More pretty flowers and butterflies, this time from Meadowlark Gardens in August 2011.
I could sit and watch butterflies for a very long time. At Meadowlark there is a garden especially designed to attract them. There were dozens on this occasion. In the photo above you can just make out two almost in the center, their fluttering around us was almost like a ballet of carefully synchronized movement, which was mesmerizing.
A butterfly says, "The caterpillar-me is history,
My metamorphosis a mystery, and today...
Today is a present my struggle gifted me.
~Manali Oak~
"Butterflies...flowers that fly and all but sing."
~Robert Frost~
And what's a butterfly? At best he's but a caterpillar at rest.
~John Grey~
Did you know that there are about 28,000 butterfly species in the world?
Butterflies cannot fly if their body temperature is less than 86 degrees, or so I read. Any experts out there that can verify?
I saw several on my walk and I noticed that some had had a very tough time of it. In the picture below if you look closely at the butterfly on the right, something seems to have taken a bite out of its wing. There were quite a few with battle scars.
Do you see it? It looks like it had a very lucky escape.
A butterfly is a miracle,
A divine creation that fleets,
After propelling the caterpillar within,
An array of predators it cheats.
~Dr. Maisie~
As you can see, I had a wonderful time taking photos of butterflies back then. I haven't had as much success lately but hope to put that to rights next year.
It makes me doubly happy I have these photos to look back on.
I recognize the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and the Monarch, a couple of Skippers, but I am a bit fuzzy on my other butterflies. I think I have found the ID below. I believe it is the American Lady. You can compare the outside wings at this link.
I definitely need a refresher course. That's my aim this week. I will come back and ID if I can.
I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free.
~Charles Dickens~
Thank you for looking
and
Happy Sunday!
Butterflies OR flowers take me to a happy place. Butterflies and flowers? Bliss. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way Sue :)
DeleteThey are gorgeous! I think my favorites would be the white with dark blue, and the black one. The first butterfly photo is a Woodland Skipper. See how it looks like it has four wings?
ReplyDeleteThank you for the ID Ginny, much appreciated :) and glad you enjoyed.
DeleteSo beautiful! Thank you, Denise, for brightening my day.
ReplyDeleteThat’s wonderful Angie, thank you so much for letting me know that. You certainly brightened mine :)
DeleteWOW, beautiful. How wonderful to get to see all these. These pictures remind me of the ones my daughter has taken at a butterfly place that her and her friend have gone to in Canada.
ReplyDeleteIt was certainly a great day for them :) I haven’t seen as many this year. That place your daughter went to sounds lovely.
DeleteThe butterflies are very nice
ReplyDeleteThank you Roentare :)
DeleteGorgeous butterflies 🦋 beautiful
ReplyDeleteThank you Ashok :)
DeleteGorgeous photos and they are fantastic b flys
ReplyDeleteHappy you enjoyed them, thank you Sandra :)
DeleteHello Denise,
ReplyDeleteI could sit and watch the butterflies for a long time too.
They are all so pretty, lovely flowers and garden photos.
Take care, have a great week!
Thank you Eileen, I am the same way :) you take care too, and have a great end of the week and weekend.
DeleteBeautiful butterflies, such delicate creatures. They do begin to look rather worn towards the end of their lives. The one with the piece missing was very lucky to escape whatever grabbed it.
ReplyDeleteThank you Janice, and. I agree :)
DeleteI will leave you the pleasure of identifying the butterflies, Denise, but if you need help let me know. It is quite remarkable just how much of a butterfly’s wing can be damaged without the insect losing its ability to fly.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that, thank you very much David :) and yes, they do have amazing resilience.
DeleteWhat interesting butterfly facts. 28,000 species?!?! Some of those quotes were spot on.
ReplyDeleteThank you Bill and Barb, glad you enjoyed :)
DeleteBeautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Christine :)
DeleteI have the hardest time getting good photos of butteflies. I'm gonna blame my camera but it's probably me. Yours are very good.
ReplyDeleteThat’s very kind of you to say Latane, and I was very lucky as these butterflies were cooperative subjects :)
DeleteYour butterfly photos are outstanding, Denise! It is difficult to identify who's who in the butterfly world. I have a butterfly reference book, but depending on the cooperation of the insect it is hard to achieve the answer. Happy Sunday to you as well!
ReplyDeleteThank you Martha Ellen :) I agree. I am late answering so I hope your Sunday was a great one. Have a great weekend coming up.
DeleteYou sure got a lot of great shots. And I love the quotes you provided.
ReplyDeleteThank you Rose, so glad you enjoyed :)
DeleteSo beautiful. All the shots are so amazing.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that, thank you very much :)
DeleteDenise, they are lovely! I think ours have mostly gone!
ReplyDeleteOurs have too by now Jenn. Thank you so much!
DeleteLindas mariposas. Te mando un beso.
ReplyDeleteMuchas gracias :) Te mando un beso.
DeleteLovely! What an amazing variety of butterflies in this post. I offer one more quote. This is by Robert Heinlein, "Butterflies are self-propelled flowers.”
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely quote Penelope, thank you for sharing it, and for your kind comment about the butterflies :)
DeleteThank you for sharing the butterfly poem and the quotes along with the butterfly photos.
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome Beverley, always happy you enjoy :) Thank you!
DeleteWonderful butterfly shots!
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda, much appreciated :)
DeleteThese are beautiful shots.
ReplyDeleteI have hardly seen any butterflies at all in my neck of the woods this year. Not even in the flowerbeds in our courtyard that usually do a good job of attracting them.
Thank you Sandra, I wasn’t able to see as many this year. Hopefully next :)
Delete