Anyone know what this little guy is? He was incredibly iridescent.
ID please
Another angle:
I don't know, but I sure do like it. I guess we'll have to wait for some of our TX experts to logon tonight.
Wow, what a color, it is so beautiful!
Oh, it just sparkled in the sun--so gorgeous! I hope someone knows what kind it was.
Awesome looking. I have no idea what it is though. It might be a male Great Purple Hairstreak that you caught sunning himself. They do have a lucious blue dorsal coloring.
Maybe an Eighty-Eight but the spots don't exactly match. Then thought maybe of the purplewings but they're found in Mexico and the coloring is off.
How about an escapee from a butterfly conservatory!?
Do you have any other photos...any of the underside?
(Octobter 31, 2007 9:06am - FYI: I've removed Glassberg's email address as this butterfly has been identified as a Great Purple Hairstreak)
~ Cat
This message was edited Oct 31, 2007 9:06 AM
Cat, I didn't get a shot of the underside, except the bad one below, and I couldn't see much more. I did see a lot of bright red on the body. But as for the wings, it kept crawling under the leaf, and the underside was only briefly visible.
I have never seen a butterfly this color, or this iridescent, before. I'll e-mail Mr. Glassberg and see if he recognizes it.
Am fairly positive that it is a Great Purple Hairstreak. Those markings on the underside (ventral view) show all the known marking of a Great Purple Hairstreak.
It's very rare to photograph them with their wings open!!! :o)
This is a website that shows the ventral and dorsal views. Perhaps you can look at it and compare it to your photos.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IN267
~ Cat
This message was edited Oct 31, 2007 8:11 AM
Yes, that's it! Thank you. :) :)
My field guide doesn't have a shot of the upper side of the wings. Moments like this, I sure wish I had a better camera!
And--LOL--now I guess I need to check my red oak for mistletoe.
Congrats again on getting the dorsal view of that butterfly - it really is rare to find them with their wings opened!!! I've seen gobs over the past several years but never...never....never...with it's wings opened!!!
Also must say I've checked too many mistletoes looking for caterpillars or chrysalids - haven't found one yet...but I can still try and hope!!! I've read they like to crawl down to the base of the trees to pupate - however, all I find under the bark at the base of the tree are scorpions!!!
~ Cat
In case no one saw this post - here's a recent post, of someone else asking for the same ID.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/785363/
Just luck! I was out taking autumn pictures for my gardening journal and just happened to have my camera. That gorgeous blue was hard to miss.
You never know what treasures you'll find, do you? What a treat!
pbtxlady -
Please add your pretty pictures to our Bug File.
Here's the direct link.
Thanks SO much for sharing your little jewel.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/118/
I sure will. Thanks!
WOW! Pattie, what a great shot!! Would you send him to my house, pretty please? Or maybe your Coneflowers will tempt him to my house next year? :-)
Carla
LOL! I dunno about this guy, Carla, but the swallowtails sure do love the coneflowers. :)
Wow, I had no idea that's what they looked like on top! Great going! I always say, if I take enough photos I'm bound to get one good one eventually.
Pbtxlady, I believe your blue butterfly picture is of the female Great Purple (should be Great Blue). The male is truly iridescent.
I got my first picture of the Great Purple last month. From the lateral (ventral) side you can tell this one is a male because of the iridescent blue showing between the FW and HW.
Rod
FYI everyone.
Here is a new link about this lovely creature.
http://butterfliesetc.com/greatpurplehairstreak.php