Dun Skipper
This is a Dun Skipper photographed in the gardens of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History from a past summer. Have you seen a butterfly yet in 2016? I spotted a moth, but I have not seen a Mourning Cloak or anything else so far during this scorching March week. We hope you take the time to visit RTPI for everything indoors and outdoors this year. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreMonarch Profile
No matter the wind or the weather the Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterflies seem to keep on making a decent flight right now. This one provided me a lovely profile shot while feeding on some ever-popular Eastern Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) in a city garden. You can almost feel the texture of those papery wings. I keep appreciating each and every one I find! Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreSilver-spotted Skipper
Here is a Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) enjoying some Eastern Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) on a hot August afternoon. How is your garden holding up? Have you been seeing more butterfly species stopping by recently? It is a superb time of year to find a good variety in your yard.
Read MoreAmerican Lady Butterfly
This is the American Lady butterfly (Vanessa virginiensis) using those wings to keep its head and eyes out of the sun while on the hunt for a tasty flower. The very similar Painted Lady would have four eyespots on the lower wing instead of the two seen here. You can also see the white spot inside the orange square patch on the upper wing that the Painted Lady lacks.
Read MoreEastern Purple Coneflower
This Eastern Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) makes for a spectacular “ornamental” type of plant for boxes and plots! I put ornamental in quotation marks because it is far more than a decorative object or flashy looking flower. It is a native perennial that is very popular among our pollinators, and adding them to your garden – wherever it may be – will not only give it a lovely look but also a feeding frenzy of insects. On the day I took this photo I saw Black Swallowtails, Spicebush Swallowtails, Orange and Clouded Sulphurs, Cabbage Whites, a Viceroy, and...
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