June 28, 2020 - Butterflies

Here are some butterflies I’ve photographed this spring. This is a Northern Crescent. It is a small butterfly with a wingspan of 1 to 1½ inches.

CrescentNorthernPhyciodescocytaDunningLakepondourdrivewayItascaCounty20200606

There is a distinct group of butterflies called the Skippers. They are identified by the spoon-shaped ends of their antennae. This one is a Hobomok Skipper. It is resting with its hind wings horizontal and forewings at a 45-degree angle. This is a typical resting position for many Skippers.

SkipperhobomokPoanesDunningLakeItascaCounty20200605

This photo shows the underside of the wings of a Hobomok Skipper. It’s common for butterfly wings to have a different pattern on the top and bottom sides. Hobomok Skippers have a wingspan of 1 to 1½ inches. They get nectar from many different spring-time flowers.

SkipperhobomokPoanesDunningLakeItascaCounty20200605

The largest skipper in our area is the Silver-spotted Skipper. It has a wingspan of 1¾ to 2½ inches. This photo clearly shows the spoon-shaped ends of the antennae.

SkipperSilverspottedEpargyreusclarusDunningLakeItascaCounty20200605

The underside of its wing shows how the Silver-spotted Skipper got its name.

SkipperSilverspottedEpargyreusclarusDunningLakeItascaCounty20200605

The Canadian Tiger Swallowtail is one of the earliest butterflies we see in northern Minnesota. They are attracted to our blooming Lilac bushes in spring. The book “Butterflies of the North Woods” points out that the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail is found in the northern half of Minnesota while the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is common in the southern half of the state. There is a small area where the ranges overlap, and hybrids can be found there.

SwallowtailCanadianTigerPapiliocanadensisDunningLakeItascaCounty20200605

The underside of the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail’s wing is more colorful than the upper side. This is a large butterfly with a wingspan of 3 to 4 inches.

SwallowtailCanadianTigerPapiliocanadensisDunningLakeItascaCounty20200605