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Exmouth, Western Australia, Australia
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09/12/2007 Scott Co., IN
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Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillar feeding on Virginia Snakeroot, Aristolochia serpentaria. One reference I've read says that the caterpillars of this mostly tropical genus,
Battus, mimic the odd invertebrates called
Onychophorans (velvet worms), which includes Peripatus--these are supposed to be toxic. (Of course, these caterpillars themselves are supposed to be toxic, so it would be a Mullerian mimicry.) An interesting idea. How would the mimicry work in North America? Could neotropical migrant birds possibly remember encounters with velvet worms? Or is it just "evolutionary inertia", with the mimicry having evolved in the tropics and been carried along into the temperate areas with this one species. Interesting speculation is possible.Battus_philenorPCCA20040528-1962A
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New Mexico, United States
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Serra de Collserola. Barcelona: Catalunya (Espaa)Orden: LepidopteraFamilia: Nymphalidae
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Crete, Greece
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La Mesa, California, United States
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Franklin County, Massachusetts
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Exmouth, Western Australia, Australia
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Tucson, Arizona, United States
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09/20/2007 Scott Co., IN
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Casal Attard, Malta Majjistral, Malta
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Briantspuddle, England, United Kingdom
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Ravensbourne, Queensland, Australia
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swallowtail"
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Franklin, North Carolina
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Checkered White butterfly photographed at the Bob Jones Nature Center in Southlake, TX on 5/20/09.
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Darlowo, West Pomeranian, Poland
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Presbury Butterfly Reserve, Glos. SO992241
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Orlando, Florida, United States
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West Trailer Park Mobile Home Park, Florida, United States
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I saw this egg being laid on the hostplant on 25 May (see adjacent photo), and it did not emerge until 1 June. I managed to catch the tiny (less than 3 mm) first-instar caterpillar chewing on the egg case.Pcca20080601-2358a
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Found by Mary and photographed by the "post office pond." I believe this is a Checkered White (Pontia protodice, Family Pieridae (Whites and Yellows)). It remained quite blase as I crouched nearby, moving gradually closer.Mary calls this one the Victorian Lace Butterfly.
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This very fresh Red Admiral was flitting around in my yard on a cool afternoon. It was flighty, but occasionally sat still in a sunny patch for a while.