Walking the Crosstimbers
Black Swallowtail -- Papilio polyxenes Fabricius
Posted by Earnest (Oklahoma, United States) on 28 July 2009 in Animal & Insect and Portfolio.
Have you ever dreamed of finding a plant covered with butterflies of many types? It happened to me when I came upon a lakeside buttonbush. Thus I've a small series of butterflies following this posting, the buttonbush series.
I hope you enjoyed the viewing... Have a great day!
Candace from Phoenix, AZ, United States
Now, that's a beautiful insect (unlike the creepy spider)! I look forward to the series. That would be cool to come upon a mass of them.
28 Jul 2009 5:05am
@Candace: A couple I will post only to show the color as the butterflies were very active and the focus is not good -- but it might be interesting.
Bookfool from Mississippi, United States
I love those guys! So, so pretty! We do sometimes get a wide variety of butterflies on a bush that, ack, I can never remember the name of. I'll think about it. It's really exciting when you find several varieties swarming on the same flowering shrub.
28 Jul 2009 5:41am
@Bookfool: I went back one day and the wind was blowing too hard off the lake to let the butterflies get around but there were still some there. When the butterfly migrations start in August you know where I'll be.
Marilla from Turku, Finland
Nice shot! And no, I haven't even dreamed of luck like that. Black swallowtail is beautiful with those nice blue figures.
28 Jul 2009 6:48am
Marie-Hélène Ammor from Casablanca/Paris, Morocco
Oh this plant , buttonbush ,can grow in or out water ??!! I don't know it !This first butterfly of the serie is superb !
28 Jul 2009 8:56am
@Marie-Hélène Ammor: Thank you. There will be a couple with less than great focus but I'm posting them to show the color...
Elora from Genoa, Italy
Lucky you, very jealous!! I have never seen a black swallowtail before. truly beautiful!
28 Jul 2009 10:47am
Ronnie 2¢ from Atlantic Shores, United Kingdom
Stunning design on those wings . . eons of perfecting . . lovely, inspiring shot, Earnest.
28 Jul 2009 12:48pm
marc battault from clermont ferrand, France
georgious butterfly ,earnest !!
friendships !
28 Jul 2009 3:40pm
@marc battault: Thanks!
Dulcie from Danville, United States
You've captured this lovely butterfly magnificently! I will go look at the rest. Thanks.
28 Jul 2009 4:09pm
@Dulcie: Thanks, Dulcie. I hope you enjoy them.
Monique from Koh Samui, Thailand
Swallowtails are so beautiful ... I see them flying around every day, but they don't want to sit down, not even for a second I need to find that plant! :) Great photo of a beautiful butterfly!
28 Jul 2009 4:53pm
@Monique: They were very active around the bush and I'll admit to have included one or two photos that have some blurry spots when the butterflies were moving. At least the colors of the wings will show up. All of the buttonbushes are now blooming and the butterflies are scattered over a wide area like yours now. Only luck will allow me to catch one in this case....
Angie from Mexico
Beautiful!! Never seen that kind of butterfly down here. We get lots of Monarch, their sanctuary is about a 2 hour drive from here. The fly by my house on their way there.
We enjoy the Monarch very much, but it would be nice to see some other species sometime....
28 Jul 2009 5:01pm
@Angie: Angie, Mexico is home to many more beautiful butterflies than this. I learned this by trying to identify these critters. If you look I'm sure you can post some very unique ones.
Christel from Köln, Germany
Hi Earnest,
This butterfly is fantastically beautiful. The colors of the image is super. Greetings Christel
28 Jul 2009 5:29pm
ClaudiaBCN from Barcelona, Andorra
What a gorgous butterfly ! I love to take macro shots as well, but never seen this species here so far...
Great composition !
28 Jul 2009 5:50pm
@ClaudiaBCN: Thanks very much... Macros are fun but sometimes frustrating.
Linda from Riga/Sigulda, Latvia
oh.. it's so beautiful. what amazing colours can butterflies be:)
28 Jul 2009 5:51pm
Kaveh from Shahin Shahr, Iran
Amazing shot! When I see a butterfly I remember THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT!
28 Jul 2009 6:54pm
@Kaveh: Yes, the Butterfly Effect is certainly something to think about -- chaos, how a fluttering wing can make a hurricane -- love it.
Steven from Chicagoland, United States
Beautiful capture and composition where I was equally intrigued by the shapes of the buttonbush. The butterfly is a nice contrast to the background.
28 Jul 2009 7:23pm
@Steven: According to the USDA plants database you should be able to find these bushes in your area as well. Thanks for the thoughtful comment.
flyingwind风飞扬 from Bridgetown, Barbados
Fantastic documentary of nature wonderful moment! Bravo!
28 Jul 2009 7:49pm
Mary from PA, United States
A real beauty it is!!!! I've only got 2 so far...so hard to photograph. But the plants they like here are just beginning to bloom....so we will see how my luck is this year. What lens do you use for butterflies?
28 Jul 2009 11:10pm
@Mary: I hope to see some of those shots soon. I use my full arsenal of lenses but once I have one mounted I don't like to change them in the field so I am stuck with that one for the walk.
@lydia: Thank you -- I noticed in your portfolio that you have some excellent butterfly shots and macros as well.
