The Year is Flying By
Butterflies at the Santee and Francis Marion NF
Francis Marion National Forest
September 2, 2024
"Willow Island", a sand bar in the Santee River.
American Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta ssp. rubria
Red-spotted Purple Limenitis arthemis ssp. astyanax
Blue Fronted Dancer Argia apicalis
Road to Still Landing, Francis Marion National Forest.
Gulf Fritillary Dione vanillae
The underside of the Gulf Fritillary wing is speckled with silver/white spots.
The Heliconiinae are "longwing butterflies", which have long, narrow wings compared to other butterflies. The scientific name Papilio vanillae was given to the gulf fritillary by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, based on a 1705 painting by Maria Sibylla Merian (The Metamorphosis of the Insects of Surinam, Plate XXV), which shows the adult and caterpillar of the gulf fritillary on a vanilla orchid.
Pearl Crescent Phyciodes tharos
Common Buckeye, Junonia coenia
