Oh, how beautiful! I have not heard of this one before. Lucky you!

Absolutely beautiful photo!

And may I ask where you are located?

Is there any chance to get one of those in Ohio?

Thanks.

That's a lifer! congratulations.

OMG - I'd faint - I'd be so excited I wouldn't be able to hold the camera still!! How gorgeous!!
I hope you have plenty of violets, just on the chance that she might want to leave you a gift or two. If I were you, I'd read up on diana's life cycle - I think I remember reading that it's very odd, like they lay eggs in the late fall, the eggs overwinter on plants close to but not on the violets, and they hatch in the spring. But this may all be wrong - since they don't occur here, I haven't really read much about it.
Congrats, congrats, congrats!! How big was she, Sandy?
Sherry

Sherry,

She was huge! At first I thought it was a female Tiger Swallowtail. Then I noticed the coloring. I got my first photo of one last year in the nature park where I go to walk the trails. Mike came out to see her. He was impressed!

This afternoon, I saw my first ETST. The Tulip Poplar is now about 7 feet tall. And, when we returned from church this morning, I saw a Black Swallowtail flying across the road in the park north of us. It's starting to happen around here, and I am so ready!

Fairfieldcircle, I am in the Tulsa area of Oklahoma. We have just begun to have sightings of Dianas around here. They are mostly found in Arkansas and the eastern edge of Oklahoma. Kaufman's guide shows them in a concentrated area that touches Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, N and S Carolina, Virginia, W Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. This does not include all of the states listed, but a small portion of each state. But, Kaufman does not show them here, so they may be moving west.

Jeff, finding that BF in my BY is definitely a lifer. It makes me feel that I could actually see a Zebra Swallowtail in my yard. The Pawpaw tree is now 5 feet tall.

Sandy

I'm so happy for you to not only got the very special visitor to your garden but also that you got to take pictures of it. Georgous picture Sandy. With all the great Speyeria species we have in the west (lots of them), none except S. nokomis apacheana even comes close to the beauty of S. diana.

Close in general Sherry... except that they overwinter as larva.

Ladobe,

I looked up the Speyeria nokomis apacheana. It is quite a beauty. It's quite obvious that these two BFs are related. Thanks for sharing.

Sandy

Sandy, if I occasionally see zebra swallowtails here, you can, too!
For any type of fritillary to be as big as a tiger swallowtail is amazing! I'm still so excited for you!
Sherry

Beautiful pic--she is so graceful looking!!

Thanks, Sandy, for the details. I googled the Diana and I think it's so interesting that the female is that lovely blue and black and the male is totally different, showing the orange much more common in the other frits (at least the ones around here.)

I also looked up the Diana on the Ohio Lepidopterists site and they do include it on the Ohio species list, although quite a rare sighting, I guess. They show that it has been found in our county (Hamilton) so now I will keep my eyes pealed for it.

Yours is so pretty!

Here is a link that might be useful: More on the Diana Fritillary

That is one beautiful butterfly on a beautiful flower!

That is one beautiful butterfly on a beautiful flower!

FFC,

I checked out the link and found the article to be very interesting. I don't live in a forested area, so now I REALLY feel lucky to have had one visit my yard.

Sandy

Congratulations! What a beauty.

I can't think of another butterfly that's got that beautiful, baby blue coloring. Pipevine swallowtails are metallic turquoise blue, other butterflies have dark shades of blue or blue green in their coloring - the only butterfly who comes close might be the little blues, but even they're darker blue.
Female dianas are beautifully unique!
Sherry

I agree, they are such incredible beauties. The state of Arkansas has so many Dianas in the Ozarks. It's fun to see these BFs flying around in wooded areas. I guess this one wanted to see what's out there beyond the usual territory.

And then again, maybe a female laid eggs at Ray Harral Nature Park last fall, and this is a newly eclosed one. That would make sense! That's where the colony of Harvesters reside. There are all kinds of trees and lots of wild violets. I'm on my way there for a walk this morning.

Sandy

Soooo jealous! Like Sherry, my hand would have been shaking too bad to take the picture. That is a testament to your garden Sandy! Congratulations!
-Elisabeth