Diana (LEP107) Speyeria diana
Diana, named for the Green goddess of the woods, is one of the most
strikingly dimorphic butterflies. The
males and females look entirely different.
Here the male pursues the female on the wing. He is fiery orange beyond a large
coal-black wingbase. The female has
the same black middle part, but outside of it has pale bluish spots on the
forewing and deep blue patches and bars on the hindwing. It is believed that the blue coloration,
unique among fritillaries, evolved to help her mimic the poisonous Pipevine
Swallowtail. This causes birds to
avoid her. |