David,

Many thanks for the confirmation. It will be entered into the list I am submitting.

I am interested in knowing how one tells it is male.

Bill

varies from species to species. Some are easy at a glance, and others are very difficult. Often size, color, or shape can be different between males and females (subtly or dramatically). Asterocampa species are pretty easy, even though the coloring is about the same, because the shape of the wings is different. In males the wings are less rounded and more triangular, and are generally somewhat smaller in proportion to the body. Also, females usually have a big fat abdomen, while that of males is more slender. Behavior is different too, but you can't see that in a photo. Male Asterocampa tend to pick perches from which to guard territories and are very active and pugnacious, while females tend to be more "laid back" and often tend to stay inside the canopy of the host trees.

In nearly all butterflies, you can tell if you are holding the specimen in your hands (and often in a picture), by the presence of the valvae (claspers) at the end of the male abdomen. They are a pair of flattish appendages, held side by side, used during mating to help hold onto the female. In Asterocampa (and many other closely related groups such as Biblidinae, Nymphalinae, Cyrestinae, etc.), these are smallish, covered by a tuft of "hairs" and very difficult to see in a photograph, but they do still affect the shape of the tip of the abdomen. In most other groups they are very easy to see (larger) and show up clearly in pictures if the angle is right.

Thanks!
This is info that one does not find in field guides.
I am slowly getting informed and it is making it more fun.

Thanks again.

I'll be returning at the end of July with a couple camera cards of South Florida butterflies and dragonflies that will take me up to late fall to get organized enough to start naming.

Bill