My DH loves to take pictures and took this one on my milkweed. I missed the actual site, but was so excited with the pictures. I think it is a Thoas Swallowtail, can anyone confirm? This is the underside.
A special visit
Here is the topside, with the body visiable. Note the blue and red spots.
One more, showing the notch in the third bar. Anyone give me a positive ID? Thoas or GS?
This message was edited Jul 4, 2006 6:47 AM
most likely GS. Thoas are very rare and then usually only in extreme southern Texas
I found a Texas site that compares the two. Open the link and click on the red word "here" at the bottom.
Oops, here is the link.
http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~pwd/txbutterflythoasswallowtai.html
This message was edited Jul 4, 2006 6:38 AM
I am going with the GST ID also. Your butterfly's yellow banding, Sheila, looks identical to me to all the GST's in the link(s) you provided. Very nice GST in your pic, too.
Happy July 4th!!
I am no expert but from the numerous ID books I have and on the web I can see no difference either. All my GST show the notch in the 3rd wing bar too but not being an expert I won't argue the point. If you have found a Thoas a big congrats to you for finding a very rare BF.
I doubt that it is either because of the odds of it being this far up. Even the links I looked up later are saying it is hard to distinguish them. But the DH really did a nice job on a spur of the moment shot, and I love it, even if it is a Giant Swallowtail.
NICE!!!
I didn't even know there WAS a Thoas Swallowtail. That gives me more reason to take pics of the GST's that I see now. I have so many pics of them that I don't bother taking many now. I have a newfound interest in them now!
lol KK
Hi Paige! ((waving!!))
Good luck on the pics. I was hoping that maybe because of the storms last year they moved further north, but everyone is pretty certain it is the GST.
Hope to see you again at the Arlington swap this year.
Hi Sheila! How's your gardening doing this year? Your milkweed sure is a pretty yellow. Is it the "Silky Gold" (I think that's it) or is it another yellow kind? I have a few yellow ones too. I'm sure wanting some pink ones! Oh, reminds me again that I need order seeds!
I am planning on being at the swap! Mitch has me on his list to email the details. It sure is good that he's a teacher and can organize. I'm not rooting anything yet because I'll end up forgetting about them since the kids are out for summer. I say that but I'm going to try some in the floral foam and see how that works.
See ya soon!
Glad you mentioned the foam, I forgot I bought some to do that very thing with and forgot. But I want to get the air stone bubbler system started too.
My garden is doing great this year, we bit the bullet and put in a sprinkler system after last year of dragging hoses around our 270 foot deep lot just to keep things alive in the TX heat. That has allowed us time to finish some beds that have been needing attention and put in some new ones.
You are correct, the "Silky Gold" is my first blooming one, I purchased it at Martha's Bloomers when I went down for the CS RoundUP in April. It hasn't attracted as many BFs as I thought it would, but it has put out loads of seeds for me. I have the aphids, and snatched off milkweed bugs, but I have not had ladybugs this year. I had a lot last year, so I am still hoping or may buy somemore.
Sheila, A couple of weeks ago I captured a Giant Swallowtail just coming out of it's cocoon. I compared my picture to yours. Mine has the red marks, but I didn't see any blue in my picture.
I looked up your Thoas Swallowtail and they don't show them being in S. Florida.
Mine is definately a Giant Swallowtail.
They have been coming to the yard since last year when I planted a Wild Lime secifically to attract them.
Compare the two and see what you think.
In my picture I have zoomed it twice to show the red.
Art
I see the blue Art, it is just above the red on both wings. I think they are one in the same. You may try to crop the picture, that will automatically enlarge it usually. Great Shot! My DH is the camera buff here..LOL!
Sheila, I hadn't realized it until now that you mentioned it, but I haven't had any milkweed bugs!! Wow! I barely have any aphids either, making both things very unusual but great!
I forced myself to use the insecticidal soap on the first batch of aphids to see if that would control them. I really think it did, and it was safe since it was too early for Monarchs.
I've got cats now and a few aphids so I'm just hand squishing those. I have had ladybugs and larvae that are loving the giant sunflowers. I've been collecting them from underneath the huge leaves and moving them to the milkweed. I see them start eating aphids right away so I guess it works. I've left those aphids covered sunflower leaves just for my gathering purposes.
Hey Art! Glad to see a post from you. Hope everything is going well in your new efforts to grow more nectar plants. What is that plant that your GST is on? Great shot!
I know this is an old thread but I was researching Thoas photos and have noticed that Thoas have four yellow marginal spots on the trailing edge of the forewing and also seem to have extrar yellow spot on top of the forewing band.
http://www.neotropicalbutterflies.com/Site%20Revision/Pages/Swallowtail%20pages/Heraclides_thoas.html
Am still a bit confused as I've seen what I figured were GSTs with four yellow marginal spots on the trailing edge of the forewing!!! Hmmmm...
~ Cat