Harvester butterfly (Feniseca tarquinius)

[trehopr1]

This butterfly is the only carnivorous butterfly species in North America. It's larvae feed on various aphid species ! It lives in wooded areas near streams close to alders. My friend has been very fortunate in collecting this species in various places throughout our state of Illinois. I have never personally encountered it in any of my collecting jaunts. It is generally considered a scarce species. I'm still not fond of shingling specimens but, it is still impressive none the less to see such an assemblage of a seldom encountered item.

[jhyatt]

Lovely Harvesters are always a treat to find - I ran across one or two this summer in Tennessee. Never fails to be a surprise.

They seem to be the only Lycaenid that tends to get greasy in the drawer... although I bet that L. brassolis also does that.

jh

[africaone]

it recalls Lachnocnema in Africa

[steve]

All of the Acrodipsas and Liphyra do that.