Tiger Swallowtail in Cataloochee Cove - GSMNP

Only saw this one Tiger Swallowtail, and he did not want his picture taken. So this was the best I got.

Pipevine Swallowtails in Cataloochee Cove - GSMNP

These Pipevine Swallowtails were so vibrant in flight. I thought they were Spicebush until I got home and started going through the photographs.

Great Spangled Fritillary in Cataloochee Cove - GSMNP

The butterflies love the patch of these wildflowers close to the Caldwell House.

Common Wood Nymph

This is my first Common Wood Nymph. Notice how he just blends in with the environment.He moved along the trail with us for about 50 ft, then I lost sight of him.
Took me a while to figure this one out, but hopefully I got it correct.

I know birders have a lifer list.

But I have a butterfly photographed lifer list. And even if I have the name wrong, it is still a first for me. Hap can probably tell me if I am correct with the name. Remember this was in the GSMNP, some of the options I found were only out west, which eliminated them from the choice.

I actually have a photograph of each butterfly and add a magnet and have them together on the door going out to the sunroom. My husband looked at it last weekend and commented on how it had grown this year. I still need to get some of them on the 'board'. Maybe at the end of this session I will photograph the door and post that.

Pipevine Swallowtails

As with all butterflies, it is hard to believe the difference when looking at them in flight and when they land and are flat. The Pipevine Swallowtail really frustrates me as a photographer. It seems I can only them get them on ugly backgrounds. These were taken in the GSMNP, but it happens in my yard too. As all butterflies, they do like wet dirt, or as we would call it, mud.