Butterfly: Milbert's Tortoiseshell

Milbert's Tortoiseshell Butterfly (Aglais milberti)

Location:  Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

On an early Spring day, we walked the trail around the perimeter of Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park.  At a point where a boardwalk section of the trail crosses over a marshy area, we paused to take in the view.  Fortunately I looked down just in time to see this pretty butterfly land on some vegetation just below the boardwalk.  It is a Milbert's Tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti), a member of the Nymphalidae family.

White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata)

White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata)

This nice-looking moth species is the White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata).  It is a member of the Sphinx Moth (Sphingidae) family.  I photographed this individual in a residential area of Westminster, Colorado, on the side of a building next to a small flower garden.  

The species entry on Butterflies and Moths of North America, an authoritative Web site about Lepidoptera, says that the adult White-lined Sphinx Moths feed on the nectar of flowers.  Among the flowers listed were columbine and honeysuckle -- two of the flowers that were growing in the garden that was just a meter away from where the moth was resting.

Here is an earlier post with a photo of an Oleander Hawk Moth, also a member of the Sphingidae family.

White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata)

A Fritillary Butterfly visiting an Arrowleaf Ragwort

Fritillary Butterfly (Speyeria sp.) 

Location:  Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA 

 I am not certain of the species of this pretty insect, but I believe it is a kind of Fritillary butterfly, probably of the genus Speyeria.   Fritillaries belong to the Nymphalidae family.  The wildflower this individual is visiting is called Arrowleaf Ragwort (Senecio triangularis). which is abundant in the western United States.

Male Black Witch Moth (Ascalapha odorata)

Male Black Witch Moth (Ascalapha odorata)

Location:  Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

This moth is a member of the 'Owl Moth' family (Noctuidae).  It is a large moth, with a wingspan of about six inches.  One way to tell the males and females apart:  the female has a bright white stripe across its wings, while the male does not.  Some time ago, I posted a photo of a female Black Witch moth.  If you have a look at that earlier photo, the difference in coloration between the sexes will be obvious.

Butterfly: Northwestern Fritillary (Speyeria hesperis)

Northwestern Fritillary (Speyeria hesperis)

Location: Lookout Mountain, Jefferson County, Colorado, USA

This butterfly species can be found throughout most of western North America, according to the entry for S. hesperis on Butterflies and Moths of North America.  This individual was photographed just outside of Denver, Colorado.  The species belongs to the Nymphalidae family, the members of which are characterized by small forelegs.

Bee wings, be still!

Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

At last, I was able to get a photo of the wings of a honey bee.  I've been taking a lot of photos of the honey bees that visit the cactus flowers in my neighbor's garden.  Several came out well, except that the wings were just a blur.  Solution: take a photo of a bee after it lands on a flower.  Wings are still, so no blur.

Honey bee close-up

Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

I returned to my neighbor's garden to take more photos of the honey bees harvesting pollen from some cactus flowers.  I cropped this image from a larger photo.  It shows quite a bit of detail on the bee, including a dusting of pollen grains on its body, but despite the fast shutter speed, I didn't capture the rapidly beating wings!

Honey bee approaching a cactus flower

Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

As I passed by my neighbor's garden, I noticed a cactus (species unknown) with big, white flowers.  The local honey bees have noticed the cactus flowers, too.   They were busily gathering pollen from the blossoms.

The 'Black Witch' Moth (Ascalapha odorata)

Female Black Witch Moth (Ascalapha odorata)

Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

This is quite possibly the largest moth I have ever seen.  I saw it at rest on a window screen.  First I photographed it, then I attempted to measure it.  Good thing I took the picture first, because as soon as I touched the screen with my ruler, the moth spooked and flew off, weaving all around the garden until it found a place to hide high up in the foliage of one of our Monkeypod trees.  Let's just say its wingspan was approximately six inches across (about 15 cm).

It is a female Black Witch moth (Ascalapha odorata).  The male of the species does not have that pretty white scalloped stripe on the wings.  And just look at the wonderful iridescent colors on the wings.

You can learn about this unusual moth by visiting The Black Witch Moth: Its Natural and Cultural History on the Texas Entomology web site.  Apparently these migratory insects are prevalent in northern Mexico and parts of Texas.  We see them infrequently here in Hawaii.

Another Oleander Hawk Moth (Daphnis nerii)

Oleander Hawk Moth (Daphnis nerii)

Location:  Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

Back in August, I posted a photo of an Oleander Hawk Moth (Daphnis nerii).  I wasn't entirely happy with the angle of that shot, but the moth flew away before I had an opportunity to shoot it from a different perspective.

Earlier today I was going through some photos I had taken back in the days when I was still shooting film.   I came across this one, which I had forgotten about.  As soon as I saw it, I decided to scan the transparency and post it here.  This one is a much better 'specimen shot' than the one I posted in August.   It shows clearly the wonderful patterns of color on the moth's wings.

Note: Several moths ago, I also posted a photo of a Hawk Moth caterpillar.

Oleander Hawk Moth (Daphnis nerii)

Oleander Hawk Moth (Daphnis nerii)

Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

Yesterday I posted a photo of a colorful caterpillar that is the larval stage of the Oleander Hawk Moth.   Today's photo shows the adult Oleander Hawk Moth (Daphnis nerii).   Don't you love it's camouflage suit?

We see only a handful of these large heavy-bodied moths around our garden each year.  This one was perched at the base of a stone wall.  After I took a few shots like this, I tried to move the moth so that I could photograph it from a better angle, but the moth would have none of that.  As soon as I touched it, off it flew!


Update: Here's a much better picture of an Oleander Hawk Moth.

Hawk Moth Caterpillar

Oleander Hawk Moth, larva (Daphnis nerii)

Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

This colorful caterpillar is the larval stage of the Oleander Hawk Moth (Daphnis nerii).  We see just a few of these around our garden every year.  This one was about 2 inches (5 cm) long.   I love the great big eye spots.

The caterpillar in this photo is in the late larval stage.  Next it will become a pupa.  Eventually, when its development is complete, the adult moth will emerge.  Tomorrow I'll post a photo of the adult moth - the final product of this creature's metamorphosis.

Garden Spider with a Beautiful Web

Garden Spider (Argiope appensa)

Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

This Garden Spider (Argiope appensa) is fairly common here in Hawaii.   It is a member of the Orb Spider family (Areneidae), named for the classic wheel-shaped webs that they spin.  As far as I know, it is not venomous.

This is a relatively large spider, with a body about the size of my thumbnail.  As spiders go, I think this one is quite good looking.  Check out the intricate design on this spider's back.

Rock Rose Ice Plant with Honey Bee

Rock Rose Ice Plant (Aptenia cordifolia) + Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

One section of our garden is on a steep hillside.  One of the plants we use for a ground cover there is the Rock Rose (Aptenia cordifolia), a succulent in the Ice Plant (Aizoaceae) family.  All morning long, the pretty red flowers on this plant attract honey bees (Apis mellifera).