It’s hard to believe that the spiky, menacing-looking caterpillar above transforms into the beautiful passion vine butterfly, seen foraging on lantana flowers.
Graham's Island
Life on the Big Island of Hawaii
It’s hard to believe that the spiky, menacing-looking caterpillar above transforms into the beautiful passion vine butterfly, seen foraging on lantana flowers.
Graham's Island 
Beautiful pics! Great job!!!
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Thanks. I do like watching butterflies though it can be hard to get a photo. They do tend to flit around.
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Nice to see the caterpillar and the butterfly juxtaposed. Because the lantana is a highly invasive alien here in South Africa, I wonder what its status is where you are?
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It’s invasive here, too. Hawaii is overrun with invasive species – plants, bugs, animals, birds, you name it. There are ongoing efforts to keep them under control and protect natives, but it’s an uphill battle.
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Oh dear, that is too bad. I should think that islands are especially vulnerable to introduced species taking over.
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Indeed. Coqui frogs and little fire ants are a couple of the latest invaders on the island. They’re not yet established in the area where I live so great efforts are being made (probably futile) to keep them out or eradicate those that are seen.
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Yes – it is a complex situation. I have seen that some environmentalists argue that unless exotics are causing direct harm, it is practical to accept that increasing ‘cosmopolitanism’ is inevitable and so our energy should be directed to more critical issues.
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It is complex. I think Hawaii, being an island, has some of the more egregious issues with invasives. As an example, native birds have been decimated by rats and mongooses, and seriously harmed by introduced bird species driving them out of the former areas. It’s incredibly difficult to remove invasives once they’re established so the main focus is creating areas where surviving populations are protected and have the best chance of adapting the the harsh new world. And on the bright side, there have been successes such as the state bird, the nene, which has been brought back from virtual extinction and is now doing fairly well.
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Interesting and sobering. Good to know though that careful protection of indigenous species can be effective.
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Stunning shots
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Many thanks.
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Gorgeous photography, Graham!
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Thanks. The passion vines are the most cooperative butterflies for me as far as photos are concerned.
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