As a child, I was lucky enough to become familiar with the iconic butterfly life cycle of the
Monarch Butterfly. It starts with a vibrantly tiger-striped caterpillar (larva), then turns into an exquisite pale green jeweled cocoon / chrysalis (pupa), and then slowly emerges as the orange and black veined Monarch.
Life Cycle of Monarch
A neighbor had crown flower bushes which we used for making lei. As we picked flowers, I imagine that is how we became familiar with the Monarchs. I remember we inevitably collected caterpillars to “grow” cocoons. I can still remember how the caterpillars felt in my hands!
Earlier this year, around my house, I have seen a lot of Monarchs flitting about. Or at least monarch-like butterflies; after brief research I see there a number of butterflies that look like a Monarch! More recently I noticed a new type of butterfly frequenting a plant near my house. I was pretty sure it was a swallowtail as I thought I saw the extensions of the wings below but was not positive. Incidentally, when I earlier sighted the butterfly on this plant, my husband asked me whether I wasn’t glad he had not removed the plant when asked. A definite dilemma - keep an unsightly plant or attract wildlife!
As I pondered what to write about this week, I was led to find that my blogging lives a charmed life. I decided to just go sit outside on my deck with my camera and “photo-hunt” the elusive possible swallowtail butterfly that I had seen. Within minutes, I saw the desired butterfly flit by a few times and alight on the targeted plant and focused my camera on the plant. Then the butterfly came to stay and I took a few shots and stood up and got even closer and closer. It did not move! I was so surprised because in the past when I got closer, the feeding butterfly would fly away!
What I noticed:
1) It was a swallowtail of some type. I researched and it is a Citrus Swallowtail (Butterflies in Hawaii).
2) It kept its wings moving the whole time it fed on the flowers. I didn’t realize that butterflies would behave like hummingbirds.
3) It is a relatively a large butterfly.
4) I could see the butterfly feeding on nectar. I did know that in this way, butterflies are like hummingbirds. Apparently like hummingbirds, this one is attracted to red / orange flowers.
As the butterfly amazingly kept at its work, I was lucky to catch some great shots. In the first photo, notice the intricate reflected patterns on the wings of the butterfly.
 |
| Citrus Swallowtail / on plant in my yard / December 2015 |
In the next two photos, look carefully for the LONG black mouthpart which sucks the nectar.
 |
| Citrus Swallowtail / on plant in my yard / December 2015 |
 |
| Citrus Swallowtail / on plant in my yard / December 2015 |
In the last photo below, notice the pollen caught on the wings of the butterfly illustrating the mutualistic relationship of the insect passing on the pollen of a plant as the insect uses the plant for food.
Mutualism of insects and plants
 |
| Citrus Swallowtail / on plant in my yard / December 2015 |
Then the butterfly finally left the plant and another came along. I had rarely seen two of these butterflies before! Maybe that is why the one stayed around for so long; it was waiting. The two flitted about in a seemingly ritualistic dance, right around me!
 |
| Citrus Swallowtails / around plants in my yard / December 2015 |
All of these shots did not come out as well but there a few that are interesting. The second photo is especially interesting as I think the mouthpart is extended and curled in one of the butterflies! I am not sure of the significance of that.
Mating "dance" of butterflies
The two butterflies periodically treated me to a few of such “dances” while I watched for better shots.
But there were no shots as good as the first series when the original Citrus Swallowtail providentially posed for me so I could create my “charmed” Watching Out for Nature blog for the week.
Maybe someday I will be able to get closer shots of the Monarch (or monarch-type) butterflies that flit about my yard!
