Update November 02, 2018: - added
more pics from today taken at the National Butterfly Center, Mission, Hidalgo County, at the bottom of
the page.
Update April 15, 2005: - added
more pics from today taken at the same site, at the bottom of
the page.
This Definite Patch Chlosyne definita
was a lonely individual hanging (literally - in a strong wind)
close to the non-flowering larval food plants at Dick Kelberg
Park in Kingsville, Kelberg County on March 18, 2003:
April 15 2005: More than forty rather worn males were patrolling low
over the ground:
and the occasional fresh female would get nabbed by one of these
worn males for the mating process:
- note that the female above (right) seems a bit unusual, in that
her abdomen is not the normal pattern (see typical female below)
and some of the black markings in the post-median area are exaggerated
while a couple are slightly reduced.
The female above is ovipositing on the host plant (a flowering
individual of which is shown below.) The host is said to be Stenandrium
dulce, but a photo of this plant that I have obtained from
elsewhere looks a bit different (leaves broader-based and with
less-jagged edges; flower much paler and more violet) to the plants
being used today at Kleberg Park; are there different varieties
of Stenandrium dulce? or is this a different species of
Stenandrium?:
Update November 02, 2018: - taken at the National Butterfly Center, Mission, Hidalgo County:
