beginner requires ID of swallowtail (3 photos)

[John Shuey]

Papilio cresphontes is almost certainly resident in southern Ontario (the banana belt
of Canada).  I've seen it quite commonly (although very localized) at the same
latitude in Michigan.  The hostplant is quite common on the southern edge of Lake Erie
in mesic and swampy forests.  And P. cresphontes was having a pretty good year in
northern Indiana about a month ago - so it seems likely that this was local born
butterfly.

Point Pelee is infamous for turning up odd butterfly records - probably the south
jutting peninsula "collects" butterflies as they move along the Lake Erie shoreline.

John Shuey

sphinxangelorum at bigfoot.com wrote:

> Bret Murray wrote:
>
> > I beleive you are right P crephontes giant swal.  A bit unusual to find so far
> > north unless someone was rearing and released them. I dont think they survive
> > winter so far north.
>
> It could have been blown north by storm winds.  I think it occurs naturally within
> some 200 miles.  Check with a natural history museum or academic entomology
> department on that to be sure.
>
> > "S.M.L." wrote:
> >
> > > I am not presently involved in the study of butterflies, but having acquired
> > > a digital camera recently, I have been experimenting with taking macro
> > > photographs of insects. I was fortunate enough to get three reasonably good
> > > shots of a butterfly on a beach while visiting Point Pelee National Park in
> > > S. W. Ontario on August 11, 2000. My curiosity was raised, having never seen
> > > this species of butterfly before. A quick search on the web identified it as
> > > a type of swallowtail and I believe it to be a Giant Swallowtail, but I
> > > couldn't find a good enough photo on the web to be sure. If someone could
> > > help me to ID this butterfly, I would appreciate it greatly. If anyone would
> > > like full size copies of these photos (approx. 1600x1200 pixels and
> > > 350-400kb) I would be happy to e-mail them.
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Steve Loxton
> > >
> > > sluggo7 at hotmail.com
> > >
> > >  [Image]
> > >
> > >  [Image]
> > >
> > >  [Image]