Papilio glaucus - Eastern Tiger Swallowtail feeding from bergamot in an Illinois prairie.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Papilio glaucus - Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
An egg of the question mark butterfly Polygonia interrogationis.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
A colorful erebid moth from the cloud forests of northern South America.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
A colorful erebid moth from the cloud forests of northern South America.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
Chrysalids of Caligo owl butterflies in lateral and ventral view.

Misahuallí, Napo, Ecuador
Amblyopone australis dracula ants are subterranean predators.  Here they are seen attacking a moth larva.

Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
A Formica francoeuri field ant worker tending to the larva of a Great Copper butterfly (Lycaena xanthoides).  The caterpillar produces secretions attractive to ants, and in turn the ants protect the caterpillar from predators and parasites.

San Diego Co., California, USA
A Formica francoeuri field ant worker tending to a Lycaena xanthoides larva.  The larva produces secretions attractive to ants, and in turn the ants protect the larva from predators and parasites.

San Diego Co., California, USA
A colorful erebid moth from the cloud forests of northern South America.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
A colorful erebid moth from the cloud forests of northern South America.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
A colorful erebid moth from the cloud forests of northern South America.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013