Papilio glaucus

Posted 21 January 2013 by

Photograph by Dragoness. Photography contest, Honorable Mention.
Papilio glaucus, male. The (female) black morph was shown in the photography contest, here.

11 Comments

Karen S. · 21 January 2013

Now that is gorgeous!

Henry J · 21 January 2013

But it's still an insect!!1111!!!eleven!!!!!!

Robin · 22 January 2013

Nice! Is it just me or is THE shot everyone who photographs butterflies gets of the swallowtails? I have this exact shot myself. I finally decided to try something different and shot a Black Swallowtail directly face on. Of course with that particular angle it’s hard to tell what the creature actually is. You can see the pic at ATBC:
http://www.antievolution.org/cgi-bin/ikonboard/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=14;t=5385;st=1740#entry209159

It's the fourth pic in the group.

Kevin B · 22 January 2013

Robin said: Nice! Is it just me or is THE shot everyone who photographs butterflies gets of the swallowtails? I have this exact shot myself. I finally decided to try something different and shot a Black Swallowtail directly face on. Of course with that particular angle it’s hard to tell what the creature actually is. You can see the pic at ATBC: http://www.antievolution.org/cgi-bin/ikonboard/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=14;t=5385;st=1740#entry209159 It's the fourth pic in the group.
Perhaps it's a characteristic pose of Swallowtails (unlike peppered moths, which tend to settle on the undersides of Creationists, I gather.) Might there be an adaptive advantage. Don't brightly-coloured exhibitionist organisms tend to be poisonous (or at least unpleasant?) Incidentally, is this the butterfly that flapped its wings and caused it to rain on David Coppedge's parade?

Robin · 22 January 2013

Kevin B said: Incidentally, is this the butterfly that flapped its wings and caused it to rain on David Coppedge's parade?
No. That was an Eastern Tailed Blue. Most people don't even notice them and have no idea how much influence such innocuous creatures actually have on our day-to-day lives. ;-P

Joe Felsenstein · 22 January 2013

Robin said:
Kevin B said: Incidentally, is this the butterfly that flapped its wings and caused it to rain on David Coppedge's parade?
No. That was an Eastern Tailed Blue. Most people don't even notice them and have no idea how much influence such innocuous creatures actually have on our day-to-day lives. ;-P
Years ago one of the scientific humor magazines reported on an expedition to China, in which they captured the actual butterfly that influenced world weather.

Paul Burnett · 23 January 2013

Kevin B said: Incidentally, is this the butterfly that flapped its wings and caused it to rain on David Coppedge's parade?
On Martin Luther King Day, the Dishonesty Institute reminds us that "Intelligent Design Is a Civil Rights Issue" - http://www.evolutionnews.org/2013/01/on_mlk_day_reme068451.html

DS · 23 January 2013

Paul Burnett said:
Kevin B said: Incidentally, is this the butterfly that flapped its wings and caused it to rain on David Coppedge's parade?
On Martin Luther King Day, the Dishonesty Institute reminds us that "Intelligent Design Is a Civil Rights Issue" - http://www.evolutionnews.org/2013/01/on_mlk_day_reme068451.html
Sure, just like geocentrism. Everyone has the right to believe whatever stupid crap they want for whatever reason they want. They just don't have the right to force others to go along with it. From that perspective, it sure is a civil rights issue.

Robin · 24 January 2013

Joe Felsenstein said: Years ago one of the scientific humor magazines reported on an expedition to China, in which they captured the actual butterfly that influenced world weather.
Heh! Sounds like something The Onion would do. :)

Joe Felsenstein · 24 January 2013

Robin said:
Joe Felsenstein said: Years ago one of the scientific humor magazines reported on an expedition to China, in which they captured the actual butterfly that influenced world weather.
Heh! Sounds like something The Onion would do. :)
It was either Journal of Irreproducible Results or Annals of Improbable Research. I saw it in a "best of" compilation. But I cannot find the exact reference now.

Dragoness · 25 January 2013

Thank You for the honorable mention!!!
This specimen has survived butterfly battles but lost its swallowtails in the process.

Re; Qs about photographing swallowtails, we are inundated with swallowtails of several types in our little WV mountain valley.

I look forward to spring for more!!