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Morpho peleides
Roger Manrique and I have caught a female Morpho peleides in San Felipe (near Estanques, Merida, Venezuela). After taking close up scene we released it to see its flight.
- Holding Morpho peleides female (October 31, 2004, San Felipe, Merida, Venezuela)
Diaethria marchalli
Diaethrias are known for carrying numbers (typically 88 and 98) on the ventral side of their hind wings. In one late afternoon in San Felipe, Roger and I have found a 98 resting on a cliff sucking mineral salt.
- Diaethria (October 30, 2004, San Felipe, Merida, Venezuela)
Ith0miidae Species
Ithomiidae butterflies fly even in light rain. So when the weather is against us we still see them fly. It is relatively easy to follow their flight due to the slow flight, but their transparent wings makes it difficult to focus properly.
- Ithomiidae species (October 31, 2004, San Felipe, Merida, Venezuela)
Sasakia charonda
Called "Oh-Murasaki" (big purple) in Japan, where it is the national butterfly. The dorsal side of the male wings is bright breathtaking purple.
- Oh-Murasaki (Nymphalidae Sasakia charonda) male (July 18, 2005, Matsushiro, Nagano, Japan)
Parantica sita
This is a Danaidae butterfly, relative of Monarch butterfly, called "Asagi-Madara" in Japan. Like Monarch, they fly a long distance over the island of Japan.
- Asagi-Madara (Danaidae Parantica sita ) (July 22, 2005, Shichimi Onsen, Nagano, Japan)
Rocky Mountain Parnassian
I have recently discovered that this Parnassian flies much faster than its relative species "Usuba-Shiro" found in Japan. I had back-to-back trips to Japan and Boulder, CO, in June of 2006 and chased both Parnassians to compare their flight speeds.
- Rocky mountain parnassian male (July 1, 2006, Eldora, CO)
Orangetip
Male orangetip is much prettier than its female. They seldom rest on flowers longer than a few seconds and I have caught a rare opportunity of male feeding on dandelion.
- Orangetip (Anthocharis midea) male (April 16, 2006, Assumpink WMA, NJ)