Hunting Ford's Indra Swallowtail Butterflies - Granite Mts

Please watch the HQ stereo version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0_o4K1Z9Bk&fmt=18

A short documentary featuring a trip to the Mojave Desert's Granite Mountains in search of the Ford's Indra Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio indra fordi). These delicate creatures survive in an incredibly hostile environment of bare rock, scant plantlife and low rainfall.

While the adult butterflies are rarely encountered, the eggs and caterpillars can sometimes be found by locating the host plants, Cymopterus panamintensis (Desert Parsley) at the right time of year. The music is "Brenda's Song", composed and performed by TECHNICIAN. Much more info on rearing the Ford's Swallowtail and many others is available, free ot the public, at JCMDI.COM

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Papilio
• indra
• fordi
• swallowtail
• butterfly
• egg
• caterpillar
• larva
• granite
• mountains
• technician
• jcmdi
• hunting
• collecting
• butterflies
• cymopterus
• panamintensis
• desert
• parsley
• seed
• heads
• ova
• life
• cycle
• jcmdi.com
• santa
• clarita
• JCMDI
• wildlife
• nature
• hiking
• outdoors
• wilderness

[AltAirPilot517]

I'm guising no but do you know if Fordi will accept Fennel as an alternative? I simply don't have T. arguta and don't know how to obtain it, nor do I have the natural hosts.

[jcmegabyte]

Yes, I have successfully reared fordi to adult from ova on Fennel. They don't quite as well on it but it does work. It really helps to have very fresh Fennel Good luck! :-)

[99rdm]

What time of year did you see this stuff and when is the best time of day to go. I love photographing this kind of stuff?

[jcmegabyte]

For this particular species, early April is the best time (true for most deep desert species), however, you can find desert butterflies (and caterpillars) doing their thing from Mid Feb. through early June, depending on altitude. I prefer mid-morning for hunting and photographing, since the winds are less likely to be blowing, although EVERY time I've gone out to the Granites it's been blowing like a hurricane!

[louiseduvee]

I love this! You MUST be a teacher..

[jcmegabyte]

Well, yes - a teacher of sorts... but more like a discoverer/presentor, doing my teaching via creativity rather than in a classroom. Thanks again for watching and all your support :-)

[jcmegabyte]

They are indeed some pretty amazing critters - from start to finish! :-) Thanks for stopping by!

[coold1do]

It's cool when you find something you're looking for.

[jcmegabyte]

Actually, Papilio indra parvindra (formerly pygmaeus) is said to be the smallest indra. They fly only in the Dead Mountains near Laughlin, NV. A friend and I climbed Mt. Manchester there several years ago (grueling 6 hour ascent) and didn't find any larvae or adults. Doh! I think fordi is the second smallest indra, but I'm not sure. Dr. Wayne Whaley of Utah University is the real indra expert. :-)

[CaptainZ1627]

I hear it's the smallest of the indras - how small were yours? I've seen indras as small as 1 15/16"