1 00:00:06,833 --> 00:00:20,833 ♪ 2 00:00:20,833 --> 00:00:30,833 ♪ 3 00:00:30,833 --> 00:00:40,833 ♪ 4 00:00:40,833 --> 00:00:50,833 ♪ 5 00:00:50,833 --> 00:01:01,400 ♪ 6 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:03,966 There are really two groups of animals 7 00:01:03,966 --> 00:01:05,966 that grab people's attention. 8 00:01:05,966 --> 00:01:09,000 And I think these two groups get people's attention 9 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,666 because they're brightly colored and they're very active. 10 00:01:12,666 --> 00:01:16,633 They have wings, so they fly by: the birds and the butterflies. 11 00:01:16,633 --> 00:01:19,333 And we want to zero in on butterflies right now 12 00:01:19,333 --> 00:01:21,333 and talk about them a little bit, 13 00:01:21,333 --> 00:01:23,466 especially butterflies that are common 14 00:01:23,466 --> 00:01:25,933 within the boundaries of the United States. 15 00:01:25,933 --> 00:01:28,566 I guess one way to approach it is to put them 16 00:01:28,566 --> 00:01:30,800 in the right classification scheme. 17 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:32,933 They belong to the animal kingdom. 18 00:01:32,933 --> 00:01:35,166 The next level down in classification 19 00:01:35,166 --> 00:01:37,300 is called a phylum. 20 00:01:37,300 --> 00:01:39,500 And the phylum that they belong to 21 00:01:39,500 --> 00:01:42,133 is a group called the arthropods. 22 00:01:42,133 --> 00:01:45,333 If you break that word down, arthro, joint, pod, leg, 23 00:01:45,333 --> 00:01:47,466 the joint-legged animals. 24 00:01:47,466 --> 00:01:49,600 these are animals with an exoskeleton, 25 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,033 a hard, shell-like covering on the outside, 26 00:01:52,033 --> 00:01:54,033 and jointed legs. 27 00:01:54,033 --> 00:01:56,066 And there are quite a few species 28 00:01:56,066 --> 00:01:58,366 that belong to this group, arthropods: 29 00:01:58,366 --> 00:02:00,033 the spiders, the crabs, 30 00:02:00,033 --> 00:02:03,600 and also the group that the butterflies belong to, 31 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:05,900 and that's the class that they belong to, 32 00:02:05,900 --> 00:02:07,933 the insects, the Insecta. 33 00:02:07,933 --> 00:02:09,766 Used to be called the hexapods 34 00:02:09,766 --> 00:02:12,300 because most insects have six legs, 35 00:02:12,300 --> 00:02:14,400 but now we call them insects. 36 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:17,566 Typical, three body parts in insects: 37 00:02:17,566 --> 00:02:21,300 a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. 38 00:02:21,300 --> 00:02:24,500 On the head, you would always have a pair of antennae, 39 00:02:24,500 --> 00:02:26,600 a couple of compound eyes. 40 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:30,133 On the thorax, you have usually six legs, 41 00:02:30,133 --> 00:02:33,066 but there are a number of species of butterflies 42 00:02:33,066 --> 00:02:35,533 with only four legs, not six. 43 00:02:35,533 --> 00:02:38,400 And then usually, of course, four wings is typical 44 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,600 of butterflies and most of the other insects, 45 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,133 and then the large abdomen on the end. 46 00:02:44,133 --> 00:02:46,000 Then insects can be broken down 47 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,133 into the next level, called orders, 48 00:02:48,133 --> 00:02:50,900 and the order that butterflies belong to 49 00:02:50,900 --> 00:02:53,066 is the order Lepidoptera, 50 00:02:53,066 --> 00:02:55,166 Lepidos means "“scale."” 51 00:02:55,166 --> 00:02:57,333 P-T-E-R-A means "“wing."” 52 00:02:57,333 --> 00:03:00,333 The scale-winged insects, butterflies and moths. 53 00:03:00,333 --> 00:03:03,366 Really, moths are more abundant than butterflies, 54 00:03:03,366 --> 00:03:05,600 but we're gonna be looking specifically 55 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:07,333 at butterflies right now. 56 00:03:07,333 --> 00:03:09,200 So let's get started. 57 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:11,866 Big butterflies usually catch your eyes first. 58 00:03:11,866 --> 00:03:14,633 The swallowtails are the real common butterflies 59 00:03:14,633 --> 00:03:17,666 that get fairly large and sometimes puddle together. 60 00:03:17,666 --> 00:03:19,766 This is the pipevine swallowtail, 61 00:03:19,766 --> 00:03:22,666 puddling, coming together to get a little moisture. 62 00:03:22,666 --> 00:03:24,633 You can see the tongue coming out, 63 00:03:24,633 --> 00:03:26,600 slurping up a little moisture, 64 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:30,233 and all that purple on the back of the hind wing and forewing. 65 00:03:30,233 --> 00:03:32,500 The swallowlike tails give it the name. 66 00:03:32,500 --> 00:03:36,233 This is the caterpillar of the pipevine swallowtail, 67 00:03:36,233 --> 00:03:38,133 pretty incredible-looking animal, 68 00:03:38,133 --> 00:03:41,033 feeding on--snakeroot is one of the common names 69 00:03:41,033 --> 00:03:43,600 for the larval food plant, or birthwort. 70 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:45,600 Aristolochia is the genus name. 71 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,233 Changing plant into animal. 72 00:03:48,233 --> 00:03:50,666 Isn't that incredible, watching it chew 73 00:03:50,666 --> 00:03:53,666 right along the edge of the leaf? 74 00:03:53,666 --> 00:03:56,000 Pipevine swallowtails are pretty common 75 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,033 around the eastern half of the United States, 76 00:03:59,033 --> 00:04:01,266 but caterpillars, it's amazing, 77 00:04:01,266 --> 00:04:04,500 the larval stage in the life cycle of that butterfly. 78 00:04:04,500 --> 00:04:06,700 And this is the underside of the wing 79 00:04:06,700 --> 00:04:08,333 of the pipevine swallowtail. 80 00:04:08,333 --> 00:04:09,900 Again, more purple there, 81 00:04:09,900 --> 00:04:14,766 and little portholes of yellow on the side of the abdomen. 82 00:04:14,766 --> 00:04:16,366 Legs out there, six legs, 83 00:04:16,366 --> 00:04:19,666 like insects would be expected to have. 84 00:04:19,666 --> 00:04:22,066 Here's a spicebush swallowtail among them. 85 00:04:22,066 --> 00:04:25,233 You see a little light blue on the top of the hind wing, 86 00:04:25,233 --> 00:04:28,233 swallowlike tails and the same markings on the side, 87 00:04:28,233 --> 00:04:31,033 but very, very different on the top and bottom. 88 00:04:31,033 --> 00:04:33,066 Again, swallowtails get the name 89 00:04:33,066 --> 00:04:35,966 from those swallowlike tails sticking off. 90 00:04:35,966 --> 00:04:39,500 And there's the pair of antennae with the bulges on the end. 91 00:04:39,500 --> 00:04:42,500 Another swallowtail is really pretty widespread, 92 00:04:42,500 --> 00:04:44,500 the eastern tiger swallowtail. 93 00:04:44,500 --> 00:04:47,166 The males are bright yellow with black stripes. 94 00:04:47,166 --> 00:04:49,633 Females usually are a lot darker than that. 95 00:04:49,633 --> 00:04:51,966 Again, here's one puddling at a puddle, 96 00:04:51,966 --> 00:04:53,966 standing water, wet ground, 97 00:04:53,966 --> 00:04:57,566 slurping up a little moisture and maybe some minerals too. 98 00:04:57,566 --> 00:05:00,533 Larval food plant for this is tuliptrees. 99 00:05:00,533 --> 00:05:03,100 It's the state butterfly of South Carolina 100 00:05:03,100 --> 00:05:05,133 and the state of Georgia. 101 00:05:05,133 --> 00:05:07,133 But pretty obvious. 102 00:05:07,133 --> 00:05:09,166 Look at the back wings on this one. 103 00:05:09,166 --> 00:05:11,233 Something has torn those wings. 104 00:05:11,233 --> 00:05:14,833 Maybe it flew into something, or a bird took a bite out of it. 105 00:05:14,833 --> 00:05:16,866 That happens a lot to butterflies. 106 00:05:16,866 --> 00:05:18,866 Then the zebra swallowtail 107 00:05:18,866 --> 00:05:21,633 with zebra striping on the wings, the long tails, 108 00:05:21,633 --> 00:05:23,800 sometimes called a kite swallowtail 109 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,300 because it almost looks like tails on a kite 110 00:05:26,300 --> 00:05:27,900 sticking off the back. 111 00:05:27,900 --> 00:05:31,200 And you can see individual scales on the wing, 112 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:33,366 which are pretty exciting, 113 00:05:33,366 --> 00:05:35,500 and a little bit of red on the top. 114 00:05:35,500 --> 00:05:38,800 There would be a red stripe on the underside of the wing. 115 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:40,966 But look at the fuzzy scales too. 116 00:05:40,966 --> 00:05:44,300 They look almost like hairs on the front part of the body. 117 00:05:44,300 --> 00:05:47,600 There are the pair of antennae with the bulge on the end 118 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,666 and those compound eyes that you would expect to see. 119 00:05:50,666 --> 00:05:53,733 Zebra swallowtails love to live in low, wet places 120 00:05:53,733 --> 00:05:55,700 where the larval food plant grows. 121 00:05:55,700 --> 00:05:57,633 And there it is, pawpaw. 122 00:05:57,633 --> 00:06:01,300 There is the caterpillar of the zebra swallowtail butterfly, 123 00:06:01,300 --> 00:06:04,533 with zebra striping on it, too, on the larval food plant. 124 00:06:04,533 --> 00:06:06,500 If you want to protect butterflies, 125 00:06:06,500 --> 00:06:08,466 you protect the larval food plants. 126 00:06:08,466 --> 00:06:10,800 Greater variety of larval food plants, 127 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:14,366 you would have a greater variety of butterflies coming there. 128 00:06:14,366 --> 00:06:17,366 I just love the markings on that particular animal. 129 00:06:17,366 --> 00:06:19,400 Then the great southern white. 130 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,033 There are many whites, or sulphur butterflies. 131 00:06:22,033 --> 00:06:25,200 This one has a little blue on the tip of the antenna. 132 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,266 And this is one that's really in the lower Southeast, 133 00:06:28,266 --> 00:06:30,333 and it comes up a little farther 134 00:06:30,333 --> 00:06:32,833 if the season is a little extra warm. 135 00:06:32,833 --> 00:06:36,133 These are Spanish needles, the flowers they're going to. 136 00:06:36,133 --> 00:06:37,733 That's a cluster of flowers, 137 00:06:37,733 --> 00:06:39,866 so the tongue goes into each flower, 138 00:06:39,866 --> 00:06:41,966 one at a time. 139 00:06:41,966 --> 00:06:45,200 And nectar, of course, is energy that keeps '‘em flying. 140 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,500 And that energy originates in the sun, 141 00:06:47,500 --> 00:06:49,500 trapped by the plant, 142 00:06:49,500 --> 00:06:51,700 gets into the body of the butterfly. 143 00:06:51,700 --> 00:06:54,566 The biggest yellow butterfly in the United States, 144 00:06:54,566 --> 00:06:56,566 the cloudless sulphur. 145 00:06:56,566 --> 00:06:59,000 Long tongue going into those flowers, 146 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:00,866 and, again, six legs on it. 147 00:07:00,866 --> 00:07:04,200 A little bit of darker markings, but mainly all yellow. 148 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:06,166 Cloudless sulphur. 149 00:07:06,166 --> 00:07:08,533 It doesn't have a lot of dark markings 150 00:07:08,533 --> 00:07:10,466 on the edge of the wing. 151 00:07:10,466 --> 00:07:12,866 And you can see that tongue is long enough 152 00:07:12,866 --> 00:07:15,266 to go down into deep-throated flowers. 153 00:07:15,266 --> 00:07:18,533 This one's easy to see because it's very, very active. 154 00:07:18,533 --> 00:07:22,100 Sometimes in the Southeast, the population really explodes, 155 00:07:22,100 --> 00:07:25,766 and it begins to migrate, oftentimes heading north. 156 00:07:25,766 --> 00:07:27,466 Look at that tongue, 157 00:07:27,466 --> 00:07:31,500 going way down the long throat of that tubular flower, 158 00:07:31,500 --> 00:07:34,000 getting nectar, and nectar is sugar. 159 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,100 Some butterflies are big and obvious. 160 00:07:36,100 --> 00:07:39,100 Some are small, and this one, if it hadn't moved, 161 00:07:39,100 --> 00:07:41,200 I don't think we would have seen it. 162 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:44,233 Out west, one of the blues, the acmon blue butterfly. 163 00:07:44,233 --> 00:07:48,000 Look at the red on the underside and that silver, oh boy. 164 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:50,133 The black and the silver, incredible, 165 00:07:50,133 --> 00:07:54,400 and the markings on the antennae are typical of the blues. 166 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,566 Most of the blues are actually blue in color, 167 00:07:57,566 --> 00:07:59,400 but sometimes they are not. 168 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:01,300 But you see the small size. 169 00:08:01,300 --> 00:08:04,266 They often position themselves, open up the wings, 170 00:08:04,266 --> 00:08:07,333 get a little more energy from the sun to warm them up. 171 00:08:07,333 --> 00:08:10,300 Look at the markings on the top of those hind wings 172 00:08:10,300 --> 00:08:13,266 and that little bit of blue reflection on it too. 173 00:08:13,266 --> 00:08:16,733 Tiny, little butterfly, probably as big as your thumbnail. 174 00:08:16,733 --> 00:08:19,600 Of course, butterflies don't grow any bigger. 175 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,166 When you see an insect with wings, 176 00:08:22,166 --> 00:08:25,400 you're looking at an adult insect almost all the time. 177 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:28,633 This is the smallest butterfly, the pygmy blue butterfly. 178 00:08:28,633 --> 00:08:30,733 It doesn't have a whole lot of blue. 179 00:08:30,733 --> 00:08:32,600 It's more brown. 180 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:34,500 Antennae look about the same. 181 00:08:34,500 --> 00:08:36,566 Wind's blowing it a little, 182 00:08:36,566 --> 00:08:39,900 but this is one that loves salty situations 183 00:08:39,900 --> 00:08:42,633 along the coast in the east and in the west, 184 00:08:42,633 --> 00:08:45,966 and this is the western species in the salt flats out west. 185 00:08:45,966 --> 00:08:48,533 And that butterfly is hard to believe, 186 00:08:48,533 --> 00:08:50,533 the small size of it, 187 00:08:50,533 --> 00:08:54,033 until you put something in there that you're familiar with 188 00:08:54,033 --> 00:08:57,033 to kind of give you a feeling for how small it is. 189 00:08:57,033 --> 00:08:59,633 And this is on one of those salt bushes, 190 00:08:59,633 --> 00:09:02,366 and that's my index finger going in. 191 00:09:02,366 --> 00:09:05,966 Look at that tiny, little butterfly. 192 00:09:05,966 --> 00:09:09,400 Of course, these butterflies, all of them we've looked at, 193 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,466 as a general rule live about two weeks as an adult. 194 00:09:12,466 --> 00:09:15,200 There are exceptions to the rule, 195 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:17,800 but the rule is a very short adult lifespan. 196 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:20,833 One of the rarest blues, the Karner blue butterfly. 197 00:09:20,833 --> 00:09:23,000 We saw this one in Wisconsin. 198 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:24,933 Oh, look at the blue on the back. 199 00:09:24,933 --> 00:09:27,733 Look at the markings on the top of the hind wing. 200 00:09:27,733 --> 00:09:30,066 These are incredibly beautiful animals, 201 00:09:30,066 --> 00:09:32,100 and this one lays eggs on lupines. 202 00:09:32,100 --> 00:09:35,333 Looks like a female with a large abdomen full of eggs 203 00:09:35,333 --> 00:09:39,433 that she would deposit one at a time on lupine leaves. 204 00:09:39,433 --> 00:09:43,266 Again, the connection with the larval food plant. 205 00:09:43,266 --> 00:09:47,500 This is one of those endangered species in the United States. 206 00:09:47,500 --> 00:09:50,700 What a beautiful animal, and just a small one. 207 00:09:50,700 --> 00:09:53,433 And the American copper, 208 00:09:53,433 --> 00:09:57,166 called that because of those coppery markings on the wings. 209 00:09:57,166 --> 00:10:00,333 Gray otherwise, and then all of that bright color. 210 00:10:00,333 --> 00:10:03,066 The coppers are widespread in the United States. 211 00:10:03,066 --> 00:10:07,333 Not as diverse as the blues, but they're related to them, 212 00:10:07,333 --> 00:10:09,933 and the antennae look a little bit alike. 213 00:10:09,933 --> 00:10:12,766 There again, compound eyes, a pair of antennae, 214 00:10:12,766 --> 00:10:16,333 head, thorax, abdomen, like you would expect on an insect. 215 00:10:16,333 --> 00:10:20,166 When you've got lots of flowers, you expect lots of butterflies, 216 00:10:20,166 --> 00:10:22,233 and these are gulf fritillaries. 217 00:10:22,233 --> 00:10:24,600 Boy, I love the orange color on the back, 218 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:27,466 a little silver spotting on the top of the wing, 219 00:10:27,466 --> 00:10:29,466 but there are only four legs. 220 00:10:29,466 --> 00:10:31,766 There are quite a few of our butterflies 221 00:10:31,766 --> 00:10:33,233 that only have four legs. 222 00:10:33,233 --> 00:10:35,266 The front pair are vestigial. 223 00:10:35,266 --> 00:10:38,800 They're insects, but they only have four legs that function. 224 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:40,933 There's that long tongue coming out. 225 00:10:40,933 --> 00:10:43,500 Oh, this is a good view of the tongue 226 00:10:43,500 --> 00:10:45,900 going into that deep tubular flower, 227 00:10:45,900 --> 00:10:48,133 and look at the colors on that animal. 228 00:10:48,133 --> 00:10:51,233 Not a scale missing, so you would expect this animal 229 00:10:51,233 --> 00:10:53,900 would have emerged from a chrysalis recently. 230 00:10:53,900 --> 00:10:56,500 It hadn't been flying for a long, long time. 231 00:10:56,500 --> 00:10:58,366 But there it is, doing its work. 232 00:10:58,366 --> 00:11:01,666 A little bit of white edging on the wing is nice too, 233 00:11:01,666 --> 00:11:04,766 and the silver spots on the underside of the wings, 234 00:11:04,766 --> 00:11:07,833 one of the most beautiful butterflies that we've got. 235 00:11:07,833 --> 00:11:11,600 Variegated fritillary, doesn't have quite all the silver on it, 236 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,233 but that's that brown and yellow-orange look. 237 00:11:14,233 --> 00:11:17,933 You can see the antennae sticking up, usually autumn. 238 00:11:17,933 --> 00:11:21,366 This is probably an autumn field where this one was flying. 239 00:11:21,366 --> 00:11:24,666 But variegated fritillary is the common name for it. 240 00:11:24,666 --> 00:11:27,933 Lays eggs on quite a variety of plants. 241 00:11:27,933 --> 00:11:31,800 Sitting on a little flower called blue vervain. 242 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,566 Lots of flowers there, lots of nectar. 243 00:11:34,566 --> 00:11:38,266 And here's one of the bigger butterflies called a fritillary, 244 00:11:38,266 --> 00:11:40,233 the great spangled fritillary. 245 00:11:40,233 --> 00:11:42,500 There's that proboscis. 246 00:11:42,500 --> 00:11:45,333 Look at the color in those compound eyes 247 00:11:45,333 --> 00:11:47,033 and the fuzz on the back. 248 00:11:47,033 --> 00:11:48,933 That's an amazing animal, 249 00:11:48,933 --> 00:11:51,066 and, again, count the number of legs. 250 00:11:51,066 --> 00:11:52,800 There are only four here. 251 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:54,900 Quite a few of our butterflies 252 00:11:54,900 --> 00:11:57,233 really only have four functional legs. 253 00:11:57,233 --> 00:11:59,866 But look at the markings on the back of that. 254 00:11:59,866 --> 00:12:03,466 Sitting on butterfly weed, which is one of the milkweeds. 255 00:12:03,466 --> 00:12:06,033 Boy, that's attractive to butterflies, 256 00:12:06,033 --> 00:12:08,833 so the common name makes pretty good sense. 257 00:12:08,833 --> 00:12:11,333 Up close and personal looks like this, 258 00:12:11,333 --> 00:12:14,166 the fuzz on those little palps out front 259 00:12:14,166 --> 00:12:18,833 and then those interesting reflections in the compound eye. 260 00:12:18,833 --> 00:12:21,166 Oh, boy, nectar must taste really good. 261 00:12:21,166 --> 00:12:25,433 And that's energy that, again, the plant produces. 262 00:12:25,433 --> 00:12:27,433 It draws insects, 263 00:12:27,433 --> 00:12:30,433 and they oftentimes carry away pollen or pollen sacs. 264 00:12:30,433 --> 00:12:32,933 Pearl crescent butterflies, pretty abundant, 265 00:12:32,933 --> 00:12:35,866 sharing this group of flowers with a little weevil. 266 00:12:35,866 --> 00:12:38,433 Pearl crescent butterflies, really common, 267 00:12:38,433 --> 00:12:40,600 widespread all over the United States. 268 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:42,866 Great number of varieties. 269 00:12:42,866 --> 00:12:46,100 They're feeding there, and this looks like a mating pair 270 00:12:46,100 --> 00:12:49,766 that actually are still sticking together, clinging together. 271 00:12:49,766 --> 00:12:52,400 Usually, the female is larger than the male. 272 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:54,533 And even in the breeze, holding on 273 00:12:54,533 --> 00:12:56,733 and bouncing around just a little bit. 274 00:12:56,733 --> 00:12:58,400 Markings on the antennae too, 275 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:03,333 very much like the blues that we saw earlier, or the coppers. 276 00:13:03,333 --> 00:13:06,933 And then this one is called a Texan crescentspot, 277 00:13:06,933 --> 00:13:10,200 and the eastern version of this, the Seminole crescent. 278 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:13,066 Not common in the Southeast, but scattered, 279 00:13:13,066 --> 00:13:14,966 just junk populations of them. 280 00:13:14,966 --> 00:13:18,200 I love the bright white on the back of the wings. 281 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:22,933 That white band is typical of the species. 282 00:13:22,933 --> 00:13:27,600 ♪ 283 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,933 thththththththththththththththt, that Lepidoptera, that order, 284 00:14:18,933 --> 00:14:22,033 is one of the four most common groups of insects, 285 00:14:22,033 --> 00:14:24,933 one of the four most common orders of insects, 286 00:14:24,933 --> 00:14:27,133 and I think I know why. 287 00:14:27,133 --> 00:14:29,266 All four of the top groups of insects 288 00:14:29,266 --> 00:14:33,400 carry on something called complete metamorphosis. 289 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:35,933 You lay an egg, which develops into a larva, 290 00:14:35,933 --> 00:14:39,200 which forms a pupa, which becomes an adult. 291 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:41,566 There are four stages of development, 292 00:14:41,566 --> 00:14:43,700 and those stages are very different. 293 00:14:43,700 --> 00:14:46,266 The egg is laid on the larval food plant. 294 00:14:46,266 --> 00:14:49,866 That's one of those connections that's interesting. 295 00:14:49,866 --> 00:14:52,133 If you like a diversity of butterflies, 296 00:14:52,133 --> 00:14:54,566 you want a diversity of larval food plants. 297 00:14:54,566 --> 00:14:57,000 The female lays an egg on the proper plant. 298 00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:59,033 That develops into a larva, 299 00:14:59,033 --> 00:15:01,566 which in butterflies we call a caterpillar. 300 00:15:01,566 --> 00:15:03,566 They eat certain species. 301 00:15:03,566 --> 00:15:05,966 Some of them are picky; others are not. 302 00:15:05,966 --> 00:15:08,700 Finally, they form a pupa, a resting stage, 303 00:15:08,700 --> 00:15:11,666 which in a butterfly you would call a chrysalis. 304 00:15:11,666 --> 00:15:14,033 And then big changes occur in that phase, 305 00:15:14,033 --> 00:15:17,100 and then the adult butterfly comes out of that. 306 00:15:17,100 --> 00:15:19,333 Caterpillar feeds on leaves. 307 00:15:19,333 --> 00:15:22,700 The adult butterfly is a nectar feeder for the most part. 308 00:15:22,700 --> 00:15:25,000 Mouthparts change; it gets wings. 309 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,533 It gets those antennae that we talked about. 310 00:15:27,533 --> 00:15:29,733 The change that occurs in the chrysalis 311 00:15:29,733 --> 00:15:31,466 is really pretty incredible. 312 00:15:31,466 --> 00:15:34,100 It's like the rabbit-out-of-the-hat trick 313 00:15:34,100 --> 00:15:36,433 raised to the nth degree. 314 00:15:36,433 --> 00:15:38,833 And then, of course, the adult butterfly 315 00:15:38,833 --> 00:15:42,300 is what we want to get back into right now. 316 00:15:42,300 --> 00:15:45,400 Again, a butterfly getting a little bit of moisture. 317 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:47,866 This one has a little, silvery comma shape 318 00:15:47,866 --> 00:15:49,766 and then a space and a little dot 319 00:15:49,766 --> 00:15:51,733 on the underside of the hind wing. 320 00:15:51,733 --> 00:15:54,666 Question mark butterfly is the common name for it. 321 00:15:54,666 --> 00:15:56,666 Only four legs, as you see. 322 00:15:56,666 --> 00:16:00,433 This is one of those butterflies that overwinters as an adult 323 00:16:00,433 --> 00:16:03,366 and are sometimes called anglewing butterflies. 324 00:16:03,366 --> 00:16:07,133 Another close relative of that one is the mourning cloak. 325 00:16:07,133 --> 00:16:09,566 A cloak of mourning was worn in Europe, 326 00:16:09,566 --> 00:16:11,733 dark coat with a little yellow edging, 327 00:16:11,733 --> 00:16:14,700 and that's the reason for the name of this animal. 328 00:16:14,700 --> 00:16:17,500 In Europe, this is called the Camberwell beauty, 329 00:16:17,500 --> 00:16:20,000 but we call it the mourning cloak butterfly. 330 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:21,966 It overwinters as an adult, too, 331 00:16:21,966 --> 00:16:25,133 and comes out and feeds on sap that oozes out of trees. 332 00:16:25,133 --> 00:16:27,233 I think that's what's going on here. 333 00:16:27,233 --> 00:16:29,433 The head is down in this one. 334 00:16:29,433 --> 00:16:31,500 See the markings on the back. 335 00:16:31,500 --> 00:16:33,866 Look at the purple on the back, 336 00:16:33,866 --> 00:16:37,200 that brown, my goodness, and that yellow edging. 337 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:39,200 Picking up moisture out of mud. 338 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:41,200 Right along the Congaree River 339 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:44,566 is where we were when this picture was taken. 340 00:16:44,566 --> 00:16:46,666 But isn't that interesting? 341 00:16:46,666 --> 00:16:50,200 These adult butterflies are fluid feeders for sure. 342 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:52,100 And the red admiral butterfly. 343 00:16:52,100 --> 00:16:55,100 That red band on the wings, pretty typical. 344 00:16:55,100 --> 00:16:56,866 Again, four legs. 345 00:16:56,866 --> 00:17:00,266 Tongue out, so it must be getting moisture or liquid 346 00:17:00,266 --> 00:17:02,333 from something on the side. 347 00:17:02,333 --> 00:17:06,433 And another one that looks a little like that red admiral-- 348 00:17:06,433 --> 00:17:09,733 matter of fact, this is the red admiral still. 349 00:17:09,733 --> 00:17:11,966 It's got that red band across the top. 350 00:17:11,966 --> 00:17:15,333 And now you can see the red on the top of the hind wing. 351 00:17:15,333 --> 00:17:18,566 It really is easily confused at this angle 352 00:17:18,566 --> 00:17:20,933 with a couple of other butterflies 353 00:17:20,933 --> 00:17:23,166 called the painted ladies. 354 00:17:23,166 --> 00:17:26,700 But that's the red admiral, and it looks very fresh. 355 00:17:26,700 --> 00:17:29,133 Now, speaking of painted lady butterflies, 356 00:17:29,133 --> 00:17:32,666 this is one of those butterflies that's kind of interesting 357 00:17:32,666 --> 00:17:34,600 because of the color on the back, 358 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,266 the color on the underside of the front wing, 359 00:17:37,266 --> 00:17:39,333 and a pair of false eyespots. 360 00:17:39,333 --> 00:17:41,366 On the underside of the hind wing, 361 00:17:41,366 --> 00:17:44,366 there are eyespots that draw the predators' attention 362 00:17:44,366 --> 00:17:46,500 away from the body to the back. 363 00:17:46,500 --> 00:17:48,800 The American lady is what it's called. 364 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,300 Used to be called the American painted lady. 365 00:17:51,300 --> 00:17:54,500 See those two eyespots on the underside of the hind wing 366 00:17:54,500 --> 00:17:58,500 and that rouge-red color on the underside of the forewing, 367 00:17:58,500 --> 00:18:01,633 which always gives the name painted lady to it, 368 00:18:01,633 --> 00:18:03,700 but now known as the American lady. 369 00:18:03,700 --> 00:18:06,266 There's another one up close and personal. 370 00:18:06,266 --> 00:18:08,366 You see the pink on the forewing 371 00:18:08,366 --> 00:18:11,800 and those big eyespots on the underside of the hind wing. 372 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:13,800 And nectar, nectar, nectar. 373 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:16,166 The one on top hasn't been flying 374 00:18:16,166 --> 00:18:18,500 as long as the one on bottom. 375 00:18:18,500 --> 00:18:20,933 This one has a number of eyespots, 376 00:18:20,933 --> 00:18:23,700 not just two big ones, but four or five. 377 00:18:23,700 --> 00:18:25,900 And this is the painted lady butterfly, 378 00:18:25,900 --> 00:18:28,300 and this species is in North America 379 00:18:28,300 --> 00:18:30,266 and also in Europe 380 00:18:30,266 --> 00:18:33,266 and does a little bit of migrating sometimes. 381 00:18:33,266 --> 00:18:36,166 The buckeye butterfly, oh boy, that's beautiful. 382 00:18:36,166 --> 00:18:39,233 Common buckeye butterfly, pretty incredible animal, 383 00:18:39,233 --> 00:18:42,266 and pieces of the tail wings, hind wings missing, 384 00:18:42,266 --> 00:18:45,966 V-shaped, as if the bird grabbed it when the wings were together, 385 00:18:45,966 --> 00:18:49,666 going for what the bird thought was the head where the eyes are, 386 00:18:49,666 --> 00:18:53,800 and tearing the wings up, and the animal is still flying. 387 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:56,700 This one is common in the eastern United States, 388 00:18:56,700 --> 00:18:58,933 and has a number of broods every year. 389 00:18:58,933 --> 00:19:01,300 Again, the adults live about two weeks. 390 00:19:01,300 --> 00:19:04,200 Here's one that's not so damaged, one very fresh. 391 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:06,366 Oh, my goodness, the colors! 392 00:19:06,366 --> 00:19:09,100 Buckeye, common buckeye butterfly. 393 00:19:09,100 --> 00:19:11,366 Look how big those eyespots are 394 00:19:11,366 --> 00:19:13,566 on the back of the butterfly, 395 00:19:13,566 --> 00:19:17,100 and little, orange bands on the front wings too. 396 00:19:17,100 --> 00:19:20,166 Widespread, and like I said, lots of broods. 397 00:19:20,166 --> 00:19:24,066 They're flying every warm month in the United States, 398 00:19:24,066 --> 00:19:27,933 and in Florida, that would be a good part. 399 00:19:27,933 --> 00:19:30,200 That was the adult. 400 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:33,533 This is the larva or caterpillar of the buckeye butterfly. 401 00:19:33,533 --> 00:19:36,700 Little spiny things on it, looks like it might sting, 402 00:19:36,700 --> 00:19:39,433 but this is not one that causes problems. 403 00:19:39,433 --> 00:19:42,600 Whenever you see caterpillars with bristles, though, 404 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:44,700 better to be safe than sorry. 405 00:19:44,700 --> 00:19:47,766 But this is the caterpillar of that buckeye butterfly. 406 00:19:47,766 --> 00:19:52,066 It's amazing the changes that occur in the pupal stage. 407 00:19:52,066 --> 00:19:55,600 But that's an interesting animal and very common. 408 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:57,433 If you look carefully, 409 00:19:57,433 --> 00:20:00,433 you'll find these on a variety of larval food plants. 410 00:20:00,433 --> 00:20:03,600 The goatweed butterfly, or goatweed leafwing it's called 411 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:06,066 because when the wings are held together, 412 00:20:06,066 --> 00:20:08,066 it looks like a leaf. 413 00:20:08,066 --> 00:20:10,566 One part of the wing is torn in the back, 414 00:20:10,566 --> 00:20:13,866 and see the brown markings on the top of the wing. 415 00:20:13,866 --> 00:20:15,966 This is one that, when it's still, 416 00:20:15,966 --> 00:20:18,100 looks like a leaf on a branch. 417 00:20:18,100 --> 00:20:21,166 And, again, just four legs, as you can see there. 418 00:20:21,166 --> 00:20:24,233 Look at the antennae aiming up like a little leaf. 419 00:20:24,233 --> 00:20:27,766 All sorts of insects, a little beetle next to it. 420 00:20:27,766 --> 00:20:29,766 There was a fly there. 421 00:20:29,766 --> 00:20:32,333 All three of those are insects. 422 00:20:32,333 --> 00:20:34,333 And they're representing 423 00:20:34,333 --> 00:20:37,800 three of the most common orders of insects. 424 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:42,000 But the goatweed leafwing, I think appropriately named. 425 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,000 It looks like a leaf. 426 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:48,066 Hackberry emperor butterfly, tongue out here, on a yucca. 427 00:20:48,066 --> 00:20:50,500 Yuccas have very slippery flowers, 428 00:20:50,500 --> 00:20:53,500 and I think this butterfly's gonna do a little bit 429 00:20:53,500 --> 00:20:56,266 of slippin' and slidin' here in a minute. 430 00:20:56,266 --> 00:20:58,633 But lays eggs on hackberry plants, 431 00:20:58,633 --> 00:21:01,000 so the common name, hackberry butterfly. 432 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:03,133 Another close-up look at it, 433 00:21:03,133 --> 00:21:06,566 with the dark eyespot on the underside of the front wing. 434 00:21:06,566 --> 00:21:09,966 There's the tongue down, white on the tips of the antennae, 435 00:21:09,966 --> 00:21:12,200 getting a little bit of fluid. 436 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:14,433 It looks almost like bird droppings, 437 00:21:14,433 --> 00:21:17,033 that white on the wood, 438 00:21:17,033 --> 00:21:20,100 and I bet it's getting a few minerals from that also. 439 00:21:20,100 --> 00:21:22,133 Looks fresh, though. 440 00:21:22,133 --> 00:21:24,500 That one hasn't been flying for very long. 441 00:21:24,500 --> 00:21:27,233 Again, laying eggs on hackberry trees. 442 00:21:27,233 --> 00:21:30,433 Of course, the butterfly that's so big, well known, 443 00:21:30,433 --> 00:21:34,033 the monarch butterfly that the last brood migrates 444 00:21:34,033 --> 00:21:37,100 in the eastern half of the United States to Mexico. 445 00:21:37,100 --> 00:21:40,833 An amazing animal, very sturdily built, goes a good distance. 446 00:21:40,833 --> 00:21:43,133 You see just four legs instead of six, 447 00:21:43,133 --> 00:21:45,966 but there are the pair of antennae that are down, 448 00:21:45,966 --> 00:21:48,166 and that proboscis coming out. 449 00:21:48,166 --> 00:21:50,066 Amazing the way they fly. 450 00:21:50,066 --> 00:21:53,200 How do they know where those two ridges are in Mexico? 451 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:55,266 We really aren't sure. 452 00:21:55,266 --> 00:21:57,533 There are great mysteries in this world. 453 00:21:57,533 --> 00:22:00,200 But tanking up on nectar, getting the energy 454 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:02,500 so that it can fly away. 455 00:22:02,500 --> 00:22:06,066 The orange, black, and white, pretty easily identified. 456 00:22:06,066 --> 00:22:08,700 This was in the western United States. 457 00:22:08,700 --> 00:22:11,100 That's little prairie coneflower there 458 00:22:11,100 --> 00:22:14,033 with the yellow flowers hanging down. 459 00:22:14,033 --> 00:22:16,533 Oh, I love that, with the wings spread, 460 00:22:16,533 --> 00:22:18,966 and off he goes. 461 00:22:18,966 --> 00:22:21,466 This one is the eyed brown butterfly. 462 00:22:21,466 --> 00:22:24,700 There are a number of small brown butterflies 463 00:22:24,700 --> 00:22:27,300 with false eyespots on the wings. 464 00:22:27,300 --> 00:22:31,466 This one's pretty widespread, but a rather delicate animal. 465 00:22:31,466 --> 00:22:33,466 Loves floodplain forests 466 00:22:33,466 --> 00:22:35,733 and sits perched in this position, 467 00:22:35,733 --> 00:22:38,366 giving us a close look at it. 468 00:22:38,366 --> 00:22:40,933 A relative, the pearly eye butterflies, 469 00:22:40,933 --> 00:22:45,366 lay eggs on the plant this one's sitting on, switch cane. 470 00:22:45,366 --> 00:22:48,000 This is a Creole pearly eye butterfly. 471 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:50,066 Pearly white with those eyespots, 472 00:22:50,066 --> 00:22:53,833 so pearly eye butterfly makes pretty good sense, 473 00:22:53,833 --> 00:22:55,800 and typical of floodplains 474 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,533 because that's where the larval food plant is. 475 00:22:58,533 --> 00:23:01,666 Silver-spotted skipper, one of the larger skippers. 476 00:23:01,666 --> 00:23:03,666 Look at the antennae! 477 00:23:03,666 --> 00:23:06,466 They've got a bulge on the end and a little hook. 478 00:23:06,466 --> 00:23:08,366 That's typical of the skippers. 479 00:23:08,366 --> 00:23:12,000 This one has six legs, like you would expect an insect to have. 480 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:16,066 Silver spot on the underside of the hind wing, pretty obvious. 481 00:23:16,066 --> 00:23:19,766 This is another skipper; look at the antennae. 482 00:23:19,766 --> 00:23:23,800 Long tails, so long-tailed skipper is a good common name. 483 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:27,166 Love those long tails, and a little green on the back, 484 00:23:27,166 --> 00:23:30,000 and the markings on the undersides of the wings. 485 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,166 But the tongue is active. 486 00:23:32,166 --> 00:23:35,366 These animals love flowers with clusters of flowers, 487 00:23:35,366 --> 00:23:37,366 and that's what it's sitting on, 488 00:23:37,366 --> 00:23:39,900 going from one group of flowers to another. 489 00:23:39,900 --> 00:23:42,766 This is another view of the long-tailed skipper. 490 00:23:42,766 --> 00:23:44,666 You can see that greenish color. 491 00:23:44,666 --> 00:23:47,600 Look at the way he rolls the proboscis up! 492 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:49,366 That's kind of neat, isn't it? 493 00:23:49,366 --> 00:23:52,800 Rolls up for easier flying, and then you can unroll it, 494 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:56,433 stick it down the throat of a flower, get some nectar, 495 00:23:56,433 --> 00:24:00,300 carry off a little pollen, and fertilize other plants. 496 00:24:00,300 --> 00:24:02,366 Those connections are amazing. 497 00:24:02,366 --> 00:24:04,933 The funereal or duskywing skipper 498 00:24:04,933 --> 00:24:07,833 is really common in the springtime. 499 00:24:07,833 --> 00:24:11,633 Dark in color, which I guess gives it the common name. 500 00:24:11,633 --> 00:24:15,200 Lays eggs on new growth on oak trees, for the most part. 501 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,166 This one isn't the most showy of the butterflies, 502 00:24:18,166 --> 00:24:21,333 but it'll get your attention too. 503 00:24:21,333 --> 00:24:25,233 ♪ 504 00:24:25,233 --> 00:24:27,366 Now, what about books that are useful 505 00:24:27,366 --> 00:24:29,633 as far as indentifying butterflies? 506 00:24:29,633 --> 00:24:32,533 One of the nice ones and a good one to start with, 507 00:24:32,533 --> 00:24:34,800 "“Butterflies and Moths: a Golden Guide."” 508 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:36,833 St. Martin's Press publishes these. 509 00:24:36,833 --> 00:24:41,333 Loaded with good information on butterflies and moths. 510 00:24:41,333 --> 00:24:44,066 Nice pictures inside; range maps are good. 511 00:24:44,066 --> 00:24:46,133 It shows you the caterpillar, 512 00:24:46,133 --> 00:24:48,200 talks about the larval food plant, 513 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:50,266 as well as showing you the adult. 514 00:24:50,266 --> 00:24:53,200 That's nice, and then the next level would be 515 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:56,633 "“Butterflies of North America,"” the Kaufman Focus Guides. 516 00:24:56,633 --> 00:24:58,700 I think it's very, very nice. 517 00:24:58,700 --> 00:25:01,300 Photographs inside there are exquisite, 518 00:25:01,300 --> 00:25:03,166 and range maps are up to date. 519 00:25:03,166 --> 00:25:05,133 Scientific names are up to date. 520 00:25:05,133 --> 00:25:08,800 So that helps you answer, "“What is that butterfly?"” 521 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:12,400 To get close to butterflies, there are two ways. 522 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,533 One without hurting them at all is using binoculars. 523 00:25:15,533 --> 00:25:17,600 There are books with a title 524 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:19,966 like "“Butterflies through Binoculars."” 525 00:25:19,966 --> 00:25:21,966 When you're looking at binoculars, 526 00:25:21,966 --> 00:25:24,000 notice the amount of magnification. 527 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:26,100 That's that first number on the left. 528 00:25:26,100 --> 00:25:28,133 This is 8x30. 529 00:25:28,133 --> 00:25:30,466 Eight power magnification is a good bit. 530 00:25:30,466 --> 00:25:33,833 I'd have to stand a good ways away to view the butterfly. 531 00:25:33,833 --> 00:25:36,066 Seven would be better than eight. 532 00:25:36,066 --> 00:25:39,900 That means you can see '‘em when you're closer to them 533 00:25:39,900 --> 00:25:41,900 without having to back up. 534 00:25:41,900 --> 00:25:45,500 The other way to get close is to use insect nets. 535 00:25:45,500 --> 00:25:47,666 Biological supply houses have these. 536 00:25:47,666 --> 00:25:51,066 I usually get mine from Ward's Biological Supplies 537 00:25:51,066 --> 00:25:53,066 in Rochester, New York. 538 00:25:53,066 --> 00:25:56,433 Then with a magnifying glass, 8 to 10 power, 539 00:25:56,433 --> 00:25:59,433 that's a nice way to see how many legs they've got 540 00:25:59,433 --> 00:26:03,300 and get a close look at the compound eyes and the rest. 541 00:26:03,300 --> 00:26:06,300 My final word is gonna be about conservation. 542 00:26:06,300 --> 00:26:09,733 You don't want to have negative effect on this world. 543 00:26:09,733 --> 00:26:12,033 You want to look at butterflies, 544 00:26:12,033 --> 00:26:15,066 but you don't want to damage the populations. 545 00:26:15,066 --> 00:26:17,066 Care for special habitats, 546 00:26:17,066 --> 00:26:19,966 open fields like this with woods close by. 547 00:26:19,966 --> 00:26:21,966 If you capture butterflies, 548 00:26:21,966 --> 00:26:25,333 unless you've got a really strong reason to collect '‘em, 549 00:26:25,333 --> 00:26:27,333 let '‘em go, release them, 550 00:26:27,333 --> 00:26:31,000 and get a chance to see '‘em again later. 551 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:33,333 These are special organisms. 552 00:26:33,333 --> 00:26:35,666 Let's take special care of them. 553 00:26:35,666 --> 00:27:25,933 ♪ 554 00:27:25,933 --> 00:27:36,733 ♪