The butterfly in the above image is a Viceroy. It’s sometimes confused with a Monarch butterfly because of its coloration, orange background with black and white markings. Some key differences in the two are that Viceroys are smaller than Monarchs, have a more rapid wing beat, and the Viceroy has a transverse bar across its rear wings which the Monarch lacks. The host food of Monarchs is milkweed. Viceroys prefer willows, so your chances of seeing a Viceroy are increasedRead more
Posts tagged: #butterfly
It’s all out there, heat or not.
We are not experiencing record heat, in fact it’s hotter today (7/19) in Boston than it is here, high 90s to low 90s, respectively. But it’s still hot. No one could convince me otherwise. So why was there a bullfrog sitting on the pavement today in Explore the Wild? True, the frog in the above photo is in the shade. And, that particular patch of pavement is in shade most of the day, but is it really cooler than a niceRead more
Speaking of Brazil
Brazilian Skippers are butterflies. They are large grass skippers. They’re nearly the size of a Sliver-spotted Skipper (about a 2 inch wingspan). They don’t sit still for long so getting a photo is sometimes difficult. I had help with the above photo. Brazilian Skippers are essentially Central and South American butterflies although they have become established in South Florida and Texas. They’re often seen in the other Gulf States as well as coastal North and South Carolina. They breed inRead more
A Hitchhiker, a Dainty Visitor from the South, and Built like a Tank
Little did they know that while out for a fine, fall stroll the other day, Exec. Assistant, Leslie Pepple and Dev. Associate, Alicia Heacock would pick up a hitchhiker. After briefly talking to them as they passed through the Cafe Plaza here at the Museum I noticed a large insect clinging to Leslie as she turned to walk away. Chinese Mantids are not native to North America but they are certainly well established here. They were brought in to thisRead more
A Lady, a Snake, and a Late Bloomer
An American Lady (Venessa Virginiensis) was spotted in the aster patch in Catch the Wind yesterday (11/3). In fact, there were several butterfly species and both bumble and honey bees working the tiny asters. An Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) was seen slowly crossing the path in Explore the Wild near the Red Wolf Exhibit. The cool shade of the path made this snake’s movements rather sluggish. It appeared to be heading for its winter quarters and was seen aboutRead more
A Question Mark, a Comma, and a Question of Origin
Over the past few weeks I’ve seen several species of butterfly winging through the outdoor exhibits. Two of those species are very similar in appearance and both, if you’re hearing them for the first time, have rather odd names, Question Mark and Eastern Comma. Even their Latin names reflect the strangeness of the common names, Polygonia interrogationis and Polygonia comma respectively. How did these butterflies get the names Question Mark and Comma? The underside of the hindwing tells the story.Read more