Butterfly on Butterfly
Here we have butterfly on butterfly – Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterflies nectaring on this Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) as photographed yesterday and today. The Asclepias likely tipped you off to the fact that this is indeed a species of native milkweed plant. It is always attractive to our lepidoptera. Enjoy the orange on orange! Have you found your Monarchs yet? How about any eggs or caterpillars? Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreEastern Tiger Swallowtail
There is no way to overstate how perfect, fresh and crisp this gorgeous Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) looked while feeding on the Eastern Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) last week. This individual was meticulously designed and seemed hand-crafted for ultimate beauty. It actually flew on to a flower for a drink within a couple feet of me while I was already photographing a skipper, showing no trepidation as I was swinging a big lens all over the place. I had to back up to be able to focus! This dorsal view shows well that is a female with all of that blue along the outer...
Read MorePopular Plants
The outdoor restaurants are getting more crowded now that we are in the middle of July with Eastern Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) like this one sitting two to a table at times. On the left is an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) and on the right is a Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus). This is as good as a summer nature scene gets. I was able to capture more images of both of them while nectaring independently, and I will share them in the next week. For now we wish you a wonderful weekend full of delightful nature sights and sightings like this one. Scott...
Read MoreHairstreak Butterflies
Here are four gorgeous hairstreaks in one great comparative composition by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser. Check out all the small intricate details that help separate the species. Photographed for the Meet Your Neighbours global biodiversity project in Connecticut while on assignment for The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History.
Read MoreGray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
For some reason the Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus) had eluded RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser’s net for the last couple of years…but not anymore. He found a beautiful individual flying around a couple weeks ago right before we all noticed them emerging in many locations. The butterfly is the most widespread hairstreak species in North America, often being found in disturbed and nonforested sites. Photographed for the Meet Your Neighbours global biodiversity project in Connecticut while on assignment for The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History....
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