Winged Butterfly – Sweden 2008

On 15 May 2008, Sweden Post issued the stamp set which featured the wing of butterfly. The issue stamp depicts the species of butterfly, Apollo or Parnassius apollo, and Dark Green Fritillary or Argynnis aglaja.

Apollo

The Apollo butterfly or Mountain Apollo (Parnassius apollo), is a butterfly of the Papilionidae family.It is found on mountains in Europe usually above 1,000 metres  up to 2,000 m , preferring flowery meadows and mountain pastures.The Apollo is listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals.

The Apollo butterfly (Parnassius apollo) is a beautiful white butterfly, decorated with large black "eye" spots on the forewings and red eye-spots on the hind wings. Its shown on the above stamp and complete view (besides stamp). The picture of Apollo taken from Wikipedia.

Dark Green Fritillary

The Dark Green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaja) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. The insect has a wide range in the Palearctic ecozone - Europe, Morocco, Iran , Siberia, Central Asia, China, Korea and Japan.The characteristic habitat of this butterfly is open, windswept calcareous grassland. However, in some areas it can also be found in woodland clearings and coastal dunes.

The Dark Green Fritillary is a large, powerful, orange and black butterfly. It can be seen flying rapidly in a range of open sunny habitats.The Dark Green Fritillary has an extra row of orange-ringed 'pearls' on the underside of the hind wing. Its seen in the above stamp and full picture which taken from Wikipedia.

Technorati Tags: Sweden,Butterfly,Apollo,Dark Green Fritillary

Butterflies on Tuvalu’s Stamp - 2009

On year 2009 Tuvalu Post issued stamp series depicted species of butterflies, Hyposcada kezia, Heteronymphea mirifica, Libythea geoffroy, Protographium Leosthenes.

Hyposcada kezia (60c) is species of genus Hyposcada in the family of Nymphalidae.

Heteronympha mirifica (90c),

The female of  Heteronympha mirifica is orange with creamy yellow and dark brown patches towards the tip of its forewings (front wings). The male is less colourful, being brown and orange with no pale patches. It is difficult to identify these butterflies when they are resting with their wings closed.  

Butterflies fly from October to May, depending on the area and elevation; they emerge later in higher and cooler areas. These butterflies prefer to settle on or near the ground.

Mating occurs from October to December, after which the males die. The females rest through summer  and appear again in late February to early May to lay their small, pale yellow eggs on the underside of leaves. The females die shortly after laying the eggs and the caterpillars hatch from the eggs after about 12 days.

Libythea geoffroy ($1.00)

The Purple Beak (Libythea geoffroy) is a butterfly found in parts of India and Myanmar that belongs to the Libytheinae group of the Brush-footed butterflies family.

Protographium Leosthenses – $ 2.50

Protographium leosthenes or The Four-barred Swordtail is a medium sized butterfly of the family Papilionidae which found in Australia. It is similar to the Five-barred (or Chain) Swordtail Graphium aristeus found in both Australia and India.  The larvae feed on Desmos wardianus, Melodorum leichhardtii and other Melodorum species.

Indonesian Butterflies -2011

In year 2011, Indonesia Post issued the fauna stamp series feature the protected of butterfly species in Indonesia. Some of those species are endangered. The species depicted on the issue stamps are Delias  kristianiae, Ornithoptera aesacus, Ornithoptera croesus, and Rippon’s birdwing or Troides hypolitus.

Delias kristianiae is a rare Papuan butterfly that is named after the Indonesian first lady Kristiani Herawati. Kristiani Herawati was presented with a specimen of D. kristianiae after the species was named, which she donated to a museum.

Ornithoptera aesacus is a species of birdwing butterfly endemic to Indonesia.It is only found on the heavily logged island of Obi. It is seriously endangered but commercially bred. 

 
 
 

Ornithoptera croesus, commonly known as Wallace's Golden Birdwing is a species of birdwing butterfly found in northern Maluku. The larval food-plant is Pararistolochia.

It is a member of the Ornithoptera priamus species-group which, including croesus, is only found east of Weber's Line. Ornithoptera croesus is now listed as Endangered species. 

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Rippon’s Birdwing or (Troides hypolitus) is a birdwing butterfly endemic to the Moluccas and Sulawesi. It is not significantly threatened, but it is protected.

Troides hypolitus is a butterfly from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The first description was in 1775 by Cramer. 

The wingspan is about 18 – 20 cm. This butterfly is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. The fore wings are black. Some veins are bordered by white colour. The underside of Troides hypolitus is a copy from upside.

The hind wings of Troides hypolitus are grey. The outer edge is black and it contains a chain of golden spots. The veins are black. The underside is a copy from upside. But, the basic colour is white.It has a chain of golden spots on the hind wings. The females are dark-brown and they are bigger than the males.

Technorati Tags: Butterfly,Indonesia butterfly,Rippon' birdwing,Ornithoptera croesus,Ornithoptera aesacus,Delias kristianae

Butterflies of Israel - 2011

 

Butterflies have vibrant colours and gentle flight overwhelm us with feelings of wonder and joy. These beautiful flying insects have inspired artists, poets and intellectuals alike. Its beautiful innocent insects.

To date, some 150,000 species belonging to the Lepidoptera order have been identified throughout the world, of which approximately 20,000 species are butterflies, and the rest are moths.

In Israel there are an estimated 2,300 Lepidoptera species, including 142 species of butterflies. Mt. Hermon is the richest butterfly species site in Israel, with no less than 100 different species! Mt. Hermon is the southernmost point of distribution for 30 of these 100 species, which do not fly to any other areas in Israel.

Overall, Israel’s butterfly population may be categorized into seven families. 

Five of those families are represented among the butterflies featured in the stamp series which issued on April 12, 2011 by Israel Post: 

 

Swallowtail - Papilio machaon syriacus represents the Papilionidae family. Many members of his family display prominent colours, including black, yellow and red. These colours serve to warn birds and lizards that they are poisonous.

 

 

 

 

 

Red admiral - Vanessa atalanta represents the Nymphalidae family. Like many of the species belonging to this family, this butterfly remains camouflaged as long as its wings are closed because its underwings are dull in colour, revealing its bold colours only when its wings are open wide.

 
 
 

 

Caper white - Anaphaeis aurota represents the Pieridae family of white and yellow butterflies. This butterfly’s white wings are decorated with black markings. This species migrates to Israel from Africa nearly every summer and it may be seen flying throughout Israel until early winter.

 
 
 
 






 

Plain tiger - Danaus chrysippus is the only representative of the Danainae family to be found in Israel. It migrates annually from Africa to Israel and belongs to the same scientific genus as the American Monarch butterfly, considered to be the most famous butterfly in the world thanks to the tremendous distances it migrates.

 
 






 
 

Common blue - Polyommatus icarus zelleri and Tawny silver-line - Apharitis acamas represent the largest family of butterflies in Israel – the Lycaenidae family.

 
 
 
 
 






 

Like many of the males belonging to this family, the Common blue male is bright blue in colour in order to attract females, while the colouring of the Tawny silver-line allows it to blend into its surroundings and remain camouflaged from its enemies.

 
 
 







 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently declared that the threat of extinction of animal and plant species has reached a level of global crisis. Members of The Israeli Lepidopterists Society promote national butterfly monitoring in Israel, doing so throughout the country. The Society also initiated a bill to protect 14 endangered butterflies species and a law was enacted in 2009. (Resources from Israel Post information).

 

Technorati Tags: Israel ,Butterfly,Common blue,Twany silver line,Plain tiger,Capper white,Swallowtail,Red admiral

Rain Forest Butterflies - Nature of Australia

 

The stamps are issued on may 4th, 2004 as the final issue in the Nature of Australia definitive series.  The fifth, and final habitat, rainforest as exemplified by the Wet Tropics in far north Queensland, was introduced with Nature of Australia: Rainforest (February 2003).The butterflies like Blue-banded eggfly, Red lacewing,  Cruiser and Ulysses depicted on the stamps are all found in the Daintree region of the Wet Tropics.

 Blue-banded eggfly (Hypolimnas alimena):

This vivid blue butterfly occurs in and at the edges of the rainforest, particularly in lowland areas. The species is common north of Rockhampton and extending to Darwin. The male can often be found perched in sunlight, slowly opening and closing his wings

 

 

 

 

 

Daintree rainforest:

The $2.00 double definitive stamp features a Ulysses (Papilio ulysses) and a red lacewing (Cethosia cydippe) butterfly against a background representative of the rainforest habitat found within Daintree National Park.  Established in 1967, the park occupies 760 km2 around the Daintree River Valley with a section extending to Cape Tribulation. The Daintree Valley is the largest tropical rainforest wilderness remaining in Australia. It is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. 

 

 

 

 

Red lacewing (Cethosia cydippe):

This large, colorful butterfly occurs from Cape York to Townsville. The adults – with their slow, gliding flight – are striking as they fly or settle, wings outspread, in open, sunny spots a few meters above the ground.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 Cruiser (Vindula arsinoe):

This butterfly occurs only in north-eastern Australia and is common in the Wet Tropics. It has a strong, gliding flight and feeds on lantana and other flowers. The stamp depicts the more colorful male cruiser with its predominantly orange upper side with black markings. The slightly larger and drabber female is brown.

Butterfly 2002–Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan Post has been issued the stamp depicted the species of butterfly on one miniature sheet, consist of 6 single stamps with background pictures of the Small Caucasian Mountain and Goygol lake.

The top row of stamps depicted the species of butterfly are:
 N 613 - 1000 man. Danais chrysippus.
N 614 - 1000 man. Papilio alexanor orientalis rom.
N 615 - 1000 man. Thaleropis jonia fisch.

The bottom row of stamps depicted the species of butterfly are:
N 616 - 1000 man. Vanessa atalanta.
N 617 - 1000 man. Argynnis alexandra men.
N 618 - 1000 man. Brahmaca christoph.

Butterflies of Barbados

There are very few species of butterflies in Barbados and some threatened on daily basis. This is due to habitat loss  and the used of more the herbicides and pesticides.

Therefore the Postal Administration of Barbados has collaborated with the WWF organization issued the stamp series features butterfly species, White peacock, Great Southern White, Orion , Mimic (Hypolimnas misippus) and Monarch . The stamps have logo of WWF and issued on April 21st, 2005 and logo of The Pacific Explorer 2005-World Stamp Expo.

The stamp 50c depicts White Peacock or Anartia jatrophae.

The White Peacock has a white colour on the upper side,  blending to buff and orange in margins, overlaid with a complex pattern of brown and orange scrawls and small block eyespots on the below side. The wing span is 50 – 60mm.

The White peacocks are found in swampy places, water sites, shore lines and disturbed ground. The range of distribution is South Texas and Florida, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

 

The stamp $1.00 depicts Great Southern White or Ascia monuste.

The Great Southern White or Ascia monuste is a butterfly species that considered as a arch enemy in the farm community. Its has wingspan of 45 – 65 mm. The range distribution of this species is Gulf Coast States in USA, Caribbean and south America.

The larval food plants are members of the Kale family include cabbage and mustard. In Barbados the Kale family growing in fields and roadsides.

The stamp $1.40 depicts Orion or Historius odius.

The Orion  or Historius odius is a large butterfly species which has the colour of velvety dark brown and orange on the upper wings and dark brown with white bars on the underneath. When closed the wings resemble a dry leaf or a piece of bark, which allows the Orion to blend in with its surroundings. The wing span is 110 – 130 mm.

The Orion has distribution ranged from Cuba to the Greater and lesser Antilles, Mexico to Argentina. It feeds on rotting fruit.

The stamp $2.50 depicts Mimic or Hypolimnas misippus.

The Mimic (Hypolimnas misippus) or Danaid Eggfly is a widespread species of nymphalid butterfly. It is well known for polymorphism and mimicry. Males are blackish with distinctive white spots that are fringed in blue. Females are in multiple forms that include male like forms while others appear like the toxic Danaus chrysippus and Danaus plexippus butterflies. The male has the upper wings dark velvety brownish-black. The forewing has a broad white oval spot .They are found across Africa, Asia and Australia.

The block stamp $ 8.00 depicts Monarch or Danaus plexippus.

The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae), in the family Nymphalidae. The Monarch’s wingspan ranges from 8.9–10.2 cm .The upper side of the wings is tawny-orange, the veins and margins are black, and in the margins are two series of small white spots. The fore wings also have a few orange spots near the tip. The underside is similar but the tip of the fore wing and hind wing are yellow-brown instead of tawny-orange and the white spots are larger.

The male has a black patch of androconial scales responsible for dispersing pheromones on the hind wings, and the black veins on its wing are narrower than the female’s. The male is also slightly larger.

The monarch is the only butterfly that migrates both north and south as the birds do on a regular basis.Monarch butterflies are one of the few insects capable of making trans-Atlantic crossings.

Monarch butterflies are poisonous or distasteful to birds and mammals because of the presence of cardiac glycosides that are contained in milkweed consumed by the larva. It is thought that the bright colours of larvae and adults function as warning colours. During hibernation monarch butterflies sometimes suffer losses because hungry birds pick through them looking for the butterflies with the least amount of poison, but in the process killing those that they reject.

BuzzNet Tags: butterfly,monarch,mimic,orion,white peacock,great southern white

The Butterflies–III of Liechtenstein

The “Butterflies – III” issue, again designed by Stefan Erne, depicts two more harbingers of spring, the Orange Tip and the Peacock.

The stamps have been issued by Liechtenstein Post on June 6, 2011.

 
 

The “Peacock”, Inachis io (face value CHF 2.20) from the Nymphalidae family was the “Butterfly of the Year 2009”. The Peacock can be found in woods, fields, meadows, pastures, parks, and gardens, and from lowlands up to 2,500 metres elevation. It is a relatively common butterfly seen in many European parks and gardens. 

Because of global warming this butterfly now regularly forms a second generation in the late summer, it has been chosen to draw attention to the consequences of climate change. The Peacock butterfly is resident in much of its range, often wintering in buildings or trees. It therefore often appears quite early in spring.

The conspicuous black, blue and yellow eyespots on its russet-coloured wings serve as effective protection for the Peacock against its natural enemies. When danger threatens, in a flash the butterfly spreads its wings to display their striking upper side, leading the predator to imagine itself confronted by a large creature proportional to the eye(spot)s.

 

The Orange Tip  or  Anthocharis cardamines (face value CHF 5.00), whose German name the “Aurora” Butterfly was inspired by the goddess of the dawn, can be observed in spring in large swarms in Liechtenstein’s valley landscape.

Both males and females of this species of White have white wings, the outer half of the forewings being coloured orange only on the males. The males are a common sight in spring flying along hedgerows and damp meadows in search of the more reclusive female which lacks the orange.The irregular yellowish/dirty green and white speckled pattern on the underside of the hind wings is however common to both sexes.

 

Blogger Tags: Liechtenstein, Butterflies stamp, The Orange Tip, The Peacock

Butterflies of Faroe Islands 2010

Butterflies and Moths

To date, 154 different species of butterflies have been registered in the Faroe Islands. Most of them do not breed here, but arrive with the help of warm currents of air from the south, sometimes all the way from Southern Europe and Africa. New species are constantly being registered. It can be mentioned as an example that only 54 species had been registered in 1954 and that this had increased to 106 by 1999. Compared with the countries that lie to the south of the Faroes, 154 species is no great number.

None of the species mentioned here are native to the Faroes, but can be seen here from time to time. On 22 February 2010, Faroes Island Post issued the stamp series depicted butterflies and moths.The painted lady, Vanessa cardui, and the peacock butterfly belong to the brush-footed family, Nymphalidae, and fly during the day. The hawk-moth, Agrius convolvuli, and the death’s-head hawk-moth, Acherontia atropos, belong to the Sphingidae family of moths and fly from twilight until late at night.

The peacock butterfly, Inachis io , 6kr stamp.

The peacock butterfly is a rare guest in the Faeroes and was first registered here in 1938. The species is native to the countries south of us, such as Great Britain, Denmark and Norway. It has a wingspan of between 5-6 cm and an eye-spot at the tip of all four wings that resemble the ‘eyes’ on a peacock’s tail. The caterpillar, which lives on stinging nettles, (Urtica dioica) has been found in the Faroes only once and that was at Haldórsvík in 1992. In the countries the peacock butterfly is native to, it usually hibernates in such locations as warehouse buildings so it sometimes arrives in the country together with freight.

The painted lady, Vanessa cardui , 8kr stamp.

The painted lady has a wingspan of 5-6 cm and is resident in North Africa. It is not seen in the Faroes every year, but some years see an invasion of them, such as in 2009, which has been called a record year throughout Europe. When they come to the Faroes they fly immediately to the top of the mountains. This phenomenon is known as “hill topping” and gives them a fine opportunity to find a mate once they have arrived in the new country. They then lay their eggs on the creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense) and on stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) that the caterpillars feed on. A new generation hatches in the autumn if the summer has been fine and the butterflies fly south to winter in warmer countries.

The first time we hear about the painted lady in the Faroes is from expeditions during the period 1863-68. The butterfly can travel long distances and one found its way to the far north in Svalbard in 1978.

The hawk-moth, Agrius convolvuli (Linnaeus, 1758)
The hawk-moth, which was first registered in the Faroes in 1947, comes from North Africa. Eleven of them were observed in the Faroes in 2003 and, as they are very rare here, this constituted a record year. They can have a wingspan of 12 cm and can fly as fast as 55 kilometres an hour. The hawk-moth lives on nectar and, like the hummingbird, it can hover in mid-air on its rapidly-beating wings while it feeds on nectar with the help of its long proboscis. The caterpillar lives on various species of the Convolvulaceae family, in the Faroes on plants of the dock family, Rumex.

The death’s-head hawk-moth, Acherontia atropos (Linnaeus, 1758)
This very rare guest from North Africa is the biggest moth ever found in the Faroes and can have a wingspan of more than 13 cm. The death’s head hawk moth is one of the few moths that can whistle by blowing air through its proboscis. The female moth lays between 150 and 200 eggs, but the population has declined greatly. This is due to the fact that the caterpillar lives in areas where potatoes are grown and the commercialisation of potato-growing has led to the use of large quantities of pesticides. New, modern agricultural machinery is also believed to have had a negative effect on the population.

Butterflies 0f Niue 2010

Wander the magnificent rainforests and gardens of Niue, there are some amazing plant and animal life – from orchids, hibiscus, frangipani and bougainvillea to parakeets, white-tailed terns, other exotic birds and beautiful butterflies, adding to the brilliant diversity of this eco-tourism paradise.

As a celebration of Niue’s natural beauty, Nieu Post issued a collection of butterfly-themed stamp collectables. Featuring three of Niue’s most eye-catching specimens, the collection includes a stunning miniature sheet with an innovative design that brings the butterfly theme to life.

 
$1.40 – Pepe Hypolimnas bolina

Hypolimnas bolina is commonly known as the great eggfly, the blue moon butterfly and the common eggfly.

 

 

The male of the species (shown on this stamp) has jet black wings offset with white spots surrounded by purple iridescence, while the female’s wings are brownish black with no spots. 

Hypolimnas bolina is a black-bodied butterfly with a wingspan of about 70–85 millimetres .Hypolimnas bolinais a fairly common butterfly found in lightly wooded country, deciduous forests, thick and moist scrub and the greener parts of human habitation.

Hypolimnas bolina is found in Madagascar in the west, through to South and Southeast Asia, South Pacific islands (French Polynesia, Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu), and occurs in parts of Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.

$1.70 – Junonia villida

The male and female of the Meadow argus (Junonia villida) have a similar appearance – most notably in having two blue ‘eyespots’ on their wings. These are a defence mechanism the butterflies use to either frighten predators away or confuse them into thinking that the eyespots are the target. This enables the butterfly to escape with only a small part of its wing being lost.

The Meadow Argus (Junonia villida) is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, commonly found in Australia.The underside of the wings are mainly unmarked, except the lower part of the fore wing has similar markings as the upper side.The wingspan measures 4 centimetres  in males and 4.3 centimetres  in females.

The Meadow Argus can be found mainly on the Australian mainland, as well as in Tasmania, Kangaroo Island, Lord Howe Island, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Fiji, Papa New Guinea, Indonesia, Samoa and Cook Islands.They reside in urban areas, forests, woodlands, and grasslands, though they are uncommon during the winter months. Every year during October or November, the butterflies migrate from southern Australia to warmer areas in the north

$2.40 –  Hypolimnas antilope

Hypolimnas antilope is another of the more than 20 species of eggfly. Like Hypolimnas bolina, they lay their eggs in large batches on the upper surface of leaves, then form a protective umbrella over them to shield them from predators.

 

They stay in this position until the eggs hatch and the tiny caterpillars have dispersed several days later.

Butterflies of the Caribbean–Dominica

Dominica Post has issued the stamp series of butterflies that features the butterflies of the Caribbean. The stamp issued consisted of one sheetlet depicted Cuban Cattleheart, White Peacock, Bahamian Swallowtail, Tropical Buckeye and two souvenir sheet depicted Atala Black, Purple Emperor.

Cuban Cattleheart – Parides g. gundlachianus

Parides g. gumdlachianus is one species in the group of the ascanius species in the genus Parides . Parides, commonly called Cattlehearts, is a genus of swallowtail butterflies in the family Papilionidae. They are found in the Americas.

White Peacock - Anartia jatrophae

The White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae) is a species of butterfly found in the south-eastern United States, Central America, and throughout much of South America.The males of the species display a unique territorial behaviour, in which they stake out a territory typically 15 meters in diameter that contains larval host plants. They perch in this area and aggressively protect it from other insects and other male white peacocks.  

Bahamian Swallowtail - Papilio andraemon tailori

The Bahaman Swallowtail (Papilio andraemon) is a butterfly of the Papilionidae family. It is found on the Bahamas, Cuba and Jamaica. They have subspecies are: Papilio andraemon andraemon (Florida, Cuba, Jamaica) ,Papilio andraemon bonhotei Sharpe, 1900 (Bahamas) ,Papilio andraemon tailori Rothschild & Jordan, 1906 (Cayman Islands) .The wingspan is 96-102 mm. Adults are on wing from April to October in three generations per year. The larvae feed on various species in the Rutaceae family.

 

Tropical Buckeye - Junonia genoveva

The Tropical Buckeye or Junonia genoveva is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found from southern New Mexico, southern Arizona, southern Texas, and southern Florida south through the West Indies, Mexico and Central America to Argentina. 

They have subspecies are Junonia genoveva genoveva (Surinam) ,Junonia genoveva constricta (Venezuela, Colombia), Junonia genoveva hilaris (Paraguay, Uruguay),Junonia genoveva incarnata (Colombia, Venezuela), Junonia genoveva infuscat (Ecuador) ,Junonia genoveva vivida (Guyana, Surinam) .

The wingspan is 45–57 mm. There are three to four generations from March to October. The larvae have been recorded on Stachytarpheta, Ruellia tuberosa and Blechum in Jamaica. Adults feed on flower nectar.

 

Atala Black – Eumaeus atala

The Atala, Eumaeus atala, is a small colorful butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southeastern Florida, the Bahamas, and Cuba. Its coloration and habits are unique among butterflies within its range.

In Florida, the caterpillar feeds on a native cycad, Zamia pumila, called Coontie, as well as introduced ornamental cycads.Therefore the butterfly called is  Coontie Hairstreak. Florida subspecies is endangered.

 

 

In Cuba, the cycad Cycas revoluta is used as well. The hostplants contains toxic chemicals, known as cycasins, and the bright coloration of the adult is believed to be aposematic. Birds and lizards attempt to prey on the adults, but find them distasteful and learn to avoid the brightly-patterned butterflies.

The natural habitat is open brushy areas and subtropical hammocks, often in pine woodlands. Adult butterflies take flower nectar and sometimes roost in trees. Adults fly through much of the year.  Many populations now exist in suburban areas with ornamental cycads.

Adults keep close to a site with host plants, thus the species forms small colonies. The females, however, may disperse in search of more hosts. The butterfly's flight is slow, unlike the swift, erratic flight of many other Lycaenidae.

The  wingspan has ranged between 38-51 mm. The male Atalas have hair pencils ("coremata") on their abdomens used in courtship--the male hovers in front of the female, wafting pheromones exuded from the pencils in her direction. Eggs are laid in clusters of 10-50 on the leaf tips of the host plant. Larvae feed on the leaves. Pupation is usually on the host plant.

 

Purple Emperor – Doxocopa thoe

Doxocopa thoe  is a species of the genus Doxocopa. Doxocopa is a genus of neotropical butterflies in the family Nymphalidae, subfamily Apaturinae.

The male have a conspicuous wing because of the blue to purple iridescence on the up, and females equally so because of the ochreous coloration.

Doxocopa thoe is broadly distributed in Dominica. Most localities are very near with the sea level (Playa Bayahibe), but also occurs until level 1129 m (Las abejas).

The butterfly is quite patient and not easily disturbed. If they are frightened, they are strong tendency to return the same leaf from which they departed.

The members of Doxocopa genus are rarely use flower as food source but rather are attracted to fermenting fruit on the ground, decaying animal matter and wastes and sap oozing from the wounded tree. Doxocopa thoe has not been use decaying flesh or sap as food sources but they taken food on the species Tournefortia hirsutissima, Morinda citrifolia, Ixora sp, Ageratum conyzoides.

Blogger Tags: Dominica, White Peacock, Tropical Buckeye, Purple Emperor, Doxocopa thoe, Bahamian Swallowtail, butterly of the caribbean

Butterflies of Azerbaijan–2010 . 2nd series

Azerbaijan has issued the second series of definitive stamp depicted butterflies on year 2010.The species depicted are Argynnis alexandra men and Brahmaea christophi. 

Azerbaijan Butterflies of 2010

Azerbaijan Post has issued the definitive stamp series of butterflies on January 11,  2010.The issuance stamps consist of 2 stamps depicted Thaleropis jonia fisch, and Danais chrysippus.

Thaleropis jonia is An endangered species of butterflies and distributed in southern slopes of  Zangazour and Daralayaz chain of mountains.
Their habitat in Slopes with xerophilous bushy vegetation or sparse forests, rarely found.The reasons that cause change of the number is  Hunting by amateur collectors.

Butterflies fly out in May and June. During daytimes they settle on paths, near springs and ponds; they like settling on lower branches of trees and mostly on the branches of esa and willow. Late June they lay eggs just on these branches. Caterpillar are fed with the leaves of willow in June and early August and then pupate in various shelters and pupas winter there. They breed once a year. Those parasitizing on pupas are small hymenopterans related to Chalcidae family.

Danais chrysippus, known as the Plain Tiger or African Monarch, is a common butterfly which is widespread in Asia and Africa. It belongs to the Danainae ("Milkweed butterflies") subfamily of the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae.

The Plain Tiger is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 7–8 cm. The body is black with many white spots. The wings are tawny the upper side being brighter and richer than the underside. The apical half of the fore wing is black with a white band. The hind wing has 3 black spots around the centre. The hind wing has a thin border of black enclosing a series of semi-circular white spots.The male Plain Tiger is smaller than the female, but more brightly coloured.

It is found in every kind of country including the desert (pending availability of food) and right up into the mountains till 9000 feet. Primarily this species is a butterfly of open country and gardens.

The life cycle of Papilio Schmeltzii

Fiji Post issued the stamp series feature the life cycle of Papilio Schmeltzii, is Fiji’s largest butterfly and is one of some 44 species of butterflies which inhabit in Fiji. The stamp comprised of 4 stamps and issued on November 10, 2004.

Schmeltzi’s swallowtail is one of two species found on the eastern edge of the Pacific Islands : Papilio godeffroyii in Western Samoa and Papilio schmeltzii in Fiji.

The Caterpillar or larva is often referred to as the feeding stage. They will melt several time as they grow. These growth steps are called instars. This caterpillar mimics a bird dropping to avoid being eaten by other animals.

The pupa stage is when the most dramatic changes happen and metamorphosis is taking place. It is the most vulnerable stage so mimicry is highly developed. Chrysalis will look like an emerging bud or fruit or like lichen or dead leaf. Papilio schmeltzii supports itself by a silk threat that is spun by the larva before it pupates. It will remain in this form for weeks.

The newly emerged adult adult butterfly from  its chrysalis is called metamorphosis. When this happens tremendous changes have to take place. It take about 20 minutes for wings to unfold and the veins to fill with blood. It must then wait longer for its wings to harden properly before attempts to fly. This can take up to an hour.

The adult butterfly mates and perpetuated the species. It may live for up to a year in tropical areas so it needs to feed.They are feeding on nectar from a flower. This done through a specialized coiled feeding tube or proboscis. Two large component eyes have number of lenses, which are sensitive to movement, colour patterns of flower and other butterflies.

Blogger Tags: Fiji, Papilio schmeltzii, Schmeltzii swallowtail

FAUNA OF ARMENIA-BUTTERFLIES

Armenia Post issued the fauna series of butterflies-moth on year 1998, featured Papilio alexanor and Rethera komarovi. The stamp set comprised of two stamps.

Papilio alexanor, the Alexanor, is a protected butterfly species in the Papilionidae or swallowtails.It is also called Southern Swallowtail . It is a very grand butterfly from Palaearctic ecozone (Asia).

With a wingspan of 7.0 – 8.0 cm the Southern Swallowtail is a small member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. The butterfly is yellowish with typical black tiger-strips. Hind wings have long tails.

Papilio alexanor has a small area of distribution and is rare.It flies from April to July in a single generation, in mountainous regions (1700 m.) of Europe, Asia Minor, the Balkans and west Asia.

The insect has a wingspan of 62 – 70 mm. The forewings are yellowish and have a black margin. Next to margin there is a long, light powdered black band. Nearby the body is a little black area. Between these opposites there are three tiger-strips. The strip in the middle has a light-coloured core.The underside is a copy of upside, but there are some differences. The strip in the middle has a blue core.

The hind wings are white or yellowish and have long tails in black. The margin is very ridged. There is a blue-black band going backwards. There is only one black tiger-strip and one short strip in the middle of the wing. In back there is a red eye with a blue eyeshadow. There is a dark zone around the body.The underside is a copy of upside.

The body is striped in black and yellow.

The larva feeds on Umbelliferae, notably Trinia vulgaris, Seseli montanum, Ptychotis saxifraga and Opopanax chironium.

Rethera komarovi is a species of moth of the Sphingidae family. It is found in south-western Europe, Asia Minor, Afghanistan, Turkestan, Iran and Iraq.

The wingspan is 55-65 mm for ssp. komarovi and 65-81 mm for ssp. manifica. Adults are on wing from mid April to mid June.Larvae have been recorded on Rubia and Galium species.

This information adopted from butterflycorner.net and wikipedia.com

Butterflies of Vanuatu

Of the 85 different butterflies now known in Vanuatu, two species and 26 subspecies (31%) are endemic to the country. From the rainforest to the white beaches, these butterflies bring striking colour and complement the beautiful flower species found in throughout the country

Therefore Vanuatu promote the country by issued the beautiful stamp series of butterflies species on April 14, 2010. The souvenir sheet comprised of 6 stamps feature six species of butterfly, The Glasswing , The Swallowtail, The Leafwing, The Common Emigrant, The Black and White Tiger, The Eight Spot Butterfly.

The Glasswing or Small Greasy (Acraea andromacha) is a tropical and subtropical butterfly with vagrant tendencies. Its wingspan is about 60 mm with forewings transparent like glass. The Glasswing is a poisonous species of butterfly as from the larvae stage it is able to assimilate and retain poisons from its passion vine host plants. The butterfly is readily visible in its slow flight, which enables predatory birds sufficient time for recognition.

The Swallowtail (Papilio godeffroyi) are found throughout the world and are richest in the tropics. Swallowtail adults are medium to large and may or may not have tails. All adults have three pairs of walking legs, and feed off flower nectar. In some areas the Swallowtail is threatened to the point of being endangered.

The Leafwing or Autumnleaf (Doleschallia bisaltide) brown pupa hangs by a silk hook from the food plant becoming a striking black caterpillar with cream, blue and red markings. The adult butterflies have wings shaped so that the resting butterfly (with the wings closed over its back) looks like a leaf hence its common name. The species is found across Southeast Asia and the Pacific, from India to Fiji, including Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

The Common Emigrant or Lemon Emigrant (Catopsilia pomona) is a medium sized (60mm wingspan) butterfly found in Asia, parts of Australia and western Pacific and gets its name from its habit of migration. The butterfly normally requires tropical, humid woodland habitat.

The Black and White Tiger or Swamp butterfly (Danaus affinis), found in tropical Asia and ranging from Thailand to Australia and into the Pacific it is one of at least 30, possibly many more, sub species. The butterfly lays eggs that are pale yellow and bullet shaped. They are laid singly on a food plant.

The Eight-Spot Butterfly (Hypolimnas octocula), is endemic to several islands and island chains in Oceania, including New Caledonia, Vanuatu and the Mariana Islands. The butterfly suffers from numerous threats, including habitat destruction, competition from introduced species and increased predation from ants and wasps.

Butterflies of Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein Post issued the stamp series depicted butterflies species on year 2010. The issuance comprised of three stamps featured the species Coenonympha oedippus, Gonepteryx rhamni,Papilio machaon.

Coenonympha oedippus

The False Ringlet (Coenonympha oedippus) is a species of butterfly in the Satyridae family. It is found in Austria, Belgium, France, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Mongolia, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, and Ukraine. It is extinct in Bulgaria, Germany and Slovakia.The false ringlet butterfly is endangered and is extinct is some lands.

Gonepteryx rhamni

The Common Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) is a butterfly of the Pieridae family. It lives in Europe, North Africa and Asia; across much of its range, it is the only species of its genus, and is therefore simply known locally as "the brimstone".On the upper side the male is sulphur yellow and the female white with a greenish tinge but both have an orange spot in the centre of each wing. They never settle with their wings open.G. rhamni is one of the longest lived butterflies, living up to thirteen months, although most of this time is spent in hibernation.

Papilio machaon

The Old World Swallowtail, Papilio machaon, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. The butterfly is also known as the Common Yellow Swallowtail or simply the Swallowtail (a common name applied to all members of the family). It is the type species of the genus Papilio and occurs throughout the Palearctic region in Europe and Asia.The butterfly has a strong and fast flight, but frequently pauses to hover over flowering herbs and sip nectar. It frequents the alpine meadows and hillsides and is fond of 'hilltopping' – congregating near summits to compete for passing females.At lower elevations it can also be seen visiting gardens.

Blogger Tags: Liechtenstein, Coenonympha oedippus, Gonepteryx rhamni, Papilio machaon

Butterflies of Slovakia .

On June 26, 2002, Slovakia Post issued the butterfly stamp series features the species like as : Southern Festoon , Old World Swallowtail, European Peacock.

The issuance presented in one miniature sheet, three single stamps, FDC (First Day Cover) and Maximum card.

Southern Festoon - Zerynthia polyxena

It is common in the warmest areas of Central Europe, in steppe and forest-steppe stands up to 900 meters above the sea level, where the Calico Rower (Aristolochia) - food plant for caterpillars - grows. Southern Festoon has a local occurrence. Butterfly is striking with its bright colours. It flies from March to June. Today, it is becoming extinct at many places because its food plant appears rarely.It belongs to protected species.

European Peacock – Inachis Io

The European Peacock (Inachis io), more commonly known simply as the Peacock butterfly, is a colourful butterfly, found in Europe, temperate Asia as far east as Japan.The Peacock butterfly is resident in much of its range, often wintering in buildings or trees. It therefore often appears quite early in spring. The Peacock butterfly has figured in research where the role of eye-spots as anti-predator mechanism has been investigated.

The butterfly has a wingspan of 50 to 55 mm. The base-colour of the wings is a rusty red, and at each wingtip it bears a distinctive, black, blue and yellow eye-spot. The underside is a cryptically coloured dark-brown or black.

Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)

Old World Swallowtail belongs to the most bright and beautiful, as well as biggest butterflies in Central Europe. It flies up to 2,000 meters above the sea level. It has two generations - the first appears from the end of April to the first half of June, the second occurs from the first half of July to August. The third generation can appear from September to October during warm seasons. It prefers flowery meadows, copses of clover and alfalfa at open hilly areas and lowlands. Generally, it is very scarce and it occurs in small isolated populations. Caterpillars live at wild carrot plants.
It is protected by law.