Saturday, July 26, 2008

Red-Spotted Purple Butterfly

Red-spotted Purple

A couple of days ago, another Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) refused to cooperate with me and my camera. Too shy, I think. I chased it around a hydrangea bush trying to get a good shot. Ha! The butterfly outsmarted me...and I was disappointed.

But NOT for long! On my regular afternoon walk a couple of days later -- I really needed to ge out of the office, LOL -- I happened upon a much more easy-going Red-spotted Purple, too excited about the nectar in some local soapwort to worry about the crazy lady with the camera.
And this one even dared to turn its back on me and open up a little to let me take a photo. I've seen photos in which this side of the wings looks purple and iridescent. This one looks flat brown. Could it be that this butterfly has fought one battle too many, evidenced by its torn wing?
And here's a third view of this nectar-loving acrobat.

13 comments:

magiceye said...

superb captures!!

KOSTAS said...

Amazing your photographs, marvellous macro and very beautiful colours!

Louise said...

Beautiful pictures! A nice reward for earlier disappointment. With butterflies and me, it's always disappointment.

Marcel said...

It looks like you and Abe Lincoln are competing for the best photo of a butterfly. These are superb photos. I’m not going to pick a winner between you, but I’d say you are giving Abe a run for his money.

Rose said...

Beautiful! I never, ever tire of butterflies. They are almost like flowers on wing...

Naturegirl said...

Sectacular!! I have not yet had the luxury of capturing THE butterfly photo! Rain drops and cats eyes YES!
Gorgeous shots! ^.^ NG

Janet said...

Fantastic butterfly photos!

Small City Scenes said...

Beautiful butterfly. I am glad this guy decided to be cooperative. MB

Shammickite said...

Lovely pictures, and how polite of that butterfly to stop long enough to allow you to take hos/her picture! They move so fast, it's hard to get a good shot at them, but you have done very well here.
Better than National Geographic!!!!

Isadora said...

These photos are so beautiful they almost have a fragrance to them.

K M F said...

super photos

Kerri Farley said...

Great series! Glad he cooperated for you!!

Gemma Wiseman said...

I can scarcely believe your butterfly pics! Ifonly there was a better word than "stunning" I would use it!

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East Gwillimbury is a rural town less than an hour north of Toronto, Canada's largest city. My family calls me CameraGirl because I take my camera with me wherever I go.