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Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Black-veined White

Hey guys I’m back. This week I’m going to be writing about the Black-veined White. I just choose this particular butterfly because of its very unique look. I also love black and white so I guess that could be another reason. I hope this information is enjoyable to read.
   The Black-veined White became extinct, for reasons that are unknown, in Britain during the 1920’s. Some believe it to be the cause of the destruction of the butterfly’s main food source: Blackthorn and Hawthorns. Others say that it’s because of the short mild winters that allow for many of the birds to stay around, which are the butterfly’s key predator. Many reintroductions have been put forth but all have failed.
  The Black-veined White would be found near orchards, hedgerows, and around the edges of woodlands. They are often found to be in groups of great numbers when roosting. The larvae eat off the fruit of the trees in orchards where the butterfly is found, while the adults feed on nectar. These butterflies need lots of water which they usually get from the ground.  They are known to be the only butterfly to be all white and have all its veins marked in black with no other distinct markings. The males are usually the only ones that will have the dark black outlines and the females will have light to dark brown outlines.  They are known to be relatively large butterflies with a wingspan of 60-70mm.
  The caterpillars of this species are often found to grow up to 4cm long. They are black with orange spots with white markings above their legs and long white hairs along their bodies. These caterpillars can survive through winters under the protection of their woven nests. That’s hard to believe that such a small little thing can survive such a cold winter.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Western Pygmy Blue

                                                   
                                                                                                                                        

    Hey it’s me again! Last week I talked about the world’s largest butterfly, known as, the Queen Alexandra Birdwing. This week I will be talking about the world’s smallest butterfly! This little guy is called the Western Pygmy Blue.
  They can be found in the western United States. The Pygmy Blue is actually a very common butterfly but most people miss them because of their small size and low flight levels. They are known to be no bigger than 3/8in. The name of these little guys can lead you to think that they are blue when they really are not. They actually vary in shades of gray and brown. Some may appear to have a bluish tint. Along with these shades the wings of this butterfly are trimmed in white dashes, which can vary in thickness. The caterpillars are a pale green or a cream-white with yellow stripes along its body and brown bumps all over. Like most butterflies, the adult Western Pygmy Blues feed on nectar from flowers. The caterpillars of this species feed on plants like the Fourwing Saltbush.  
   Males of this species stay near their host plants,where the female will lay her eggs, to find a receptive female. Once ready the female will lay the eggs on the upper side of the leaves.  Any plants in the goosefoot family usually are always found to be the host for this species. You will see them in flight year round in South Texas and through the months of July to September in the north. Despite their little size, these butterflies actually migrate!!! How crazy is that?! They are so small it seems like if someone sneezed too hard it would blow them across the country! Well, I hope everyone enjoyed reading a little about this amazing little butterfly.