I spent the summer chasing butterflies, in the garden and roadside wild spots.
There was an eruption of American Painted Ladies, I have never seen so many.
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| On roadside Spotted Knapweed, Centaurea maculosa, (non-native). |
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| On Leadwort Plumbago in the garden. |
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| Peek -a- Boo |
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| Another view (American Painted Lady), on garden Cone Flower. |
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| The ubiquitous Cabbage Butterfly. Not any the less beautiful, for being common. (On Monarda in the garden) |
The gorgeous Swallowtails
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| Black Swallowtail on roadside Japanese Honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica, (non-native). |
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| Diving in to garden Zinnia. |
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| Tiger Swallowtail on garden Dahlia.. |
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| and Joe Pye Weed.. |
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| On Zinnia.. |
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| Up and away. |
Some Skippers..which often elude my ID patience..
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| Dreamy Dusky Wing on Coneflower. |
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| Delaware Skipper on Invasive Japanese Stilt Grass, (unfortunately in my garden). |
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| Silver Spotted Skipper on roadside Perennial Pea, Lathyrus latifolius, (garden escapee). |
Hairstreaks..those tiny blue darters of wonderful variety.
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| Gray Hairstreak on roadside Common Smartweed, Polygonum hydropiper (native). |
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| Dusky Blue Hairstreak on Garden Golden Rod. |
And another tiny beauty
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| Little Copper on roadside Pokeweed, Phytoloca americana (native). |
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| On roadside Early Goldenrod solidago juncea (native) |
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| Another view |
Alfalfa butterflies
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| On Red Clover Trifolium pratense, European, naturalized, in the garden. |
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| On Leadwort Plumbago |
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| Slurp |
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| How many butterflies can dance on the head of a flower? Northern Pearly Crescent on Small White Aster, Symphotrichium racemosa (native, in the garden). |
Last, but never least, everyone's favorite..
the Monarch..
Having now migrated and left us to the Autumn..
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| Mid-Summer on Butterfly Weed , Asclepias tuberosa, native, in the garden. |
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| Ablaze on roadside Bull Thistle. Cirisum vulgare (non-native) |
