Winter Sunflowers and Butterflies

The Sunflower Trees (Tithonia diversifolia) have exploded into bloom in the past few days.  They now sport thousands of huge flowers (5-6" across; 13-15 cm).  The plants are very sweet and are attracting every insect imaginable. 

Above:  A male Monarch (Danaus plexippus) poses for the camera.  Were this a Viceroy (mimic; Limenitis archippus) there would be a black stripe across the hind wings.  Viceroys are also smaller than monarchs.  I know this is a male because of the small black spot that appears on both of the hind wings.  This spot doesn't appear on females.

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Migration of Monarch Butterflies Shrinks Again
Struggling to survive extreme weather and vanishing habitats, the yearly winter migration of monarch butterflies dwindled precipitously in December 2013, continuing what science say is an an increasingly alarming decline.
The Year the Monarchs Didn't Appear
Monarch butterflies missed the Day of the Dead celebrations for the first time in memory, straggling into Mexico weeks later than usual and in record-low numbers.
The Dying of the Monarch Butterflies
The winter monarch colonies found west of Mexico City are a pitiful remnant of their former splendor.

Below:  Similar-looking to Monarchs but more common to Florida is the Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae).  These are easily identified by the three white spots on each forewing.

 Below:  There are many less-showy skipper butterflies (family Hesperiidae) swarming the flowers.

 Below:  A Gulf Fritillary shows its three spots in profile.  I like the odd angle of this image.

Click on this image or any image 
at Phillip's Natural World for a larger view

Below:  The bees appear to become intoxicated by the nectar of the sunflowers.  In many instances the bees appear drunk, laying on the petals of the blooms.  Dazed, but not dead.

Below:  While there are thousands of bees, yellow-jackets, wasps, etcetera swarming the giant sunflower trees, they do not bother me.  They are completely focused on the flowers.   Most of the flowers are atop the plants at about 20-feet.  A few are blooming lower where I can come in close with the camera.  Most of these shots, however, were made with a 300 mm lens to get the close-ups you see here.

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European Agency Warns of Risks to Humans in Pesticides Tied to Bee Deaths

European food regulators say that a class of pesticides called neonicotinoides (nicotine-derived pesticides) linked to the deaths of large numbers of honey bees might also harm human health, and they recommended that the European Commission further restrict their use.

Below:  This is a very difficult shot.  This is the Zebra Heliconian or Zebra Longwing Butterfly (Heliconius charithonia), Florida's state butterfly.  It does not remain still for long and its coloring makes it incredibly difficult for the camera to focus on the butterfly.  This pattern is likely an evolutionary adaptation that helps it survive predators as well.

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Butterfly Colony Evolution

Every night I check on this colony of Zebra Longwing Butterflies roosting on a dead branch of a large live oak tree.

Below:  Three different kinds of stinging bees.  The largest is likely a carpenter bee.  The small green bee on which the camera focused is the most painful stinger, but as I said above, it was not interested in me.

Below:  Another Gulf Fritillary.

Below:  An incoming bee.  Winter has been virtually non-existent in Central Florida this year.  There have been only two nights with light frost, and no cool weather forecast for the foreseeable future.

 Below:  My favorite butterfly has returned in large numbers to feast on the sunflower trees.  This is the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus).

Below:  A better shot of a Tiger Swallowtail.  They prefer the very top blooms which are at a difficult angle for the photographer.  Most of the blooms are stretching southward to face the sun while at an elevation of 20-25 feet (6-7½ meters).

Below:  A Gulf Fritillary takes off, high in the canopy of blooms.  The camera caught her just enough to show her deep orange color.  The younger butterflies are a deeper color.  Like everything else in Florida their color fades as it is baked by the relentless sunshine.