White Admiral Butterfly

This afternoon I interrupt our regular programming for a midsummer throwback. Let’s elevate the Monday mood with some Lepidoptera love. Today I offer you a tender tribute to the tuxedo’ed White Admiral, official butterfly of New York State.

Were you aware that we have an official state butterfly? And now that you know that the White Admiral represents the Empire State among our fluttery friends, I hope you agree with me that this fancy flier deserves some respect. To wit, I offer you an homage to Limenitis arthemis that you might experience a bit more levity, a bit more beauty, and a bit more metamorphosis.

This photograph, made by me 11 summers ago (and included in my August 6, 2013 post, “Midsummer Mementos“) in Rosslyn’s fruit and vegetable gardens, offers a pretty typical example of our northern White Admiral specimens.  

White Admiral Description

The upperside of L. a. arthemis is mostly blackish-blue with white postmedian bands across both wings. Some individuals have a row of red submarginal spots, while others have this area being blue. The underside of the wings is a blackish color with a broad white post-median band. The basal area of both wings contains many red spots. The submarginal area may contain a row of red spots and the marginal area having bluish spots. (Source: Wikipedia)

That’s a helpful description of the *mature* White Admiral, but it overlooks the fact that the *immature* White Admiral’s pre-butterfly phase (ie. larva phase) is considerably less comely. Although I cannot speak from personal experience, I understand that, prior to metamorphosis, the White Admiral caterpillar resembles… wait for it… bird droppings. Ahem. While effective for predator evasion, this beauty’s guano-esque youth might not be the most likely subject for poetry. Until now!

Let’s change that!

White Admiral Haiku

Flit, flit, flutter by,
tuxedo’ed transformation
of false excrement. 

Hope my homage to the *entire* life cycle of the White Admiral doesn’t tickle tender sensitivities.