Female Pipevine Swallowtail

I released a Pipevine Swallowtail today. Seems a little late in the season. I would have expected this individual to overwinter as a chrysalis. But no, she emerged. Since they overwinter as chrysalides, she has to lay eggs, and they have to hatch and grow, and pupate, before it get really wintery. I hope they make it!

 I know she is a female because of the brown and black wings. Males have a turquoise sheen on parts of their wings. Her colors are more understated, but lovely.

Butterfly Walk at UC Botanical Garden

Some of the participants in the last butterfly walk of the year. We saw some good stuff!!

Gulf Fritillaries

Courting. 

Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillars

Are starting to spread themselves out. 

Pipevine Swallowtails Hatched

I love the way they cuddle when young. 

Termites

 

Such a lousy photo! Sorry!

Today was the nuptial flight of the termites. First there is rain (just a little in this case) then sun, then the termites come out of the ground,  and fly off to find a mate. 

I always wondered why I never saw any animals taking advantage of this dense display of insect protein packets. Until Today. Today a dragon fly was catching them on the wing. Seems like it would have been so much easier to sit on the ground and eat them. But a dragon fly never does that! It creates a basket with its legs and catches insects in the basket while it flies. 

Did you see the termites today? 

Pipevine Swallowtail Eggs