After raising thousands of Anise Swallowtails (Papilio zelicaon) over the years, we have seen a ton of variation in their wing patterns. Most all animals, like humans, vary in appearance from individual to individual if you compare them closely enough; no two are ever 100% identical, even if they are siblings. In Anise Swallowtails (Papilio zelicaon), we have observed a myriad of different wing patterns after raising thousands of them over the years. Just this year, we have raised at least a couple hundred to adulthood since spring. One of the most variable characteristics in wing color is in the amount of blue coloration normally lining the margin of the hindwings. Females are supposed to have more blue in general, but some, both male and females will have the blue patches extending far into the forewing margin, though sometimes it is limited to the hindwings (top left). The blue lining is supposed to be tapered as it moves up the margin, so even if it extends into the forewing it is normally diminishing, but in some individuals (top right), especially males, instead of tapering through into the forewing, there is suddenly a large, almost eyespot- like blue patch at the bottom of the forewing (bottom left). Spring individuals usually have more blue than summer individuals. Another place of great variability are the bottom two yellow spots in the row of yellow spots along the black margin of the forewing. The most common phenotype is simply two medium sized yellow spots that are separated completely (top left). However, some will have larger ones that are connected, giving it a notched, peanut shaped appearance (top right). Still, a few rare ones will have ones that are so large that the two spots are fully connected, creating a single large yellow spot (bottom left). On the other extreme, some will have very small ones that one or both are hardly visible (bottom right). The red eyespots at the bottom of the hindwings are almost never exactly the same between individuals. The black pupil inside varies in size quite a bit, and sometimes shape as well; it is normally more or less circular (top left) but can be more elliptical and in some rare cases slightly crescent (top right) or diamond shaped (bottom left). Though most are in the center, the placement of the pupils also varies, with some closer to the margin than others but never actually touching (bottom right). In fact, one of the key distinguishing characteristics between P. zelicaon and similar species such as P. machaon is that the pupils never touch the margin of the eyespot. - Alan, Brian
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Timeline 2012–2017
Albany, California This timeline is a series of daily posts recording our observations on and experiences with various insects in Albany California and surrounding areas, from 2012-2017. Since we did not publish this site until 2016, posts before that were constructed retroactively. Starting in August 2017, we moved to Ithaca, New York; posts from there on can be viewed at Timeline 2017-present: Ithaca, New York. Archives (1,011)
August 2017 (49) July 2017 (121) June 2017 (79) May 2017 (77) April 2017 (91) March 2017 (35) February 2017 (12) January 2017 (10) December 2016 (12) November 2016 (26) October 2016 (49) September 2016 (84) August 2016 (94) July 2016 (99) June 2016 (53) May 2016 (21) April 2016 (4) January 2016 (1) August 2015 (3) July 2015 (3) June 2015 (2) June 2014 (3) May 2014 (1) April 2014 (3) March 2014 (3) December 2013 (2) November 2013 (2) October 2013 (5) September 2013 (11) August 2013 (15) July 2013 (9) June 2013 (5) May 2013 (4) April 2013 (3) March 2013 (2) February 2013 (3) January 2013 (2) December 2012 (2) November 2012 (1) October 2012 (2) September 2012 (2) August 2012 (5) July 2012 (1) June 2012 (1) Authors
![]() ![]() Full Species List (Alphabetical by scientific name) Note: - Not every species we encounter is necessarily presented on this site, rather a selection of those that were of particular interest to us and that we felt were worth documenting. - We can't guarantee that all species have been identified accurately, particularly taxa we are not as familiar with. Lepidoptera Actias luna Adelpha californica Agraulis vanillae Allancastria cerisyi Antheraea mylitta Antheraea polyphemus Anthocharis sara Argema mimosae Attacus atlas Battus philenor hirsuta Bombyx mori Caligo atreus Callosamia promethea Coenonympha tullia california Citheronia regalis Cricula trifenestrata Danaus plexippus Eacles imperialis Erynnis tristis Estigmene acrea Eumorpha achemon Eupackardia calleta Furcula cinereoides Heliconius erato Heliconius hecale Heliconius sapho Heliconius sara Hyalophora cecropia Hyalophora columbia Hyalophora euryalus Hylephila phyleus Hyles lineata Junonia coenia Langia zenzeroides formosana Lophocampa maculata Manduca sexta Morpho peleides Nymphalis antiopa Orgyia vetusta Orthosia hibisci quenquefasciata Pachysphinx modesta Papilio cresphontes Papilio eurymedon Papilio glaucus Papilio machaon oregonius Papilio multicaudata Papilio polyxenes asterius Papilio rumiko Papilio rutulus Papilio zelicaon Phyciodes mylitta Phyciodes pulchella Pieris rapae Plejebus acmon Poanes melane Polites sabuleti Polygonia satyrus Pyrgus communis Rothschildia jacobaeae Samia cynthia advena Samia ricini Smerinthus cerisyi Smerinthus ophthalmica Strymon melinus Trichoplusia ni Uresephita reversalis Vanessa annabella Vanessa atalanta Vanessa cardui Unidentified Lepidoptera Hybrids Papilio glaucus × Papilio rutulus Papilio polyxenes asterius × Papilio zelicaon Orthoptera Melanoplus devastator Phaneroptera nana Pristoceuthophilus pacificus Scudderia mexicana Trimerotropis pallidipennis Phasmatodea Carausius morosus Phyllium giganteum Mantodea Mantis religiosa Phyllocrania paradoxa Hymenoptera Apis mellifera Bombus vosnesenskii Brachymeria ovata Linepithema humile Pediobius sp. Polistes dominula Xylocopa varipuncta Unidentified Diptera Lucilia sericata Unidentified Hemiptera Brochymena sp. Leptoglossus sp. Nezara viridula Odonata Argia vivida Libellula croceipennis Coleoptera Coccinella septempunctata Cycloneda polita Diabrotica undecimpunctata Hippodamia convergens Araneae (Class: Arachnida) Araneus diadematus Phidippus johnsoni |