The zebra swallowtail can be seen from late March to August in the northern portion of its range and from February to December in the southern portion. Summer forms are larger, have broader black stripes, and longer, black tails with white edges. Spring forms are smaller, more white, and have short, black tails with white tips. marcellus has two seasonal forms, one occurring in the spring and the other in the summer. A red stripe runs along the middle of the ventral hindwing. The inner margin of the hindwing has two blue spots on the corner and a red spot near the body. A pair of swordlike tails extend from the hindwings. The triangular wings are white to greenish white with black longitudinal stripes. The zebra swallowtail has a wingspan of 6.4 to 10.4 cm (2.5 to 4.1 in). The green or black caterpillars feed on the leaves of various pawpaw species, while the adults feed on flower nectar and minerals from damp soil. The butterflies are closely associated with pawpaws, and are rarely found far from these trees. Its distinctive wing shape and long tails make it easy to identify, and its black-and-white-striped pattern is reminiscent of a zebra. Edu.Eurytides marcellus, the zebra swallowtail (formerly listed under genera Protographium, Iphiclides, Graphium and Papilio by some authorities), is a swallowtail butterfly native to the eastern United States and south-eastern Canada. " Birdwing Butterflies." Tropical Factsheets. " Cecropia Moth," National Wildlife Federation. " Cecropia Moth - Hyalophora Cecropia Linnaeus". The Online Guide To The Animals Of Trinidad And Tobago. " Spotlight: the owl butterfly." Natural History Museum. " Puss caterpillar," Featured Creatures: University of Florida. " Puss Caterpillar (Larva), Southern Flannel Moth (Adult) Megalopyge Opercularis". The National Wildlife Federation Blog"." A Visual Journey Through The Monarch Life Cycle " Monarch Danaus Plexippus (Linnaeus, 1758) | Butterflies And Moths Of North America". " Monarch Butterfly Facts For Kids - Naturemapping". " Regal Moth Or Hickory Horned Devil - Citheronia Regalis (Fabricius)". " Spicebush Swallowtail - Papilio Troilus Linnaeus". " Instar." Amateur Entomologists' Society. Whether you love identifying caterpillars in the wild or determining friend from foe in your garden, here's a before-and-after look at some of Mother Nature's most notable species. "Instar" refers to the developmental stage of an arthropod between its various moults.Īfterward, butterfly caterpillars molt one final time into a hard chrysalis to begin their magical makeover, and moth caterpillars (with a few exceptions) wrap themselves in a silky cocoon. They grow so much during their brief lives that they typically shed their skin several times, often revamping their appearance from one instar phase to the next. What caterpillars all have in common is the incredible metamorphosis they undergo on their journey from egg to butterfly or moth.Ĭaterpillars represent just one stage of this transformational trek-the larval stage-during which their main purpose is to eat and grow. But the caterpillars they start from-with a variety of colors, shapes, markings, and armor-can be equally captivating. It's hard not to be captivated by the fluttery, fragile beauty of butterflies and moths.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |