Butterflies and Moths of Southern Vancouver Island--Jeremy B. Tatum

                                                                                                                                                                 

  NYMPHALIDAE

Limenitis lorquini

     
   

         

             
    

This is one of the most familiar butterflies in our area, being conspicuous, common, and freely inhabiting suburban gardens. The egg is laid at the very edge of a leaf, usually of Ocean Spray, but I have also found caterpillars on willows, Crab Apple, Black Hawthorn, White and Black Poplar, Saskatoonberry and once on Red Alder. The young caterpillar nibbles at the very end of a leaf, leaving the central vein sticking out. While still very small, it rolls the end of the leaf up into a little hibernaculum for itself to snooze away the winter months. When full-grown, in the spring, it has a brown and a green colour form. The adult butterfly first appears in June, but the hot months of July are when most of them can be seen.


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