A number of Gulf Fritillary butterflies were feeding in a stand of wildflowers at the edge of a field on a sunny October day.
Some were in perfect physical condition.
Others were exhibiting signs of some challenges.
Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 14, 2022
Great Blue Heron hunkered down
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area
November 4, 2022
Gulf Fritillary butterfly flitting around in an autumn hued scene.
Folly Beach, SC
September 19, 2022
The Gulf Fritillary is a recurring fall subject on my blog–how could I pass up photographing this beauty, especially on such vibrant yellow flowers?
The underside of the wings are a completely different pattern.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 16, 2022
Gulf Fritillary on wildflowers growing in the beach dunes.
Folly Beach, SC
October 14, 2021
October 14, 2021
This was my first Gulf Fritillary sighting this summer.
This one gave me quite a few views around this purple flower spike.
Including a view of his fully open wings.
And lastly, a side view as he climbed the spike.
August 23, 2021
Dragonflies have amazing compound eyes.
One remarkable feature is how the eyes look to us, changing with just a flip of the head.
August 25, 2021
A number of Needham’s Skimmers joined me on walk in early July, or maybe I joined them as they flitted ahead of me on an old rice field dike.
I like this image for the shadow on the leaf.
In all of these images the concentration of color at the front of the wings, which distinguishes the Needham’s Skimmer from some others, is obvious.
That helps more for ID than the amorphous “Needham’s abdomen averages a bit redder” when compared to the Golden Skimmer.
July 4, 2021
Possibly a Needham’s Skimmer, and the only angle I was able to get of this dragonfly, perched on a cattail that was past its prime.
July 23, 2021
