Have no clue what butterfly this is, so if anyone knows let me know. Nor do I know the gender. Almost have to be a butterfly to know that difference. I do know the flower is a coneflower. Sometimes things just fall into place and other times they dont. This was one those time it did. As I knelt down to photograph some coneflowers that are close to the end of their season of life, this butterfly wanted in the photo. This one flitted back and forth between two flowers directly in front of me. Butterflies and birds are attracted to the sweet nectar of coneflowers. I could almost hear this one calling out, “Pick me. Pick me.” So I did.
Yesterday I mentioned I’d found an interesting dark red mushroom but did not know what it was, so I stopped at the visitor center at Blendon Woods Metro Park to ask someone if they could identify it. I got my answer, plus some wonderful facts about monarch butterflies I didn’t know about (or I’d forgotten).
On the counter in the visitor’s center were two stands with monarch butterflies in different stages of their life cycle. I had never seen anything like it so I became the fascinated child and started asking questions. The two women were excited to share as much information as they could with me. One of the women would go in search for the eggs, finding them under milkweed leaves. She would then bring these tiny eggs back to the visitor center in hopes children could learn and watch them.
The eggs are creamy white and later turn pale yellow. They are elongate and subconical, with approximately 23 longitudinal ridges and many fine traverse lines. The caterpillar is banded with yellow, black, and white stripes. The head is also striped with yellow and black. There are two pairs of black filaments, one pair on each end of the body. The chrysalis is blue-green with a band of black and gold on the end of the abdomen. There are other gold spots on the thorax, the wing bases, and the eyes. This monarch has just emerged from it’s chrysalis and is drying its wings. In the background you can see on of the green chrysalis.
The day this image was taken we had light rain in the morning then high humidity in the afternoon. I needed to get out of the apartment so headed off to Inniswood Gardens for some shooting and head clearing. The large quantity of spring flowers has passed but the butterflies and bees are still actively gathering the remaining flowers. I do feel better!
…comes thunderstorms, rains, the beauty and fragrance of flowers and blossoms, birds singing in the morning to brighten our days. But, right after Spring comes summer and of course butterflies. Can’t wait.
