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Post by trehopr1 on Mar 5, 2015 4:23:12 GMT
As a youth growing up in a very "urbanized " suburb outside of Chicago --- butterfly hunting came tough ! There weren't very many wild places generally left. I had some railway tracks near my home that I checked periodically along with the occasional empty lot where nothing had yet been built. And although, the infrequent flower garden posed many a temptation --- your carelessness might upset a wary homeowner.
The Tiger Swallowtail or "Tiger" as my friends called it was TRUELY the big game trophy in my little world. I might only see 2 or 3 in a whole summer. But, there was nothing quite like that huge, yellow, flapping wonder ! ! My friends, upon seeing one would yell out "Tiger Swallowtail " for me and ALL the neighborhood to hear.
Whenever I had net close at hand I would give chase. And CHASE I would --- as they never seemed to tire or land. There were scarcely any flowers about. So they would soar in and out of trees, over fences, through dog yards, and parking lots (with cars). All the time with me in hot pursuit...
More often than not my quarry got away via some obstacle in my path OR of I being winded. However, on the rare occasions where I did secure my prize I must say that for that moment I felt like Alfred Russel Wallace did upon capturing his first Orange Birdwing !
Have you got a story like this to pass along?
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Post by mygos on Mar 5, 2015 7:16:48 GMT
Would be nice Trehopr1, if you could show us a photograph of your Tiger  A+, Michel |
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Post by trehopr1 on Mar 5, 2015 7:33:06 GMT
And indeed I shall post a picture for you in the near future !
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Post by wollastoni on Mar 5, 2015 8:31:26 GMT
Great story trehopr1 ! I remember having had this strong emotion several times when I was a kid. My first Precis in La Réunion, my first apollo, my first Colias phicomone (which wasn't figured in my field book and I was sure to have discovered a rare new species in the French Alpes ), my first Charaxes jasius. I think I will remember them all my life ! And even now as an adult, I remember having very strong emotion while meeting some tropical graals : my first Papuan Delias, my first Ornithoptera, Cirrochroa imperatrix in Biak, Parthenos silvia in Phi Phi island... PS : Would be also nice if you add the latin name for us non-Americans. I am not sure about which species you are talking about as I know several tigered NA Papilio. |
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Post by trehopr1 on Mar 5, 2015 9:25:48 GMT
The species is the common Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). None of the sub-species.
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Post by telliottmbamsc on Mar 5, 2015 22:30:08 GMT
Here is my story at www.flickr.com/photos/9600117@N03/?details=1The drought of 2013 almost wiped them out. It was so bad their host chokecherry trees didn't offer enough moisture to keep the cats alive. It was really bad. |
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Post by trehopr1 on Apr 17, 2015 3:45:22 GMT
Finally have some pictures of the elusive Tiger Swallowtail of my youthful years.  Papilio glaucus female / light phase My best wild caught example.  Papilo glaucus male My best wild caught example.  Behold, my best wild caught pair. Though these butterflies may be considered common throughout Eastern North America they are really quite uncommon in urbanized areas. As mentioned, in my beginning post I would only perhaps see two or three of these in an entire summer. At 5 inches plus this was the GIANT yellow flapping wonder which captivated me every time I saw it. Hope you like the pictures Mygos. |
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Post by mygos on Apr 17, 2015 6:12:35 GMT
Very nice indeed, thank you A+, Michel |
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Post by wollastoni on Apr 17, 2015 8:08:17 GMT
Splendid !
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Post by trehopr1 on Apr 24, 2015 3:24:39 GMT
Visited a friends collection the other day and he had this beautiful drawer of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). Males and light phase females are on the left side (first two columns) with dark phase females on the far right column. Transitional forms and specimens with genetic curiosities are in columns 3-4.  All specimens have been wild collected. |
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Post by trehopr1 on Apr 24, 2015 3:41:25 GMT
Get a load of these beauties !  Behold, the awesomeness of the female on the right. A dark phase female with tiger stripes.... It does'nt get much better than that one !  All specimens in both photos have been wild collected. |
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Post by deliasfanatic on Apr 24, 2015 6:13:54 GMT
Like most species that occur as scarce intermediate forms, I've always had a fascination with these. Not at all easy to find!
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Post by trehopr1 on Apr 24, 2015 6:55:19 GMT
Well said deliasfanatic and so very much true. Intermediate color forms of this butterfly along with those possessing genetic anomalies are very rarely encountered in the field. My friend has been most fortune in finding those which he has however, it has taken him at least the last 20 years or so. Papilio glaucus is easily THE most varied swallowtail of all the eastern seaboard species. It has long been my consummate favorite among all eastern North American butterflies.
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Post by trehopr1 on May 9, 2015 20:09:33 GMT
Behold, one of my drawers of the male Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). I captured all of these myself. I consider these my "secondaries" as they are slight A-. My ex-pupa wing caught examples are in another drawer. I love this butterfly !! I hope you do too.  |
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Post by Paul K on May 10, 2015 1:53:46 GMT
They are beautiful species . In Ontario Canada all Papilionidae are under protection so collecting or raring is illegal . Another stupid law as they are common species except Battus philenor and P.cresphontes.
You can keep though in the collection specimens if they were collected before 1997 , but can not sell them.
My guess is that all papilios in Collections are labeled before 1997.
Paul
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