Sunday, August 29, 2010

Butterflies!

Hello!

Ever have one of those days where you feel like everything's going swimmingly, only to discover later that nothing worked the way you thought it did?  Well it happens.  A couple hours of shooting butterflies at The Arboretum produced a sparkling array of blurry images.  Maybe I need glasses...

Anyway, there were a few half-decent photos from today, but before I get to those I'll start with this Hairstreak that I snapped in Windsor a while ago.  Not sure on the species, but it looks different than the Banded that I photographed last month in Cambridge (see earlier post).  Gotta get the book out for this one.  Gotta go buy the book...

Hairstreak (Satyrium sp.)















Ok, on to today.  There was a decent number of butterflies around, but not the diversity I`d hoped for.  A lonely Red Admiral and lonelier Red-spotted Purple paused for only fleeting moments before leaving me alone with the Monarchs.  So when life gives you monarchs...

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)















Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

























It is interesting to note that this individual is obviously fairly old, as his beautiful black wing markings have faded to a dusty brown.  Of course for a Monarch, very old simply means more than a couple of months.  I can`t imagine he'll be making the trip south this winter.  Also interesting to note that he's very clearly a male, given the thin wing veins and enlarge sacs on the hind wing (located on the vein closest to the body).  Maybe just interesting to me...

One more Monarch for good measure.

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

























When all the other butterflies leave you, you can always depend on your underrated friend: the Cabbage White.

Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)

What's that you say?  An entire post without a frog picture?  Well don't you worry my frog-loving friend!  The anurans will be duly represented.

Look at the variation in these so-called Green Frogs!

Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans)

Cool eh?  No?  I understand.

That's all for now!
Kyle

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