AIK Solna fan, Pt. 3? - _TNY_1246
My October 10th (of 2022) visit to the Haga Ocean butterfly house in Solna, Sweden, had unusually few nice subjects to photograph.
But right as I was starting to think about packing up and leave for the day (this was just a brief visit of less than an hour anyway) - this beauty came fluttering by right past my face!
After letting out an exited little yelp I took pursuit down one of the paths and found it having landed on the wet soil between a couple of plants.
Not the ideal place when your a large butterfly (especially with ants running around) so, using a dead leaf, I moved it over to a large leaf a bit higher up.
At first I thought this was one of several species around the world known as the giant swallowtail, but it turns out the four lower spots on the forewings means this is a king swallowtail (Papilio thoas), also known as the Thoas swallowtail. If it was a giant swallowtail, it would have had only three spots there instead.
Solna is also home to AIK, a sports club (or team I suppose if you're in North America) with successful teams in both hockey and football/soccer. The team colours happen to be black and yellow, making this one a very fitting butterfly to find there!
Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52425203004/
Part 2 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52439687014/
AIK Solna fan, Pt. 3? - _TNY_1246
My October 10th (of 2022) visit to the Haga Ocean butterfly house in Solna, Sweden, had unusually few nice subjects to photograph.
But right as I was starting to think about packing up and leave for the day (this was just a brief visit of less than an hour anyway) - this beauty came fluttering by right past my face!
After letting out an exited little yelp I took pursuit down one of the paths and found it having landed on the wet soil between a couple of plants.
Not the ideal place when your a large butterfly (especially with ants running around) so, using a dead leaf, I moved it over to a large leaf a bit higher up.
At first I thought this was one of several species around the world known as the giant swallowtail, but it turns out the four lower spots on the forewings means this is a king swallowtail (Papilio thoas), also known as the Thoas swallowtail. If it was a giant swallowtail, it would have had only three spots there instead.
Solna is also home to AIK, a sports club (or team I suppose if you're in North America) with successful teams in both hockey and football/soccer. The team colours happen to be black and yellow, making this one a very fitting butterfly to find there!
Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52425203004/
Part 2 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52439687014/