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Giant Swallowtail
Papilio cresphontes |
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| The Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) is widespread across much of the United States except for parts of the far west and north. It ranges south all the way to South America. The first images was taken in June, 2003, in Austin, Travis Co., Texas, with a Canon EOS 10D and EF 70-200mm F/2.8 L IS lens and 2X extender. The next shot was taken in October, 2003, with the same equipment on the King Ranch, Kleberg Co., Texas. Recently the species was split into two species, Eastern Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) and Western Giant Swallowtail (Papilio rumiko). Many of the individuals in Texas seem to show field characters which are ambiguous and I confess to struggling with arriving at an Eastern or Western identification on many individuals. Therefore, starting with individuals in 2015 and later I will post them all here on one page and let the viewer sort them out. The coward's way out...I know. |
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| The Giant Swallowtail shown here was at White Rock Lake in Dallas, Dallas Co., Texas in August 2007, and was shot with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender. |  |
| The Giant Swallowtails in the next 2 shots were at Santa Ana N.W.R., Hidalgo Co., Texas, in October, 2008. These shots were taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender and Canon 580 flash. |  |
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| The next 11 shots of Giant Swallowtails were taken in Victoria Co., Texas, in November, 2009, with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and an EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender and 580 flash. While foraging at a flower, the wings of this species are in constant motion, so it is quite difficult to avoid blur in the wing tips of any such image. |  |
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| The pair of Giant Swallowtails shown here were in copula. |  |
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| Giant Swallowtail Papilio cresphontes Indian Creek Jasper Co., Texas 24 March 2013 |
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| Giant Swallowtail Papilio cresphontes Rancho Primavera, near El Tuito, Jalisco, Mexico 11 April 2014 |
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| Giant Swallowtail Heraclides cresphontes/rumiko Hornsby Bend, Austin, Travis Co., Texas 27 April 2015 |
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| Giant Swallowtail Heraclides cresphontes/rumiko Magazine Mountain State Park, Logan Co., Arkansas 2 July 2015 Lat 35.176546, Lon -93.617206 |
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| Giant Swallowtail Papilio cresphontes/rumiko Dripping Springs, Hays Co., Texas 31 October 2016 |
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| Giant Swallowtail Papilio cresphontes/rumiko Dripping Springs, Hays Co., Texas 31 October 2016 |
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| Giant Swallowtail Papilio cresphontes/rumiko Dripping Springs, Hays Co., Texas 31 October 2016 |
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| Giant Swallowtail Papilio cresphontes/rumiko Dripping Springs, Hays Co., Texas 31 October 2016 |
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| Giant Swallowtail Papilio cresphontes/rumiko Dripping Springs, Hays Co., Texas 31 October 2016 |
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