August 3, 2005

Butterflies are territorial.

A tiger swallowtail has been patrolling the mid-tree level of my backyard for weeks.
Posted by Ann Althouse at 4:32 PM
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2 comments:

goesh said...

I'm a hummingbird and bluejay fan myself, though I have nothing against butterflies.

8/3/05, 5:28 PM
Simon Kenton said...

As I mentioned at Be's, the hawthorne in the back yard developed an Weidemeyer's Admiral who sits on a branch, on station, defending the garden. It disdains the Cabbage Whites as unworthy of notice, but let a western swallowtail or a fritillary enter, and it swoops down and runs them off. It has attacked the dominant male Rufous and Broadtail hummingbirds, but they give it short shrift. A related species, Lorquin's Admiral, has been known to run sea gulls out of its territory. To my surprise and delight, when I went out to stand by the hawthorne, I felt a soft, distinct whack on the head. I was being run out of our Admiral's garden. Of course it's silly to think in these terms, but I admire its spirit.

8/3/05, 5:48 PM

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