Limenitis weidemeyerii W. H. Edwards

On January 13, 2019 By Erik OstrumIn Lepidoptera, NymphalidaeLeave a comment

This is a very bold colored species belonging in the same genus as the more commonly recognized Viceroy. The Limenitis genus as whole are all quite bold and colorful. I never seen this species until I moved out to Colorado and now it has become the most recognizable species I see flying about.

This species ranges throughout the Rocky Mountains here in the U.S and several subspecies are recognized. Larvae can be found feeding on aspen, cottonwood, and willows among others.

Since 2017 I’ve been able to add a few individuals to the collection, all from Colorado. As of right now I only have a handful of species and subspecies of Limenitis and I’m hoping to add some more variants soon.

Below you can see the bold coloration on the underside of the wings, which is my favorite part of this species.

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Other online sources:

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Limenitis-weidemeyerii

https://bugguide.net/node/view/24571

Anaea andria Scudder

On January 13, 2019 By Erik OstrumIn Lepidoptera, NymphalidaeLeave a comment

I was always fascinated with this species growing up after seeing some framed specimens. My chance to see one finally came when I was doing research in Arkansas. I was able to see quite a few individuals and managed to collect a few as well. I recently was able to get another individual from south Texas as well.

This is a widespread (though somewhat sporadic) species in the southern states but doesn’t really get noticed much. This is thanks in part to the excellent cryptic coloration of a dead leaf. This species is also known to have summer and winter forms, which unfortunately the collection is missing the winter form.

The collection currently holds a handful of specimens, mostly from Arkansas but also one individual from Texas.

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Other online sources:

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/goatweed_bfly.htm

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Anaea-andria

https://bugguide.net/node/view/13806

Xylophanes tersa (Linnaeus)

On January 11, 2019January 11, 2019 By Erik OstrumIn Lepidoptera, SphingidaeLeave a comment

I’ve only encountered this species once while I was working in Arkansas. Luckily I was able to catch it for the collection. I was out collecting around the light pole and security light when this individual came flying in. I was really excited to be able to get a new species to the collection.

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Xylophanes tersa can be found throughout much of the eastern U.S though its much more common in the southern states as it migrates north every year. This is an unmistakable species so getting a correct ID should be really easy. The abdomen is extremely pointed and it has a very streamline body. The hindwings have very contrasting black and yellow/white markings.

Caterpillar host plants include smooth buttonplant, starclusters, catalpa plus a few others.

Currently there is 1 specimen in the collection collected in eastern Arkansas.

Other Online Information:

https://bugguide.net/node/view/419

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Xylophanes-tersa

Automeris io (Fabricius)

On January 11, 2019 By Erik OstrumIn Lepidoptera, SaturniidaeLeave a comment

I’ve only managed to see this species twice in my life. Once when I was young and then again in the summer of 2017 when I moved to Colorado. I was honestly quite surprised because I had no clue this species ranged into Colorado at all but as it turns out, it does.

The genus Automeris is quite speciose having around 145 species. Here in the U.S we have only 7 species with just A. io being widespread. 5 species just barely make it in the southwest and there’s one species found in the coastal salt marshes in areas of the gulf coast.

Automeris io is a member of the family Saturniidae (Giant Silk Moths) and can be found throughout the eastern U.S and into Colorado. This species is easily identified from the very conspicuous eye spot on the hind wings and quite frankly its unmistakable.

This species has a bit of range in terms of host food plants including maple, poplar, willow, and elm to name a few.

Currently in my Collection I have one specimen collected in Colorado

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