Category Archives: Butterflies

Pink Cattleheart, I

Photograph of a Pink Cattle Heart butterfly

The Pink Cattleheart is a large, black butterfly with striking red, pink and white markings.


Little Brown Butterfly, I

Photograph of a small, brown butterfly

I haven’t been able to identify this butterfly.  It was at the Butterflies LIVE exhibit at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden so it may not be native to the United States.  If anybody knows the species I’d appreciate a comment.


Common Morpho, I

Photograph of a Common Morpho butterfly resting on a leaf

This Common Morpho was kind enough to sit still while I photographed it head-on.  It’s a large butterfly with brilliant blue on the upperside of its wings and brown with black and yellow eyespots on the undersides.


Tiger Longwing On Coneflower

Photograph of a Tiger Longwing butterfly

I recently visited the Butterflies LIVE! exhibit at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.  This photo of a Tiger Longwing on a red coneflower was one of my favorite shots from the trip.  If you’re in the Richmond area Lewis Ginter is definitely worth a visit.


Ailanthus Webworm Moth

photograph of an Ailanthus Webworm Moth on wildflowers

This Ailanthus Webworm Moth was making its way among wildflowers when I saw it in early September.


Skipper on Thin-Leaved Sunflower I

 

 

photograph of a skipper butterfly on a thin-leaved sunflower flower

 

Last Saturday morning I walked through an open field covered in wildflowers.  I always like diving into areas like that and discovering all the little things you would miss if you didn’t actually look for them.  On this particular morning I found the butterflies, bees, wasps, and dragonflies had their run of the meadow.  This little skipper was feeding on the nectar of thin-leaved sunflowers which dominated the field.

 


Little Wood Satyr

backlit photograph of a little wood satyr butterfly resting on a leaf

This Little Wood Satyr alighted on some vegetation just ahead of me as I hiked through a marshy, open forest.  The strong, direct sunlight really lit up its wings.


Zebra Swallowtail Among Arrowleaf Balsamroot

photograph of a zebra swallowtail butterfly feeding on arrowleaf balsamroot nectar

Hiking past a large patch of Arrowleaf Balsamroot, I noticed a Zebra Swallowtail drifting from flower to flower collecting nectar and unwittingly spreading pollen in the process.


Great Spangled Fritillary 2

wildlifehub

photograph of a Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly feeding on nectarI was hiking through a woodland meadow, wondering how many ticks I was feeding as I waded through chest high vegetation, when I spotted several butterflies sipping nectar from a patch of wildflowers.  This Great Spangled Fritillary was one of two feeding from a small group of flowers.

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Banded Hairstreak

photograph of a banded hairstreak butterfly on wild flowers

This little Banded Hairstreak was busily drinking nectar when I encountered it in a forest meadow.  I didn’t seem to mind me taking photos.  In fact, it didn’t even seem to notice I was watching it.