[NOTE: Clicking on any of these pictures brings you a closer look. Click on the enlargement to come back.]
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hackberry butterfly Asterocampa leilia The larvae and pupae of this common butterfly are cryptic and easily blend in with the leaves of the desert hackberry. Adults fly throughout the year but are most common during the summer. Males are very territorial, pugnaciously defending their territories against intruders, including humans. |
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pipevine swallowtail Battus philinor A member of a large tropical genus, this butterfly can be seen throughout much of the year in city gardens, desert and canyon areas, The black larvae have reddish-orange tubercles advertising their distastefulness derived from their foodplant, the Dutchman's pipe. The adult is similarly protected from vertebrate predators by these toxins. |
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mesquite moth Sphingicampa hubbardi Most commonly seen after the summer rains begin, adults do not feed but quickly mate and lay their eggs on mesquite and acacia. Larvae are ornamented with highly reflective spikes reflecting the sky and surrounding leaves to help the caterpillar avoid birds and other predators. |