Celebrating Pollinators for National Pollinator Week 2019

I thought I’d dig through some photo archives to showcase some fabulous lepidopteran pollinators this week for National Pollinator Week. I originally had a couple of non-moth and butterfly pollinator friends but then realized that I’ve not had a great track record of taking photos of them over the years so there aren’t nearly as many. So, we’ll make it all about Order Lepidoptera today! Someone with more time on their hands would spend time giving a little information about them all but I’m doing good just getting this out! Here’s a small assortment of beautiful moths and butterflies!

Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth, Malacosoma americana – my yard here in greater Houston, Tx

Turbulent Phosphila Moth, Phosphila turbulenta – my yard here in greater Houston, Tx

Fall Webworm Moth, Hyphantria cunea – my yard here in greater Houston, Tx

Palamedes Swallowtail, Papilio palamedes – Ocala National Forest, Florida

Juniper hairstreak, Callophrys gryneus – McKinney Falls State Park, Tx

Southern Dogface, Zerene cesonia – McKinney Falls State Park, Tx

Queen, Danaus gilippus – Garner State Park, Tx

White peacock, Anartia jatrophae – Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, FL

Zebra swallowtail, Protographium marcellus – Central Florida. So, remember when I wrote about seeing a zebra swallowtail back at Huntsville State Park in March? And I knew that I’d likely seen one in Florida but couldn’t remember. Well, I gave myself a good chuckle when I went through my Flickr photos and found this! Yep, I saw them! I’m pretty stoked that it was a decent photo, too.

Martial Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon martialis – Bahia Honda State Park, Florida Keys, FL

Gulf frittilary, Agraulis vanillae – Florida Keys, FL

Great Southern White, Ascia monuste – Bahia Honda State Park, Florida Keys, FL

Cassius Blue, Leptotes cassius – Bahia Honda State Park, Florida Keys, FL

Spanish Moth caterpillar, Xanthopastis regnatrix – Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, FL

Spanish Moth, Xanthopastis regnatrix – along US 41, Miami-Dade County

Zebra Longwing, Heliconius charithonia – Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, FL

Ruddy daggerwing caterpillar, Marpesia petreus – Big Cypress National Preserve, FL

Ruddy daggerwing, Marpesia petreus – Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, FL

Salt Marsh Moth, Estigmene acrea – Big Cypress National Preserve, FL

Polydamas Swallowtail, Battus polydamas – Fern Forest, Broward County, FL

Mangrove Buckeye, Junonia genoveva – Big Cypress National Preserve, FL

Tropical Checkered-Skipper, Pyrgus oileus – Central Florida

Saddleback caterpilar, Acharia stimulea – I think Jasper County, Tx but I can’t quite recall as this is a photo of Chris’ from the field and it is too cool not to incorporate!

Pipevine swallowtail, Battus philenor – my yard in greater Houston, Tx

Giant swallowtail caterpillar, Papilio cresphontes – my yard in greater Houston, Tx

Long-tailed skipper, Urbanus proteus – my yard in greater Houston, Tx

Long-tailed skipper, Urbanus proteus – my yard in greater Houston, Tx

Tropical Checkered-Skipper, Pyrgus oileus – my yard in greater Houston, Tx

Gulf frittilary, Agraulis vanillae – my yard in greater Houston, Tx

Red admiral caterpillar, Vanessa atalanta – my yard in greater Houston, Tx

Spotted Phosphila Moth, Phosphila miselioides – my yard in greater Houston, Tx

Cloudless sulphur, Phoebis sennae – my yard in greater Houston, Tx

Tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta – my yard in greater Houston, Tx

Carolina satyr, Hermeuptychia sosybius – my yard in greater Houston, Tx

Horace’s Duskywing, Erynnis horatius – my yard in greater Houston, Tx

Milkweed tussock moth, Euchaetes egle – my yard here in greater Houston, Tx

There were many more I could have incorporated and maybe I’ll do another separate post soon!

Edit:

I forgot, I should include our attempt to get the ghost orchid pollination by the giant sphinx moth back in 2008. Several people have been attempting to get better video and photos for actual species identification the last couple of years and we suspect that it will happen soon due to the amount of people trying to get it done!