The Sneaky Subject - _TNY_1420
This one took quite a while to figure out an ID for. I believe it is a female African swallowtail (Papilio dardanus), more often known as the mocker swallowtail and sometimes "flying hankerchief".
The females mimic several other butterflies in appearance, at least 14(!) different morphs are known.
These aren't all of distasteful butterflies however - some of the morphs actually mimic males instead which I suppose doesn't protect from predators as good, but instead they don't get harassed by over-zealous males. I believe the complete name for this one should be (Papilio dardanus f hippocoon).
There is of course a chance/risk that this isn't the mimic but rather the mimicee - in which case I haven't got a clue on the species.
The Sneaky Subject - _TNY_1420
This one took quite a while to figure out an ID for. I believe it is a female African swallowtail (Papilio dardanus), more often known as the mocker swallowtail and sometimes "flying hankerchief".
The females mimic several other butterflies in appearance, at least 14(!) different morphs are known.
These aren't all of distasteful butterflies however - some of the morphs actually mimic males instead which I suppose doesn't protect from predators as good, but instead they don't get harassed by over-zealous males. I believe the complete name for this one should be (Papilio dardanus f hippocoon).
There is of course a chance/risk that this isn't the mimic but rather the mimicee - in which case I haven't got a clue on the species.