Monday, June 30, 2014

Butterflies You Can Chase...

What do birders do when the spring migration is over? They take pictures of bugs, butterflies and dragonflies! Even though some of them are interesting, I'm no expert on bugs. Kind of hard to identify them when there are THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of different species of them spanning the globe.

I find that butterflies are a little easier (and prettier) to comprehend... Here are some photos I've taken...

Eastern Swallowtail Nicholson Wildlife Refuge 6 2 2012

  
Eastern Comma Nicolet National Forest Doty WI 7 1 2012


Baltimore Checkerspot Tichigan State Wildlife Refuge Tichigan, WI 6 3 2012


Northern Crescent Shoop Park Racine WI 6 4 2012


Common Buckeye Shoop Park Racine WI 6 24 2012

  

Mourning Cloak Samuel Myers Park Racine WI 9 17 2012

  
Cabbage White Shoop Park Racine WI 6 26 2012


The Monarch Butterfly (picture below taken at Bong SRA near Brighton WI on 6 28 2013) numbers have steadily declined over the years due to loss of their habitat and food source. (they need the Milkweed for their survival) It has been said they may go extinct in our lifetimes. I hope this doesn't happen.


Sometimes in nature, Tender Heart and I witness the unusual. Such a case of a massive gathering of Red Admirals (see picture below taken near Doty WI on 7 1 2012) by her mother's old place in the Nicolet National Forest. There were thousands of them! They were on trees and roads. It was kind of neat (and at the same time annoying) having a half of a dozen butterflies flutter around your head...


Each time we go out in nature, Tender Heart and I make a new discovery.... Weather it's butterflies, mammals, wildflowers and even birds, it's a whole new world for us. Till next time!

5 comments:

OrbsCorbs said...

Great pictures, drew. There's such a variety of them. The only one I recognized was the Monarch.

OKIE said...

I love butterflies. Thanks Drew

lizardmom said...

butterflies are much prettier than bugs :D

Tender Heart Bear said...

I love butterflies also but it is very hard to get a picture of them. The reason they are a lot harder is they land on something then take off right away. By the time you have the camera focused in on them they are gone.

The Red Admiral was all over the road up by my moms land. It was crazy because I had to be careful when I was driving up there. They were sunning themselves on the road.

kkdither said...

Beautiful pictures, but... bugs is bugs