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Tattered wings WC665
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Tattered wings WC665

by John Tobias

Gallery: Weekly ChallengePosted December 15, 2014106 views3 comments
Photographed this butterfly at the Sugar Grove Nature Center. It was not a perfect specimen, with its tattered wings and a hole in one. But, I made an ID error when first posting. Sorry, it is a zebra swallowtail, as Mark pointed out. I just wanted it to be a Malachite. I can blame it on age.

Canon T3i
1/250 @ F-5.6 ISO 100
Canon EF-100mm 2.8 macro.
HH

Comments

3 comments
Comment posted by Alberto Patiño on December 15, 2014 at 1:46 PM
I think that the tattered wings add to the beauty - a hard and long life (a few days, I guess?) and still going. Gorgeous detail!
Registered on December 2, 2014, 278 Posts, 1736 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on December 15, 2014 at 2:13 PM
John, that is an amazingly beat up butterfly shown in a nicely colorful setting. However, it's not a Malachite. Those are only seen in the southern tips of Florida and Texas. It is a Zebra Swallowtail, which are found from New England down to Texas and Florida. Their only host plant is the Paw Paw tree and around here (DC area) those are only found in the low lying areas along the larger rivers.
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Zelinka on December 16, 2014 at 3:17 PM
This is right on topic - I imaging the butterfly is showing signs of age. I wish it was sharper.
Registered on August 20, 2007, 206 Posts, 998 Comments