A pretty Black Swallowtail was keen on these pink blooms.
Once he found one to his liking he worked methodically around a flower head before moving on.
Black Swallowtail Butterfly on Pink
Tag Archives: Butterfly
Gray Hairstreak Butterfly on Basil
- This Gray Hairstreak Butterfly was folded up when I first saw him and from the angle I didn’t know what it was at first.
It was pretty small with a wingspan of just 1 – 1¼ inches (2.5 – 3.2 cm) per online resources.
He finally turned so I could see the outside of his wings.
I think the wing’s underside is more striking, and liked the upside down pose.
Skipper on Purple Flower
A skipper showing off, hanging upside down on a delicate flower.
Monarch Butterfly
This was the first Monarch Butterfly I saw this summer, on August 26. And I don’t think I’ve seen one since.
He was very industriously feeding on Lantana.
Twisting and turning as he went I got a few body views.
Zebra Longwing Butterfly
I took a little shortcut that I didn’t even know had flowers.
Not only did I find lantana but I was pleasantly surprised to find a Zebra Longwing Butterfly.
August 26, 2020
Charleston, SC
The Buttonbush Flower
I’ve had a few posts recently featuring butterflies on a Buttonbush flower head. Here are a few images of just the flower cluster. And yes, it looks a bit like all those virus graphics we’ve been seeing.
The orbs visible in the background are flower heads that have dropped all the individual flowers and are drying out.
And I couldn’t resist another image with a Swallowtail butterfly working over a cluster that is past its prime.
More From the Buttonbush
The same bush but a different day than when I saw the Black Swallowtail Upside Down there were two Yellow Swallowtails vying for the same feeding spot.
Carefully working around each flower orb, they never hold still for long.
Finally, having the spot to himself this butterfly spread full winged.
Lastly, an image showing off more of the flowers than the butterfly.
August 4, 2020
Black Swallowtail Upside Down
This Black Swallowtail took full advantage of a Buttonbush flower cluster, checking it out from multiple angles while upside down.
He rotated around the orb while constantly manipulating the flowers.
In typical butterfly fashion when he was done he just let go and flitted off.
Gulf Fritillary on Statice
This was the first Gulf Fritillary I’ve seen this summer, one of just a few total butterflies I’ve noticed.
The wild purple statice, a non-native that grows along roadsides, in disturbed areas and old fields, seems to be thriving everywhere.
This stand of statice was along the side of a pond and the butterfly worked the tops, the road and pond side, and down into the depths of the plant which in some places was over my head.
June 26, 2020
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
Silver-spotted Skipper
There is a patch of these lemony yellow flowers at the entrance to the swamp I frequent.
It had just stopped raining and the sun popped out, lighting up the flowers and this Silver-spotted Skipper.
He was the only insect I noticed and well over 100 blooms were there for him to work over.
