Lepidoptera

Some folks chase Butterflies and Moths as much as I chase birds.  For me they are a welcome distraction but until now I do not chase them and I don't photograph them unless they alight next to me.  Maybe someday if I get bored of birds...

I will be updating this page by adding pictures as you scroll down.  These are all wild creatures.  No cheating in butterfly enclosures.

First attempt at an ID was this Palamedes Swallowtail taken off Lee Buck Rd in Brunswick County, NC on 28Apr2016.


This next one is a Pipevine Swallowtail from Mt Mitchell, NC taken on 29Jul2016.


Another view of same butterfly.


Below is a Green Comma from the same trip up Mt Mitchell.


And finally a Silver-spotted Skipper from the same trip:



Below is a Spicebush Swallowtail found on Lee Buck Rd. on 07May2016.


Here are some pics below from an 24Aug2016 trip to Lake Landing on Mattamuskeet, NC.

Black Swallowtail



Palamedes on left and Viceroy on right.


Viceroy


Cloudless Sulphur

And below is a Cloudless Sulphur in my yard that I photographed ventrally then my son spread the wings for me and you can see no black on forewings.




Viceroy - easily told from similar looking Monarch Butterfly by the black line through hind wing.


Another Palamedes - striped body is a dead giveaway.

The following photos are a mix from Jackson Park in Hendersonville and Mt Mitchell in NC from 16-18Sep2016.


Ocola Skipper


Common Buckeye


I believe this is a Mimic Crescent which can be told from a Pearl Crescent by the coloration of the bottom sides of the "clubs" on a male.  When I zoomed in as close as possible, it appeared to me as the bottom sides of the clubs were orange.  That being said I will need to work on a better picture of this species.


American Lady


Meadow Fritillary

Here is a Gulf Fritillary from Fort Fisher on 24Oct2016:


Of course the most famous North American butterfly is the Monarch, this one seen at Fort Fisher on 23Oct2016.


Here is one I found in the middle of winter on the UNCW campus here in Wilmington.  Question Mark Butterfly on 19Feb2017.


Note the little white question mark on hind wing.


I believe this one below is a Sleepy Orange photographed somewhere in NC on 08Sep2016.


Here is a Long-tailed Skipper photographed in my NC backyard on 12Sep2016.




A Sleepy Orange at Fort Fisher on 15Oct2016:



Below is a picture of a White Peacock from Florida at Loxahatchee NWR on 19Nov2016.



The below Two-barred Flasher was photographed at Arenal Observatory Lodge on 25Nov2016.



The below Patilla Clearwing was photographed at Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica on 25Nov2016.



This Tailed Cicropian was photographed at Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica.


The beauty photographed below at Arenal Observatory Lodge on 26Nov2016 is a Banded Owl Butterfly.


Another from the same stay at Arenal Observatory Lodge on 26Nov2016 - a Emerald-patched Cattleheart.  It was very tough to get a picture as it was constantly fluttering.




Below is a Cabbage White photographed on Cushing's Island in Maine on 31Jul2018.


Below is a Snowberry Clearwing otherwise known as a Hummingbird Moth.  This one was photographed on Cushing's Island in Maine on 31Jul2018.  The dark eye stripe is a differentiator from the other hummingbird moth that can be seen in the same area.




Below is what I believe is a Horace's Duskywing photographed 10Aug2018 in my yard in Wilmington, NC. Juvenal's Duskywing is similar but has some spots on the hindwing which I don't think this one has.




The below Red Admiral was photographed in the mountains of NC on 01Sep2018.


Here is a Cuban Callisto from where else, Cuba! Taken on 31Dec2016.


Also from Cuba, one commonly called Julia Butterly taken in the Zapata Swamp on 02Jan2017.


This one is a Dirce Beauty seen in the woods bordering the Zapata Swamp in Cuba on 02Jan2017.



Below is a Mangrove Skipper from Cayo Coco in Cuba on 07Jan2017.


Here is a Variegated Fritillary taken at Bear Grass VOA in NC on 06Aug2017.


Below is a somewhat bedraggled Eastern Tiger Swallowtail taken on 03Sep2017 in Hendersonville, NC.


My Butterfly Id app says Orange Sulphur for the below photo taken 04Sep2017 in Hendersonville, NC.


Same one below ventral side.


Below is the beautiful Pink-Spotted Hawkmoth or Sweet-potato Hornworm which I photographed on my back porch on 22Sep2017.


Below is a Southern Pearly-eye found in Jacksonville, NC on 24Sep2017.


This caterpillar was distinctive enough to be able to ID species, at least I think.  Northern Pine Sphinx seen in Jacksonville, NC on 24Sep2017.


Here is a Northern Sicklewing from the Lower Rio Grande Valley in TX on 21Oct2017.


The below Queen was photographed in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in TX on 23Oct2017 at the National Butterfly Center which is currently being ruined by Drumph.


And the same butterfly on the ventral side. Almost looks like a Monarch.


Here is an American Snout from the same trip to the LRGV in TX on 23Oct2017.


And a Desert Hackberry at the same place and date.


The below Eastern Comma was photographed on 24May2020 at Flat River impoundments in Durham, NC.




This Eastern Tailed-blue was photographed at Blewett Falls somewhere between Charlotte and Wilmington, NC on 09Apr2017.



And this beautiful Red-banded Hairstreak was also in northern New Hanover county on 25May2020.


This Least Skipper was seen in Buxton, NC on the outer banks on 30May2020.



Below is a Clouded Sulphur from Mount Mitchell, NC on 23Jun2018.


The below Common Wood-nymph was at Pea Island on the OBX on 28Jul2018.



Here is a Pearl Crescent from Wilmington, NC on 05Sep2018.


Unfortunately I didn't make a note of where I saw this Red-spotted Purple, but I know it was in NC on 11Sep2018.


This Fiery Skipper was seen at Moses Cone Manor on the BRP in Blowing Rock, NC on 13Sep2018.



Not the best photo but I don't think I have any others of this species of Beet Webworm Moth photographed in Wilmington, NC on 24Sep2018.


Here is another cool looking moth seen on the same day in Wilmington (24Sep2018), a Bella Moth.


The below Common Checkered Skipper was seen near the Winston Salem area of NC on 07Oct2018.


Check out this Red Postman from Cozumel Island off the Yucatan on 14Apr2019.



Here are some Saltmarsh Skippers from Fort Fisher taken on 22Aug2020.




This Blue Morpho butterfly was photographed in the Yucatan on 16Apr2019.  Getting a picture of the brilliant blue dorsal side is easier said than done.


Check out this Gray Cracker photographed at Chichen Itza in the Yucatan MX 19Apr2019.


Here is a Montane Longwing photographed at Poas Volcano in Costa Rica on 22Nov2016.


Here is a Phaon Crescent from Wilmington on 02Apr2017.


Here is a Curve-toothed Geometer Moth photographed in Wilmington on 07Apr2017.


This Zebra Swallowtail was a nice find at Blewett Falls somewhere between Charlotte and Wilmington, NC, 09Apr2017.



Here is a tricky one to ID because it has a look alike, but Juvenal's Duskywing flies earlier in the spring so I am fairly certain that is what it is.  Photographed in the NC mountains on 10Apr2017.


Just found these pics of a Brazilian Skipper from back on 01Jul2017 taken in Wilmington.



Check out this Spotted Apatelodes Caterpillar seen near Heffner Gap on 14Sep2018.  At least I think that's what it is!










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