Butterfly Photos

This page features photos captured by Glenn Barret (immediately below),photos of an Ocola Skipper, photos and story of very rare Pipevine Swallowtail, and photos of other rare butterflies.

Photos by Glenn Barrett

Photos © by Glenn Barrett. Click on thumbnails for a larger image.

Buckeye

Acadian Hairsteak

Banded Hairstreak

Painted Lady

Northern Pearly Eye

Black Swallowtail

Coral Hairstreak

Red Spotted Purple

Bronze Copper

Ocola Skipper Photos

These photos were taken at entrance to Port Franks Forested Dunes (near The Pinery) on September 26, 2004. The skipper was found and photographed by Robin McLeod.

This is only the 4th year ever that the species has been found in Ontario. Although the record is from outside our area, the first record for this species for Canada was at the Teaching Garden in Hamilton by Bob Curry in 1991.

A Very Rare Pipevine Swallowtail

Photographed by Bob Walling in George Meyers' backyard in Grimsby, Ontario on Sept. 27, 2004. See story below.

Pipevine Swallowtail New for the Hamilton Study Circle

By George Meyers

Reprinted from The Wood Duck, November 2004

I observed a male Pipeline Swallowtail (Battus philenor L.) at my garden at 7 Bedford Park, in Grimsby, from Thursday September 23 to Friday October 1, 2004, with sightings ranging from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM (I don't know where it spent the night). Bob Walling took the photographs accompanying this article on September 27.

In the four decades we've been at this home, we have seen Eastern Tiger, Black, Spicebush and Giant Swallowtails, often in good numbers. In the last three decades we have seen Pipevine, usually late July to early September. That is why, when the Pipevine was still present on September 26th, I telephoned Bill Lamond to see if this was a record-late sighting. To my surprise, Bill told me that there were no records for the Hamilton study circle, thus "Get photos!"

The presence of this species is not that bizarre. The Butterflies of Canada (1998) shows specimen dots for Burlington, Oakville, Dunnville, St. Catharines and the Town of Niagara, with flights into October. All other Ontario Swallowtail flights terminate in September. Similarly, A Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies (1992) shows a range in Ontario along the Lake Erie-Lake Ontario-Hwy 401 axis east to Coburg. Opler's flight period for the northern U.S. is April-September.

The butterfly soared and flapped, accipiter-like, one to two meters above grade in one of the few sunny areas at this late date. Frequently he would rise, then soar and circle, buteo-like, over our shallow pitched brown shingled roof, methinks to acquire heat. Energy restored, he then returned to nectar on Aster novae-angliae, Datura wrightii and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. Alternately, he would alight on leaves of Betula nigra.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, his wings were fully spread and perpendicular to the sun except at take off and landing. His wings did flutter while nectaring on the aster since there was no perch. All these locations were in full sun. Occasionally he would sally out over the prairie, now in semi-shade, but quickly return to roof, flowers or birch leaves.

Upon first sighting, a Pipevine is visually stunning, since it is often while they are gliding in a sunlit forest opening. My first reaction is always, "who let the blue morpho loose?" The human eye is not an objective camera lens, but merely a gateway to the brain. The only thing one sees is the huge blue flash of the hind wings, since the black forewings disappear into the background.

My one question remains - "why haven't I got Zebra?", since I have had Pawpaw for 38 years and my backyard is suckering into a Pawpaw patch. Anyone want to try an introduction?

More Butterfly Photos

Wild Indigo Duskywing. Photo by Dean Gugler in Hendrie Valley on July 19, 2005. Also present were Carl Rothfels, Carolyn King and Steve LaForest.

Eastern Comma. Photo taken by Dean Gugler
at RBG Arboretum on 8 Apr 2005.

Milbert's Tortoiseshell. Photo by Dean Gugler. Not a great photo but a rare species in the Hamilton area. Dean saw it in late March, 2005 on his property.