South Texas, America’s Butterfly Capital

Introduction to the Butterflies of the Rio Grande Valley by Gil Quintanilla

Contents

• Purpose

• History

• Binoculars

• Butterfly Biology

• Finding and Identifying Valley Butterflies

• Butterfly Families

Presentation Purpose

How to find and identify butterflies in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas

History

Throughout history butterflies have been associated with :

• Freedom

• Spiritual Growth

• Human Soul

• Ancient Warrior

Butterflying Perks

Your involvement with butterflies can improve your well being:

• Physical

• Mental

• Spiritual

Binoculars

Binoculars greatly increase one’s ability to see:

• Larger Image

• Colors

• Sheens

• Intricate patterns

Biology - Structure

• Antennae• Clubs• Forewing• Hindwing• Tails• Abdomen• Thorax

Biology - Life Cycle

LARVA

ADULT

EGG

PUPA

Finding Valley Butterflies

Backyard NABA Butterfly Park & World Birding Centers Butterfly Concentrators: Flowers Hilltops Mud puddles Sunshine

How to Identify Butterflies

• Is it a Butterfly or Moth?• Size, Shape and Color• Give it a Family Name Swallowtails Whites and Yellows Gossamer-wings Metalmarks Brushfoots Skippers

Moth or Butterfly

Monarch vs. Queen

Swallowtails Family

Giant Swallowtail

Ornythion Swallowtail

Pipevine Swallowtail

Black Swallowtail

Black Swallowtail

Whites and Yellows Family

Florida and Great Southern Whites

Giant White

Orange Sulphur

Large Orange & Scarlet Musk Flower

Southern Dogface

White Angled-Sulphur & Texas Wild Olive

Gossamer-wings Family (Hairstreaks and Blues)

Gray Hairstreak

Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak

Great Purple Hairstreak

Dusky-blue Groundstreak

Ceraunus Blue (underside)

Ceraunus Blue (topside)

Metalmarks Family

Red-bordered Pixie

Fatal Metalmark

Red-bordered Metalmark

Rounded Metalmark

Blue Metalmark

Brushfoots Family

Thick-tipped Greta (Rare Stray from Mexico)

1st U.S. Record - Greta Morgane

Malachite

Mexican Bluewing & Anacua Berries

Mexican Bluewing & Vasey Adelia

Theona Checkerspot

Queens Roosting on Granjeno

Queen and her Soldier

BRUSHFOOTS

BRUSHFOOTS

White Peacock

Zebra Heliconian, Violet-banded Skipper at Mexican Trixis

Skippers Family

•Spreadwing Skippers

•Grass Skipper

Guava Skipper

Mournful Duskywing

Emerald Aguna

Fiery Skipper

Whirlabout

Sachem

Common Mellana

Southern Skipperling

Other Butterflies

Checkered White

Bordered Patch

Lyside Sulphur

Reakirt’s Blue

Recap 6 Butterfly Families

Swallowtails Whites and Yellows Gossamer-wings Metalmarks Brushfoots Skippers

Stop and See the Butterflies

Visit and Explore

• Gil Quintanilla Nature Photography

• www.gilquintanilla.net