Took quite a few pics of butterflies; posting the best here. Wish I had room for my macro lens, but took my butterfly binoculars instead and took shots of these guys with a telephoto. The butterfly binoculars are a great way to see butterflies up-close.
More butterflies (and a moth) on the "jump" below.
Yesterday's mystery bug is a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth.
As you can see, he looks a lot like a butterfly but he's really a moth.
He just might be the neatest insect around. The first time that Photographer Jerry Barrack and I saw one at the Butterfly garden -- at least eight years ago,we were dumbfounded.
Fortunately, a bug person explained what we were looking at, and Jerry got a picture of him for "In the Presence of Nature."
The picture is on Page 46, for those of you keeping score at home. (It's called by its other name, Clear-winged Hummingbird Moth).
More on Hummingbird Clearwing Moths here.
Saturday's butterfly walk was a great success, thanks in large part to the expertise of Tom Burr, who really knows his stuff when it comes to plants and bugs and other neat stuff (Thanks, Tom!)
We had a group of two dozen on the 75-minute walk, and we saw at least five butterfly species (including the Question Mark above), many awesome dragonflies and plants galore.
Click "Continue reading ..." for the list of butterflies and some neat shots of dragonflies, Milkweed Beetles and a plant or two. Seymour Drakes assures me that it is well worth the effort.
Join Tom Burr and me for the annual Summer Butterfly Walk on Saturday, July 11, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
This walk used to be on the Fourth of July but we moved it back a week in hopes of attracting more butterflies.
Tom is a darned good plant man, and he should be able to point out some interesting plants along the way as well.
Bring sun screen, big spray, water, camera and binoculars. We meet at Green Way. Hope to see you then.
BTW, the photo above, of a Great Spangled Fritillary, was taken last summer at the Celery Farm. If we see one of these puppies on the walk, we'll be a bunch of happy campers.
E-mail me here to let us know you're coming, or for more information.
Common Blue
Chris Archer, a friend of this blog from England, sent a few shots to show that he's got some pretty awesome butterflies and such across the Atlantic.
Unbelievable factoid of the day: Butterflies in England are called "Crisps."
Thanks, Chris!
Click "Continue reading..." to see more of Chris' shots.
Saw this guy last week in Harrier Meadow in North Arlington.
It was about the size of a bumble bee.
Can anyone help with an ID?
(Also posted on Meadowblog.net.)
Fred Weber and Deedee Burnside, friends of this blog, have been doing something incredible this summer: raising Pipevine Swallowtail butterflies.
Deedee provided the photos and an account of how they did it.
Click "Continue reading ... " below for more photos and Deedee's story.
Saw these tiny guys on a milkweed pod in the Celery Farm by Phairs Pond, late Sunday afternoon.
I am guessing they are some sort of bugs.
Can you solve the mystery?
