Papilio rutulus -- western tiger swallowtail, Chautauqua Park, Boulder, Colorado.
4 Comments
Dragoness · 13 August 2012
Hello Matt!
I like this pic! I suspect this might be a female because of the blue markings.
The eastern tiger swallowtail is very similar. The females come in dark brown with the shaping and blue and yellow markings, as well as this lighter yellow style with the blue markings.
Interestingly enough, the markings between the eastern and the western are different and distinct to each species, yet quite similar and consistent!
TQ for sharing the pic!
Paul Burnett · 14 August 2012
Tha butterfly is on a teasel plant, probably a Dipsacus fullonum.
Sinjari · 14 August 2012
Dragoness said:
I like this pic!
I suspect this might be a female because of the blue markings.
Really? Because I see several pictures on the internet of blue-spotted P. rutulus that are claimed as being males.
Here's one:
http://www.pbase.com/markb249/image/108652205
Dragoness · 14 August 2012
Hello there Sinjari!
TQ for the info! I did more looking as well. I am impressed that the western male looks like the eastern female!
WoW!
TQ for the great share and TQ for encouraging me to look it up further. I wonder if there is some androgyny involved?
Eastern females come in 2 entirely different designs. Eastern males only come in one. It appears western blows everyone out of the water!
4 Comments
Dragoness · 13 August 2012
Hello Matt!
I like this pic!
I suspect this might be a female because of the blue markings.
The eastern tiger swallowtail is very similar.
The females come in dark brown with the shaping and blue and yellow markings, as well as this lighter yellow style with the blue markings.
Interestingly enough, the markings between the eastern and the western are different and distinct to each species, yet quite similar and consistent!
TQ for sharing the pic!
Paul Burnett · 14 August 2012
Tha butterfly is on a teasel plant, probably a Dipsacus fullonum.
Sinjari · 14 August 2012
Dragoness · 14 August 2012
Hello there Sinjari!
TQ for the info!
I did more looking as well.
I am impressed that the western male looks like the eastern female!
WoW!
TQ for the great share and TQ for encouraging me to look it up further.
I wonder if there is some androgyny involved?
Eastern females come in 2 entirely different designs.
Eastern males only come in one.
It appears western blows everyone out of the water!