Nature’s Winged Elegance

Variability is a strategy to improve the chance for long-term success of a species. But, it also makes it hard for an inexperienced entomologist to hone in on an exact match. I believe this beauty to be a Black Swallowtail butterfly. However, during my brief search, I also spotted the Spicebush and Pipevine species that look quite similar.

The outing was book-ended with another capture of a similar butterfly. I spotted it quite a distance from where I filmed the first. This was shot in the west hay field, which has no windbreak, resulting in a more challenging nectar harvest for this handsome insect. When I compare the pictures of the above butterfly and the one below, I see differences (like a single row of orange dots on the one below) – so perhaps they are different species.