I would appreciate any help in identifying these butterflies seen yesterday. Two and three are the same butterfly.
Thanks.
Butterfly World Isle of Wight
Re: Butterfly World Isle of Wight
I think images two & three are heliconius melpomene, the common postman.
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Re: Butterfly World Isle of Wight
It's very difficult to identify Heliconius with confidence unless you are either an expert or have more info than you get in a butterfly house. I agree pictures 2 & 3 are likely to be melpomene - a species widely bred in butterfly houses - but very similar forms occur in other Heliconius species. Heliconius shows incredible mimicry rings, with huge variation within a species and often very little between converged forms of different species.
The only butterfly here I would be confident with (so probably wrong
) is the swallowtail, which I believe is Battus polydamus.
Guy
The only butterfly here I would be confident with (so probably wrong
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Guy
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Re: Butterfly World Isle of Wight
Thanks Guy. Very helpful.
Re: Butterfly World Isle of Wight
I agree with Guy that number four is gold rim swallowtail, otherwise known as tailless swallowtail!!
Re: Butterfly World Isle of Wight
Number one may be a parides species otherwise known as a cattleheart.