I have not noticed very many butterflies around yet this spring. Our weather has been cool and a bit rainy. Butterflies like 
warmth and sunshine; and so there have been very few days that I would call butterfly days. I have seen a few beautiful, yellow Common Sulphurs, along with a few Cabbage Whites..JPG)
Also some small Blues have been around for several weeks now. Its sometimes a bit disappoint -ing when I can't get a full look at some of the Blues when they land as most close up their wings; like this Spring Azure shown above. However, there is a positive aspect to it, for when their wings are closed I can easily see the unique markings of each, and that helps me with their identification. .JPG)
The Silvery Blue offers a view of both its top and bottom layers and we can see the under markings and also the black border which indicates to us that this is a male Silvery Blue. Last weekend I noticed saw my first Canadian Tiger Swallowtail this spring. The Swallowtails are often feeding on our Lilacs at this time of year but, although the Lilacs are now in bloom, I haven't seen any Swallowtails in them as yet. My first butterfly sighting of the year was of a Mourning Cloak in late April. .JPG)
As the season progresses I hope to have many more pictures of butterflies and skippers to post.
I haven't seen many Butterflies around here either. I agree, it's been too cold. It is supposed to be much warmer this week, so we'll see what shows up.
ReplyDeleteThe detail you captured on those little ones is superb. I would have trouble just getting close enough before they would fly away.
Nice shots! There haven't been many here yet either. I've seen a couple of yellow swallowtails and a few cabbage whites and blues, but otherwise, not much. I think once more of the summer flowers are in bloom, we'll see more. There aren't a lot of dragonflies here yet either.
ReplyDeleteSuch good photos! I love your butterfly pictures. I don't have the patience that you apparently have for getting good close-up shots. They flit and flutter so quickly. Very nice....look forward to more!
ReplyDeletebecky and sandpiper:
ReplyDeleteI see that you both agress with me about the temperatures. Its sunny here today so I am going to walk over to a meadow nearby and see what I can find. There is an elusive small orange one that I would love to get a photo of. Sandpiper, it sounds like you have the same butterflies that we have here, and I would think that your region would too, Becky.
mary:
My method is very simple: once I see one, I don't let it out of my sight and I follow it and wait for it to alight on something and sometimes it takes me around in a circle. A meadow is best for this as I'm not too worried I will stumble over something in my pursuit as I am often watching the butterfly more than where I'm going.
I have seen several sulphurs and whites, but not much else yet this year. Your pictures are lovely.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful collection. I must keep my eyes out for these creatures!
ReplyDeleteLovely butterfly post! Now I have the name of that tiny blue butterfly that looks so blue in flight, then paler when it lands. We have quite a few of them here, but I never knew what they were called. Thanks. Beautiful Mourning Cloak!
ReplyDeleteYour method description made me smile :-) I can just see you staggering around in circles trying to photograph the butterfly! Then I imaged a whole meadow full of photographers doing it at the same time. LOL
ReplyDeletemary:
ReplyDeleteIt is so true.