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Post by beetlehorn on Oct 5, 2011 19:27:44 GMT -8
I wanted to draw a bit of attention towards the North American Emperor butterflies for a change. Although the Eurasian Emperors (Apatura) are very charismatic due to their purple and blue iridescense, of which I have been quite enamored since childhood, I must say that I also find a special appeal to the American species. Here in Tennessee we have two species, Asterocampa celtis, and Asterocampa clyton, and although they lack the fantastic purple sheen of the Apatura and Doxocopa group, they are of special interest to many Nymphalid collectors. I have also always wanted to collect the western US species, namely Asterocampa leilia, and Asterocampa celtis antonia. So I made a trip to Arizona to do some collecting and photographing. I spent almost four hours one morning in the Sonoran desert and collected Asterocampa leilia. I was delighted to find a good population of them amongst the mesquite and cacti. Most people see the desert as a desolate place, but I found it to be somewhat magical. I obtained a few A. celtis antonia from a friend that collects in Arizona, and since I have them mounted alongside the A. celtis I encounter here in the east, I think they deserve species recognition, namely Asterocampa antonia.> Period! They actually look more like A. leilia than A. celtis, or perhaps even a cross between the two. So in my collection they will be named separately, if nothing more than to keep some better sense of order for myself. Tom Attachments:
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Post by wollastoni on Oct 5, 2011 22:49:16 GMT -8
Splendid butterflies indeed ! Thank you Tom for showing them !
Do they share Apatura behaviours ?
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Post by bobw on Oct 6, 2011 0:29:06 GMT -8
A caption would be nice so that we know which one is which.
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Post by beetlehorn on Oct 6, 2011 18:32:39 GMT -8
Sorry for not including the identifications with the previous photo. Hopefully I can redeem myself with photos of several series of these Nymphalid species. This one is Asterocampa celtis, all net captured by myself here in Tennessee. Oh, and to answer your question in regards to their behavior, yes their flight pattern is identical, very fast with the same flap-glide-flap pattern. Also they love strong smelling substances like decomposing animals, fish carrion and fermenting fruit. The males are also quite territorial, dashing out and confronting nearly any moving object, much like the Apatura's behavior. Their larval stages are very similar as well, both in appearance and habits. Here in America they feed on Hackberry trees, in Europe and Asia the Apatura species feed mostly on Salix and Poplar. All 50 or so species are listed in the subfamily as Apaturinae, which include the Genus Doxocopa. Tom Attachments:
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Post by beetlehorn on Oct 6, 2011 18:34:54 GMT -8
Next is a series of Asterocampa clyton. Notice the degree of variation in these males. Some have well defined ocelli in the hindwings, others are completely black! Tom Attachments:
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Post by beetlehorn on Oct 6, 2011 18:36:35 GMT -8
This is a series of Asterocampa clyton females. Most are considerably larger than the males. Attachments:
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Post by beetlehorn on Oct 6, 2011 18:38:16 GMT -8
Next in line are a few specimens of Asterocampa antonia. In my opinion the most handsome of the genus. Attachments:
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Post by beetlehorn on Oct 6, 2011 18:41:57 GMT -8
These specimens are rather special to me because I spent several hours in the desert one August morning collecting and photographing them. This is probably my favorite species of the American Emperor butterflies, Asterocampa leilia. Tom
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Post by wollastoni on Oct 7, 2011 1:59:16 GMT -8
Wonderful genus !
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Post by joee30 on Dec 15, 2011 3:26:41 GMT -8
Hi Tom. A. leila can be very common in several places in SE arizona. I've gotten a lot from Madera, Box, and Garden cyns. I haven't been lucky with Empress Antonia, unless I've bagged a couple of them along with the leila's. I'm going to Try and hit Arizona at some point next year to go lep and beetle hunting.
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evra
Full Member
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Post by evra on Dec 15, 2011 15:22:26 GMT -8
Florida Canyon is really the spot in Arizona for Asterocampas. It's a canyon on the north side of the Santa Ritas in between Box Canyon and Madera Canyon, where you can consistently get leila, celtis antonia, and clyton texana. Florida Canyon is really loaded with mature netleaf hackberry trees, which is the host plant for celtis antonia and clyton texana for sure, and leila may use it as well. There's also desert hackberry in the area, which is definitely leila's host plant.
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Post by lordpandarus on Dec 15, 2011 18:29:10 GMT -8
It's weird I never sought after this genus and I try to collect a few noteworthy species of every Nymphalid genus.
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Post by joee30 on Dec 16, 2011 0:39:59 GMT -8
Hi Evra. I totally forgot about Florida cyn. That is an excellent place for asterocampas. Proctor Rd. off of Madera Cyn isn't bad for them either. It is also a nice place to collect moths, and Dynastes granti when the time is right.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2011 8:02:12 GMT -8
This is a fantastic genus, wish we got them in the UK.
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Post by bobw on Dec 16, 2011 8:15:06 GMT -8
I've tried to rear A. celtis a couple of times here in England but I just can't get the damned things to pair.
Bob
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