Papilio hospiton

[nomad]

Since Papilio hospiton specimens are rarely seen being a protected Cities species and any recent examples will be absent from collections, I would like to show these old Museum specimens. They were caught long before this superb Swallowtail was protected.

Although they are historically valuable and wonderful specimens, nothing can compare with seeing this superb endemic floating down a high ridge at Vizzavona, sparking in the sun and observing her for over an hour as she visited flowers. Just a short while ago, happy days indeed.

The selection here consists of specimens from both Corsica and Sardinia. I must say that B.H. Cooke had a very fine setting style for that early period. A very interesting example by Cooke has the hindwing sub-marginal blue spots subdued and dark.

All specimens OUMNH collections.

[trehopr1]

Beautiful. I managed to pick up one well spread example which looks just like the first photo. Saw it in an old collection years ago and had to have it !

[africaone]

Nov 27, 2016 15:16:11 GMT nomad said:

and any recent examples will be absent from collections

... hum hum ... you sems not to frequent insectfairs

[nomad]

No I tend not to frequent Insect Fairs.  Interesting that Cooke's specimens were taken in early May. Corte is in the centre of the Island and mountains, perhaps it was an early season. I see that two of the specimens shown were taken in July when I observed two, one each in widely separated mountain localities, one of those I saw was well past its best. I believe late May/June would be spot on for seeing this species in the mountains. There is no reason to believe that it does not still occur at Corte, as the mountains in that region seem unchanged. You would just need to seek out areas where the foodplant occurs.

I have never before seen a specimen like Cooke's individual with the dark hindwings. I suspect this is unusual.