Re: Wisley - Butterflies in the Glasshouse 2014
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 11:05 pm
Lovely pictures, Phil.
Heliconius is especially difficult if you don't know where a butterfly comes from. There is often far more variation within a species across its range than there is between species in the same region. I recently acquired the Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America, which is very helpful for some species and groups (it helped me to sort out Parides) but for subspecies of Heliconians outside its range it's not really any use at all.
I won't be visiting the Papiliorama again until the weather turns nasty, but when I do I will be bearing in mind some of your observations from Wisley.
Guy
Heliconius is especially difficult if you don't know where a butterfly comes from. There is often far more variation within a species across its range than there is between species in the same region. I recently acquired the Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America, which is very helpful for some species and groups (it helped me to sort out Parides) but for subspecies of Heliconians outside its range it's not really any use at all.
I won't be visiting the Papiliorama again until the weather turns nasty, but when I do I will be bearing in mind some of your observations from Wisley.
Guy