Red-spotted Purple by Leeco

Photography • Photo Manipulation • posted on Oct 06, 2017

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Description

Red-spotted Purple butterflies (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)are found in all states east of the Continental Divide, Arizona, New Mexico, and Montana They host on several shrubs and trees, including wild cherry (Prunus), deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum), willows (Salix), basswoo(Tilia), oaks (Quercus), hawthorn (Crataegus), aspen, poplar, cottonwood (Populus), birch (Betula), and shadbush (Amelanchier)They overwinter as young caterpillars. They sew a leaf of their host plant to the stem. Using silk, they roll it into a tight tube. The caterpillar overwinters in the tube/hibernaculum, emerging in the spring when new leaves are growing. L. arthemis can be split into two major groups, mainly based on one specific physical characteristic: the presence of a white band along wings. With both groups residing in North America, the northern based White Admiral Butterfly has a conspicuous white band that traverse both the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the wing, while the southern based red-spotted purple lacks such trait as it evolutionary mimics the poisonous Pipeline Swallowtail (Battus philenor). Due to overlap in living distribution among the two major groups, subspecies are numerous as hybridization occurs frequently. The Red-spotted Purple is very common in my area. I see a lot of them and have managed to get a lot of usable photos. in this shot, The butterfly has landed on the edge of a clay pot that was just inside the open door of a tool shed. Thus the black background. Thanks to all who have taken the time to comment on one of my postings. The feedback is appreciated. I hope everyone who has clicked on one of them was pleased with having done so. Lee