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Post by Paul K on Sept 13, 2015 7:49:51 GMT
Wolf, Can you post photos of Polygonia here on this forum ? I can not view larger image on Insectnet thanks to Clark-Admin very quick registration process to his forum ( I am waiting since June, I am sure he has to run all background check up, criminal records , etc...  ). The Lycaenidae you have got there is Lycaeides idas ferniensis male and brown female. Paul |
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wolf
Aurelian
Posts: 132
Country: Norway
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Post by wolf on Sept 13, 2015 12:38:06 GMT
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Post by Paul K on Sept 13, 2015 14:21:09 GMT
The first two in my opinion look like P.progne. This species does not occur in Southern British Columbia but Whistler might be the most southern limit for them. The last third specimen is P.satyrus.
Paul
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wolf
Aurelian
Posts: 132
Country: Norway
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Post by wolf on Sept 13, 2015 14:30:26 GMT
Well my conclusion was that they are all satyrus just with variable undersides, and the middle one possibly being a female. They were all caught on the same path along a river in Whistler. I dont think they look like P.progne, so not sure if i agree with that. But im by no means familiar with these species and where they may or may not occur in Canada  As for the Plebejus i landed on idas also myself, but i was unsure of the subspecies, so thanks for that id  |
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Post by Paul K on Sept 13, 2015 15:36:51 GMT
Polygonia is very difficult genius to identify. The white mark on the hind wing is often the key. The first two specimens don't look like P.satyrus. The silver comma mark is bended and clubbed at the ends in P.satyrus but your specimens have rather strait mark and underside of hindwing pattern without the contrast which is more likely to be P.progne.
Paul
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wolf
Aurelian
Posts: 132
Country: Norway
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Post by wolf on Sept 13, 2015 16:28:11 GMT
You know what, i actually wrote wrong when i said what i initially thought. I didn't think these were all satyrus, but all were P.faunus!!
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Post by wollastoni on Sept 13, 2015 17:17:16 GMT
Those N. American Polygonia are amazing !
I remember having good times chasing after those "giants" 10 years ago in Quebec.
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Post by Paul K on Sept 13, 2015 17:56:13 GMT
Indeed there is subspecies in western Canada P.faunus hylas which looks very similar to P.progne but your specimens miss the green spots on underside unless they are not visible on the photos. The last specimen looks like P.faunus faunus but this subspecies occurs only in Eastern Canada west to Manitoba. According to pictures it looks indeed like faunus. I my self have not collected any of those so I just go by the book "Butterflies of Canada".
Paul
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wolf
Aurelian
Posts: 132
Country: Norway
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Post by wolf on Sept 13, 2015 18:34:48 GMT
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Post by Paul K on Sept 14, 2015 2:31:51 GMT
www.cbif.gc.ca/eng/species-bank/butterflies-of-canada/green-comma/?id=1370403265631This is link to website " Butterflies of Canada". Reproduced with permission from The Butterflies of Canada by Ross A. Layberry, Peter W. Hall, and J. Donald Lafontaine. University of Toronto Press; 1998. Specimen photos courtesy of John T. Fowler. It is interesting site covering all species occur in Canada. The information and description on the website "Butterflies of BC" confirming that your all specimens are P.faunus rusticus. First two are females and the last one with more contrasting underside hindwing pattern is the male. In this case I found the website I mentioned above rather confusing then helping and it is missing the BC subspecies rusticus. Paul
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wolf
Aurelian
Posts: 132
Country: Norway
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Post by wolf on Sept 14, 2015 10:34:16 GMT
Yes, that's what i have labeled them as. Thanks for your help.
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