Butterflies in the yard

Most of my flowers this year were destroyed by the hail storm of 4/27/11, or the repairmen that came to my house. I did have a few flowers and the butterflies are still coming around. I don't have near as many zinnia as I usually do because they were just beginning to come up when the roofers came. Then about the time a few more came up the gutter replacement happened. I just keep saying next year we will have our flowers back.

I am just glad some butterflies have decided to stop for a visit. Right now my Crepe Myrtles are helping too. Don't think I have ever noticed the butterflies on the Crepe Myrtles before this year, maybe they are 2nd choice to all my other blooms. And as you can see I still preferred to photograph the butterfly on the zinnia (one of the few I have).

Red Spotted Purple

I don't know why I can't ever photograph the Red Spotted Purple on a flower. They are a gorgeous butterfly.
but they are always on the ugliest backgrounds.

Variegated Fritillary and bees

Just a beautiful Variegated Fritillary Butterfly on a "beautiful flower" as Mason says as he snaps that bloom off and gives it to me.
Mason does love to pick his Granny's flowers,

but on this day the butterfly was allowed to enjoy the bloom by itself.

That is until the bee came along.

And then a second bee came along, and the butterfly was gone.

Notice the pollen sac on the 2nd bee.

Fluttering Buckeyes

We have had more Buckeye butterflies at our house this year than in previous years. Since I really like the Buckeye butterflies, I have really enjoyed the additional visits.



The next one is such an unusual capture, I just had to include it here.

The Buckeye on the pale pink zinnia is so different looking.

I also posted one at my Photography By Leedra blog back on July 29.
Not many people follow me there anymore, but the Buckeye on a different color looks so different. I have been lucky enough to capture them on different flowers, including the butterfly bush in the last photo.

Notice the difference in the eyespots on this last one.

It is getting real hectic at work with all the changes going on. I am still on evenings at this time, but doing prep work for going to days. Looks like it will be the end of October before I actually go to days. I decided to go ahead and post my butterfly pictures while they are fresh, and I will visit as I get a chance.

Tuesday evening I heard from the Gallery of the Mountains (Grove Park Inn, Asheville North Carolina). They are reordering cards from me. I checked their blog and one of my cards is on their blog, posted this past Sunday.

Oh, and some more good news is, the fawn was seen on Sunday afternoon. When spooked she goes straight for the woods behind the house, and not in the direction of the highway. So maybe she will survive.

Spicebush Butterfly

Some of these photographs are already in my greeting cards.

And there are two chasing each other.

The Solo Monarch has arrived

The Monarch has finally arrived in my yard.
We don't get alot of Monarch butterflies. Wish we did get more. I don't know if I have ever seen more than one at the same time.
But they sure are real eye catches.

If you wonder what you are seeing is a Monarch, it isn't.
They just stand out in the crowd.

I find the Monarch harder to photograph than other butterflies.

Especially to capture a great photograph with the wings spread open.
Still working on that, someday I will get a good clear one.

Now 'somebody' has left me a present on the cushion of my rocker.
Monarch? Tawny Emperor?
Or as Jimmy says "a REALLY MEAN spider"?

The eggs are really much smaller than they appear here.

All of these photographs were taken on Friday.

Today I am taking a knitting class in Crossville,
then spending the rest of the weekend with my hubby in our 2nd home.
Jimmy saw our resident Fawn on Friday, so hopefully I will get to see it over the weekend.

Tawny Emperor

I stepped outside this morning with camera in hand with the telephoto lens. The second I closed the door this little butterfly landed on my hand. I sure was wishing there was somebody else around to photograph it. I also instantly thought "Tawny Emperor". Don't know where I brought that thought from, but I think I was correct.

I walked over to the zinnia patch and had to force the butterfly to leave my hand for the zinnia blooms. The color of this cutie is just unbelievable, such a dreamy color.