The Red-Spotted Purple is out and about and looks similar to our Diana. Be sure to check out this awesome page for great images - https://alabama.butterflyatlas.usf.edu/static/documents/butterfly-id/aba-id-red-spotted-purple-20210301.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1OCcg9uI-XzYMWT64l-y2bqP5Dw4MpafR9EA6oXsQRsLuXwHK5XldiPeI
Check out this resource from the National Wildlife Federation: https://www.nwf.org/NativePlantFinder/Plants/3455
You put in your zip code and it will give you a list of native plants AND how many butterflies and moths depend on that one species. The violet is used by 23 species as a caterpillar host! WOW. We definitely need more violets. That's allot of munching!
We are revising the project to extend into October. The project timeline was based on incorrect data that the one flight of The Diana was from May through July. We are now going to use the data from Xerces.org that the fight takes place from June to September BUT we are looking now in case the warming weather encourages an early flight. We are also opening the project to all of Arkansas just in case the species has moved farther south. Thank you for your participation!
The posts I saw from Springfield have been recognized as captive/cultivated in the Bill Roston Native Butterfly House in the Springfield Botanical Gardens. So no wild Diana yet, BUT we did get invited up to visit the folks who are tending the house and raising the Dianas! Who wants to go visit? Field trip?
hr_dragonfly posted a sighting - nhttps://www.inaturalist.org/photos/284740358
There were a few others in Springfield but I'm not sure if they are wild or in a butterfly house. I have reached out the persons to request clarification.
