Common butterflies...and a few rarities, too!
recent sightings posted on our Butterfly
Checklist page
 Gulf Frittilary by Marceline Vandewater |
Maceline Vandewater is among our guided birdwalk
leaders, and she's also an accomplished photographer of birds, butterflies,
lizards and Autumn landscapes. Click the image at left to see more of
her butterfly photography on the Central Arizona Butterfly Association website |
 Two-tailed Swallowtail by Daryl Faust |
Our state butterfly is the Two-tailed Swallowtail, an impressive and large gold-on-black insect. This beautiful image was shared by Daryl Faust; see more of his work at http://www.pbase.com/darylf |
 Painted Lady Photo by Les Starks |
Becky Lamson and her husband Les Starks have
generously shared their images of butterflies and more around the Arboretum
trails. View more of their photography at http://www.lesbec.com |
 Queen Butterfly photo by Philip Lowe |
Queens are often mistaken for their larger and more orange relatives the Monarch, but with some practice you can easily see the different colors and patterns of the queen, which is also smaller than a monarch. Attend our guided butterfly walks during the Spring and Summer to learn more. See more of Philip's images |
 Pipevine Swallowtail photo by Gale Racut |
"What's that big, black one?" is
among the most common questions from visitors who see the blue-black (and
iridescent) Pipevine Swallowtails in our Hummingbird-Butterfly garden.
These have a fascinating adaptation - the larvae, or caterpillars, feed
exclusively on pipevine before they molt into adult butterflies. Their
digestive systems can handle the toxic plant, and the toxin builds up
in their bodies... leaving a residual -- and nasty -- taste in the mouth
of a bird or lizard unlucky enough to catch one. Monarch butterfly larvae
eat milkweed for the same reason. See
more of Gale's photography |