Eastern Strawberry Tree (Mt. Meron)

Posted September 14, 2014

A tree that rivets your eyes. Found in northern Israel, the Eastern Strawberry Tree’s bark is a color I can only call startlingly red. You just stare at it, and think, “How beautiful.” This instant tree grew on my favorite trail on Mt. Meron, in the uppermost Galilee region of Israel.

Loyal followers of wingedbeauty.com remember that in 2013 I had worked this same mountainside trail, determined to photograph the large butterfly, the Two-tailed Pasha. I managed to see 3 of them, and could not get within 30 feet of any of them. Since I only shoot macro- (must be within 2 feet of my butterfly), I was 100% skunked.

Back here in June 2014, and with some good suggestions from Israelis, I arrived on the trail at about 6:30 A.M., Monday through Friday. Five mornings, how then could I fail to get an image of this butterfly, known to remain close to its host plant, the Eastern Strawberry tree?

Sure enough I saw 11 of them. And again, . . . I never got closer than 30 feet to any of them. Skunked with a capital ‘S.’ FYI, that’s Israel in the foreground, and Lebanon in the background.

Do share if you too find this tree catchy to the eye.

Jeff

Am I Home?

Posted September 11, 2014

Filed under Mt. Meron, Israel, Painted Lady

I did the near impossible, getting up when I did, and attending to all that I do before I drove to do my field work. I arrived at my destination at around 6:30 A.M.. Working the trail, I was soon electrified to see a goodly sized butterfly cross the trail in front of me. OMG! It was a Vanessa, Vanessa cardui. Flew right to a leaf just inches above the left side of the trail. Super. It wanted to absorb the warming rays of the sun. That meant that it might remain there for some time, and . . . might be approachable.

Now, the morning cup of coffee did wake me, but there must have still been residual yawn-power, because I thought: Hey wait! Where am I? Am I home (in Pittsburgh, PA)?

Where was this stunning Painted Lady butterfly? Fairbanks? Oxford, Mississippi? Green Bay, Wisconsin? Kississimmee Prairie Preserve in Okeechobee, Florida? Eatonton, Georgia? Montrodat, France? Sao Paulo, Brazil? Or was I in Odessa, Ukraine?

Well, I quickly came to my senses. We were on Mt. Meron, in the Upper, upper Galilee region of Israel. Our instant butterfly would have looked little different in any of the above wonderful destinations. Because . . . Painted Ladies are the most universal of all butterflies. Found on all continents, and varying little from here to there.

Jeff

Indian Skipper butterfly

Posted September 8, 2014

Filed under Butterfly Types, Raccoon Creek State Park, PA, Skipper

She was not easy to overlook. Most of the grass skippers are very difficult to approach and don’t bedazzle your eyes. As soon as I spotted her, my ‘got to get a picture of this one’ mechanism was sprung. A looker, she.

We were in Raccoon Creek State Park in southwestern Pennsylvania, and we met in May. My field guides confirm that though very difficult to approach, this species of skipper is less anxious when they are nectaring. Hesperia sassacus is reported as often uncommon, generally overlooked and surprise, surprise . . . though it is now 2014, little is known of them and their behavior.

Satisfying whole careers await the young readers of wingedbeauty.com who choose to pursue their interest in butterflies through university and beyond. There is so much that remains unknown, butterflies are so well regarded by the majority of folks, and I say that observing, tracking, witnessing them can supply a lifetime of contentment. Pyle, Remington, Comstock, Muir, Nabokov, to just name a few.

Jeff

Two Monarch Butterflies

Posted September 4, 2014

Filed under Flowers Loved by Butterflies, Monarch, Raccoon Creek State Park, PA

Two beautiful, sun-filled hours working the Nichol Road trail and Doak field. Raccoon Creek State Park has time and again been my preferred destination. No other Pennsylvania state park within a 90 minute drive enjoys such rich and diverse butterfly populations. Doak field had to have 10,000 Goldenrods (Solidago spp.) in flower today. Typical for the first week in September.

As I worked the Doak field trails, my focus was on finding butterflies nectaring on the goldenrod. Nothing. Nada. Not a single butterfly was on a Solidago flowerhead. How can that be? I’ve seen butterflies feeding on goldenrod. Today, No.

So as I approached the later morning, and quitting time came closer and closer, I no decided to no longer continue my goldenrod hunt.

Moving along the southeast edge of the field, I was very surprised to have flushed up a Monarch butterfly, that had been . . . nectaring on goldenrod. Just like the Monarch in this image was doing. Ok, so I did see a Monarch on goldenrod, this 2014 year with its near total absence of Monarchs.

Be cool Jeff, continue on your way, that sighting, a 1 in a million, literally.

I moved 10 feet forward . . . another Monarch sped up and away, it also was on goldenrod. Truth be told, I could not believe it. All morning I wanted 2 things, to see/photograph a Mourning cloak butterfly and 2) to capture a photo of a fresh Monarch on goldenrod. Skunked, I stopped looking. Then . . . .

Which of those two Monarchs will reach Louisiana by October 1st? I’ve driven from Pittsburgh to Mississippi twice. Imagine flying there on gossamer wings . . . no A/C, no music, no GPS, no cushiony seats . . . .

Jeff