This is a female Common Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina. It is on the white form of Grevillea banksii Red Silky Oak.



Awful picture of the upperside as normal.

I have a very successful pipevine (Pararistolochia praevenosa), which is the host plant for the stunning but vulnerable Richmond Birdwing (Ornithoptera richmondia) . But still no butterflies.
http://www.wildlife.org.au/wil...

Glen, that's awesome! The Common Eggfly (what a horrible name!) reminds me of something in our Admiral family, like a Viceroy or Red-Spotted Purple. I also have faith that something will find your pipevine sooner or later. It's important we at least try and have the host plants available because you never know when the butterfly is going to find you. Especially if they are vulnerable, like you said. Is that like threatened or endangered in the U.S.? Does it have some kind of official status or were you using the word literally? Just curious.

I'm off to the great state of Kentucky. We'll stay somewhere in the Carolinas tonight and then drive into Kentucky tomorrow. I should have internet access through the weekend since we'll be at a hotel so I'll try and check in. Once I get to West Virginia, technology nearly ceases to exist. Although, they finally built a McDonalds with Wi-Fi about six miles from Grandma's house few years back. That was a major development in that county! But hopefully the remoteness means I will see lots of butterflies lurking in the woods. I've got my camera with me!

Melanie, Vulnerable is the lowest of the legislated threatened categories here.

It goes:

Extinct
Extinct in the Wild

Critically endangered
Endangered
Vulnerable

Near Threatened
Least Concern

If you have any of the top five listings on your land and want to develop, you are in difficulty.
Butterflies are listed in Australia just like vertebrates.

Queensland also has a 'Rare' category that is being phased out with its species being allocated to Near Threatened or Least Concern..

Glen, The pipevine butterfly on your link is truly amazing, I hope it finds the way to you beautiful pipevine and multiplies one hunded fold.
Ours is the Pipevine swallowtail, here it is in all it's glory.

Gorgeous, Josephine.

I'm wowed by your butterflies Glen & I too hope your pipevine gets eaten to shreds by Richmond Birdwing cats this year.

Glen, I think I like the way Australia does it better. More categories seems like it would be easier to really know the level of concern for the species. We just have regular, threatened, and endangered as far as I know. Although, states can designate something to be on their state list even if the federal government doesn't have it on the federal list.

No pictures from today since we were traveling and rest areas and gas stations just aren't very flowery. We saw tons of Sulphurs flying on the sides of the interstate, one suspected Monarch, and two Swallowtails of some sort. We had dinner across from the hotel and they had some verbena planted out front. When we were leaving, there were these little moths that looked just like skippers! Their wings were constantly moving, almost like a hummingbird would do! They were really neat. No way I was getting a picture of them, though. Too fast and too dark.

Had an excellent Butterfly Day - (pics of 7 kinds)

1st - from back yard stand of New England Asters
Monarchs -





w/ Sulphur

Sulphurs
< (2)


w/ ant -

Pearl Crescent


Cabbage White


Skippers



2nd batch -
From Sanchris State Park (wildlife growth allowed free form, ie - minimal interference)

Swallowtail

Buckeye

Monarchs

Sulphurs

So Jack is hiding all the Monarchs. Now we know.

I think your Sulphur is a Southern Dogface but my books are packed in the car so I can't be certain. Someone help me out. And your Swallowtail appears to be a Red-Spotted Purple. Darn all you guys with your Red-Spotted Purples! Tormenting me with their beauty! But maybe that means the timing is right and I'll see on on this trip. FYI, the RSP is a cousin to the Viceroy. Both are in the Admiral family. The Viceroy is well-known for mimicking the Monarch, but the RSP mimics the Pipevine Swallowtail. They're lookalikes! Hey, if it keeps you from getting eaten, I say go for it!

Wow Jack! You surely had a banner butterfly day!!! And you are getting such superb close ups. Wow.

I can't believe I could ID the Red Spotted Purple but I was just looking at photos last night & saw that color form which looks different than what I normally see here.

I got a RSP yesterday, will load the photos later today when I have time.

Not laughing at you, Ann, laughing at Melanie's remark about Jack hiding all the Monarchs.

I knew Tee, no offense taken. I think that's a Question Mark in your photo?????

I have been wondering & wondering why butterflies aren't commonly seen sipping from hummie feeders. I watch mine like a hawk waiting to see the day a butterfly figures out it can get free food. The other day, a sulphur *almost* did it. Yesterday, standing in the kitchen & THERE! a butterfly sipping at the feeder! Grabbed the camera & ran out to get some shots. A red spotted purple.

I've had a wonderful time the past 2 days with 4 of my Monarchs eclosing. 5th and final one emerged this morning. I've enjoyed them so much!




Here is one of them flying away:

Go little Monarch go!

Happy to see your Monarchs successfully complete their birthing cycle/metamorphoses Cat.

Thanks for all the comments related to my entries. Melanie, the 2nd pic of the black butterfly made me think that it seemed a RSP, but the 1st pic had me stuck with a Black Swallowtail. I don't think the Southern Dogface is a viable option up here, I'm inclined to go w/ the Clouded or Orange Sulphur.
Tee's looks like a Comma to me, but I may be missing, not seeing the period below/along side of the comma mark.

Wishing all a successful BF experience as the season initiates a last hurrah up here for BF enjoyment.

thanks, Ann and Jack!

I would take Jack's ID over mine. Sometimes I can get names mixed up so I bet he's right.