Tag: butterflies

Variegated

November 05, 2025

As Fall stretched into late October, I was amazed by the dozens of pollinators which still flocked to the wildflower bed in front of our house.  My guess is they are still stocking up for a flight south or survival during the long winter.  We have several coneflowers (family, Asteraceae) along with a proliferation of orange sulfur cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus).  Yesterday afternoon was bright, sunny, and in the mid-70 F’s (24 C’s) and they were still out in full force.  There were several late traveling monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) along with dozens of bumblebees (Genus, Bombus) flitting from flower to flower.  There was also a new arrival (at least I had not noticed) with several smaller brightly colored butterflies.  Two characteristics struck me about these Lepidoptera.  First was the speed they were traveling as they drew nectar from around the bed, the second was variegated wings.

When I went online, I found the variegated fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) is a North and South American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae.  The variegated flight is low and swift and even when collecting nectar, the species is extremely difficult to approach.  This has earned the genus name which taken from the Greek “euptoietos” meaning “easily scared”.  The wingspan of the adult variegated measures 1.75 to 2.25 inches (44 to 57 mm).  The upper side of the wings is checkered with orange and black, and both the fore and hind wings have a row of submarginal black spots and black median lines running across them.  The underside of the forewing is orange with a pale orange spot rimmed in black in the forewing cell.  The underside of the hindwing is mottled with browns and grays with a pale postmedian band.  The variegated fritillary has three very different characteristics that distinguish them from the genus of greater fritillaries (Speyeria fritillaries), but it is still closely related to them.  Variegated fritillaries have two or three broods per year (Speyeria one), are nomadic (Speyeria sedentary), and use a wide variety of host plants (Speyeria only violets). 

While the variegated fritillary is nomadic, it is not (officially) migratory like the monarch.  Instead, it overwinters in its caterpillar stage in the leaf litter, seeking shelter and entering a dormant state (diapause).  In warmer climates, adult butterflies may also overwinter.  In Arkansas the adults need to either migrate south or they will die (freeze).  Caterpillars can survive Arkansas’ winter temperatures and will emerge from their hibernation to form cocoons (pupate) in the spring.  The survival of the caterpillars (or adults farther South) depends on factors like predation, temperature, and the amount of insulation provided by leaf litter.  When weather conditions improve in the Spring the caterpillars emerge from their winter hibernation to continue their life cycle.  While I was planning on clearing the bed and scattering the seed, perhaps I should wait until new life emerges in Spring.

THOUGHTS: I can attest to the “euptoietos” nature of the variegated fritillary.  It took me 10 minutes for one to wait long enough on a flower to get a picture.  The butterflies would fly up to 30 feet (10 m) away and then dart back to seek out another flower or two before repeating the maneuver.  I find it interesting how different species have adapted to survival during the cold months of winter.  This also explains how a warm day can bring out a swam of flying insects as they emerge from their sheltered refuge.  Humans do not naturally go dormant (hibernate) because our bodies lack the necessary biological adaptations to enter a state of deep sleep with a significantly lower body temperature and metabolic rate.  The earliest evidence of controlled use of fire dates back at least 1.8 million years ago, but evidence for habitual or widespread use of fire does not become clear until around 400,000 years ago.  We rely on protective structure, clothes, or sources of heat to achieve what nature has given other species.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

Tiger Moth

October 22, 2024

Our enclosed porch serves as a greenhouse for both Melissa’s succulents and a rack during late winter for my vegetable seedlings.  The area is also used to store Melissa’s supplies and the seeds I use to feed the birds.  When I started feeding birds several years ago, I set the bags on the floor.  This worked for several months, but as the weather got colder the rodents that thrived in the tall grass of the lot behind our house were more intent on seeking food and shelter.  While I never saw a house mouse (Mus musculus) or brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), I did have several instances of “something” chewing through the seed bags and spilling the contents onto the floor.  I now have a large 20 gallon (76 l) tub for the larger bags and 3 smaller 5 gallon (15 l) buckets to hold the daily dispersal.  The containers are large enough to contain the seed and have a lid which keeps out the (hopefully) mice.  While cleaning behind the “supplies” behind the feed buckets I found more evidence of mice, but again no actual critters.  What I did find beneath several of the buckets was a brightly colored moth.  When I checked my phone identification it said this was a harnessed tiger moth.

When I looked online, I found the harnessed tiger moth (Apantesis phalerata) is a species of moth within the Erebidae family, first described by Thaddeus William Harris in 1841.  The harnessed tiger moth’s subfamily (Arctiinae) has about 11,000 species of tiger moths divided globally across three tribes.  The harnessed tiger moth is indigenous to North America, with a geographical distribution from Ontario, Quebec, and Maine in the north, to the west in South Dakota, and stretching south to Florida and Texas.  The adult moth has a wingspan ranging from 1.2 to 1.7 inches (30 to 42 mm), and their distinctive black and orange wing patterns earned them the name “tiger” moth.  The tiger moth has a grooved exoskeletal structure (tymbals) on the posterior three segments of the thorax (metathorax) which they use to produce high frequency cicada (superfamily, Cicadoidea) like clicks.  The clicks are a defensive mechanism against predation and for communication during mating.  The lifespan of a harnessed tiger moth ranges from 5 to 10 days after mating.  The moth’s activity period varies regionally, being active from April to September in the southern parts of its range, and from May to August in the northern areas.  My tiger moth was active (at least alive) in mid-October. 

The harnessed tiger moth uses its vibrant colors to serve as a visual deterrent, signaling to potential predators that they are distasteful.  Despite their warning colors, harnessed tiger moths are preyed upon by bats, which rely on echolocation (not sight) to hunt.  This tiger moth is not poisonous, but adults do secrete a liquid to ward off predators that can cause allergic reactions in humans.  The furry body of the caterpillar can also cause rashes and irritation if touched with bare hands.  There are many spiritual meanings attached to the various species of tiger moth and different types of tiger moths hold different gravity in various cultures worldwide.  White-colored tiger moths are seen as a sign of peace and innocence as white is often considered the color of peace. 

THOUGHTS: Two common spiritual meanings are attached to all tiger moth species around their attraction to light.  Some believe spotting a tiger moth is an indication that the person must leave the dark and start embracing the light in their soul.  For other cultures this is a warning that means not to be easily lured by charming deals or things and think rationally before making decisions.  Human decisions are fraught with a similar dichotomy of good and bad.  Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, in his Meditations said, “You have power over your mind – not outside events.”  Nietzsche takes the same perspective, affirming the agency of the individual goes beyond good and evil and declares what is “good” and “bad” by what is serving and hindering their own goals.  There are not absolutes, only your reaction to events.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.