Butterflies on Oenothera speciosa

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JTh

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Butterflies on Oenothera speciosa
« on: July 22, 2012, 08:58:18 AM »
My oenotheras seem to be very attractive to butterflies and moths, especially the hummingbird moths. Today another colourful butterfly was flying very quickly from one flower to the next, so it was difficult to get a decent photo of it  before it disappeared. I don't know which one this was, does anybody recognise it?
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

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Alisdair

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Re: Butterflies on Oenothera speciosa
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2012, 09:29:46 AM »
A lovely photo of the swallowtail, Papilio machaon.
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

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MikeHardman

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Re: Butterflies on Oenothera speciosa
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2012, 11:46:47 AM »
Agreed - very nice, Jorun
Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England

Alice

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Re: Butterflies on Oenothera speciosa
« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2012, 06:22:15 PM »
Beautiful. They do seem to be somewhat nervous in flight.
Amateur gardener who has gardened in north London and now gardens part of the year on the Cycladic island of Paros. Conditions: coastal, windy, annual rainfall 350mm, temp 0-35 degrees C.

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JTh

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Re: Butterflies on Oenothera speciosa
« Reply #4 on: July 22, 2012, 09:22:23 PM »
Thank you, all of you, I suspected it was a swallowtail, but I was not sure which one. They are quite common here, but they don't stop for very long.
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.