Pipevine Swallowtail

Battus philenor, Family Papilionidae (Swallowtails). Still shots can be seen at http://static.flickr.com/94/219400997_f2abebc692_o.jpg

This is also called the Blue Swallowtail and the Philenor, according to Bugguide.Net's info page at http://bugguide.net/node/view/412. "Flies all year in tropical Mexico," says Bugguide. "Overwinters as chrysalis in temperate areas."

The Pipevine is one of several swallowtail butterflies that look very much alike and that include the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (female, dark phase), Black Swallowtail (female), Spicebush Swallowtail, Red-spotted Purple, and Diana Fritillary. Bugguide.Net has a good guide on telling the species apart at http://bugguide.net/node/view/2636. I think this is a female, given the thickness of its body.

The lookalike markings are part of the Batesian mimicry complex, a protective mechanism whereby several different species get to look like one or more that taste bad to predators.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• FL
• butterfly
• August
• PipevineSwallowtail

[tse676563]

Your video shows the reality. Thank you for posting!