulously designed and seemed hand-crafted for ultimate beauty. It actually flew on to a flower for a drink within a couple feet of me while I was already photographing a skipper, showing no trepidation as I was swinging a big lens all over the place. I had to back up to be able to focus! This dorsal view shows well that is a female with all of that blue along the outer...
Read MorePopular Plants
The outdoor restaurants are getting more crowded now that we are in the middle of July with Eastern Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) like this one sitting two to a table at times. On the left is an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) and on the right is a Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus). This is as good as a summer nature scene gets. I was able to capture more images of both of them while nectaring independently, and I will share them in the next week. For now we wish you a wonderful weekend full of delightful nature sights and sightings like this one. Scott...
Read MoreBusy Black Swallowtail
After seeing many Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) butterflies and little else on the wing for much of the spring, they have dropped off in number as others increase. What have your observations been? I have been surprised at how (relatively) few Eastern Tiger Swallowtails have been in the air except for a week or two in May. The harsh and historically cold winter likely changed the lepidoptera landscape for us more than usual. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreBlack Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
I have not seen many Black Swallowtails this year with a few here or there at best – what about you? I had been seeing an abundance of the common Eastern Tiger Swallowtail throughout the spring until their numbers plummeted to near zero in my experience Western New York throughout the summer. It continually astounds me how localized populations of even the more frequently seen species can be and how rapidly and unexpectedly their numbers can fluctuate. Nature is a delicate balance.
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