Clouded Sulphur - Colias philodiceIntroducing another newcomer to the blog today. Though its be
Clouded Sulphur - Colias philodiceIntroducing another newcomer to the blog today. Though its become warmer and sunnier over in Toronto, winter is still very much upon us so hopefully this insect brings back some warm memories of spring and summer. Either is possible since Colias Butterflies are migratory, so keep an eye out when the seasons change. This one is a skittish insect, though the more I say it, the more most insects seem skittish when approached by a large lumbering photographer. After sipping from this violet flower, it fluttered away at lightning speed after I approached it. Hopefully 2022 brings more specimens to observe. With their beautiful yellow colors, I happily welcome more finds! This Butterfly is easily recognizable from the patterning on its wings. A prominent marking to look for is the hindwing spot on the underwing. It should have a double-ring around it and (usually) a secondary spot next to it. Even with the wings closed during feeding, this detail is easily seen.When looking at the wings from above, they will each have a dorsal spot: forewings have dark spot and hindwings with a light spot. Pictures of the latter that I’ve seen for comparison show an orange/orange-yellow spot. If only this individual would’ve opened those wings for all to see. Next time perhaps. As it moves from flower to flower, there may be some mingling with other Butterflies and pollinators of the garden. As such, you should keep these ideas in mind: compared to the Orange Sulphur (C. eurytheme, a close relative), Clouded Sulphurs will only have orange on their wing spots rather than their wings. They may be quite similar otherwise. Secondly, when researching this insect, I found that it has a white-wing morph. From a distance, it may be mistaken with another common Butterfly of Ontario gardens: the White Cabbage. When they open their wings to rest, be ready to observe and photograph. White Cabbages don’t have elaborate borders and spot placements the way Sulphurs do, clearing up any doubts. While the Butterflies are easy to spot, you’ll need to be more diligent if you want to search for their young. If the Butterflies keep popping up, there’s bound to be little wrigglers out there somewhere! Picture was taken on July 23, 2020 with a Google Pixel 4. -- source link
Tumblr Blog : jonnysinsectcatalogue.tumblr.com
#insect#ontario insect#butterfly#clouded sulphur#lepidoptera#pierid butterfly#toronto#july2020