Florida Butterfly Photos

Florida Butterfly Photos - Brushfoots

by Will Cook

Here's a selection of Lepidoptera images from a trip to south Florida, June 22-29, 2010. All photos were taken using a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50, most with the addition of a Sony VCL-M3358 close-up lens.

Papilionidae and Pieridae | Lycaenidae | Nymphalidae | Hesperiidae | Moths

Nymphalidae - Brushfoots

Danainae - Milkweed Butterflies


	Queen (Danaus gilippus) Miami-Dade Co., FL 6/28/2010.
	Soldier (Danaus eresimus) Near Florida City, Miami-Dade Co., FL 6/23/10.

Heliconiinae - Longwings

Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
Near Florida City, Miami-Dade Co., FL 6/28/2010.

Gulf Fritillary is one of our most spectacular butterflies. The undersides are brownish with yellowish streaks and many large silvery-white spots.

Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
Boca Raton, Palm Beach Co., FL 6/28/2010.

Gulf Fritillary caterpillars feed on various species of passionflower (Passiflora). There are actually two caterpillars in the photo at left — look closely!

Zebra Heliconian (Heliconius charithonia)
Homestead, Miami-Dade Co., FL 6/22/2010.

Nymphalinae - True Brushfoots

	Phaon Crescent (Phyciodes phaon) Long Pine Key, Everglades National Park, Miami-Dade Co., FL 6/23/2010.
	Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) Near Florida City, Miami-Dade Co., FL 6/23/2010.
	Mangrove Buckeye (Junonia evarete) Rutherford Park, Boca Raton, Palm Beach Co., FL 6/28/2010. This one is nectaring on its host plant, Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans).
	White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae) Tree Tops Park, Davie, Broward Co., FL 6/22/2010.
	White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae) Near Florida City, Miami-Dade Co., FL 6/28/2010. A stunningly-patterned fresh individual, the most colorful one I've seen.

Limenitidinae - Admirals and Relatives

	Viceroy (Limenitis archippus) Okeechobee, Okeechobee Co., FL 6/30/2010. Viceroys in southern Florida are brownish, resembling the Queen butterfly, which is more common than the Monarch here, but equally toxic.
	Ruddy Daggerwing (Marpesia petreus) Castellow Hammock, near Homestead, Miami-Dade Co., FL 6/24/2010.
	Dingy Purplewing (Eunica monima) Castellow Hammock, near Homestead, Miami-Dade Co., FL 6/28/2010. Dingy Purplewing inhabits the interiors of shady hammocks, but occasionally comes to the sunny edges, like the one photographed here. More photos of Dingy Purplewing.
	Florida Purplewing (Eunica tatila) Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park, Key Largo, Monroe Co., FL 6/25/2010. Florida Purplewing also inhabits the interiors of shady hammocks; you generally have to feed a lot of mosquitoes and deerflies to see one. The lavender tinge is brought out by the camera's flash - it isn't very noticeable under ambient lighting. More photos of Florida Purplewing.

Papilionidae and Pieridae | Lycaenidae | Nymphalidae | Hesperiidae | Moths

Comments? Questions? E-mail me at cwcook@duke.edu