I have been very lucky to have success finding several Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton) butterflies in the gardens of RTPI in the past month. These uncommon but unmistakable creatures have all been nectaring on our flowers, mostly partaking in the Eastern Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). Spotting and photographing them is always a wonderful midday break on a warm, dry day so I figured hey, why not share some more of the photos?
Sometimes you have to stop and simply appreciate a beautiful species like this one that reminds us all while we care about nature, work for conservation and strive to protect the environment. There are so many natural neighbors in our collective yards that we should all pause and enjoy from time to time. Do you have lovely shots of a butterfly or two you’d like to show us? We have many friends and readers who do just that on our Facebook page or through our Twitter account – please join them!
Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
