Lasiommata Megera butterfly photographed by Jeffrey Zablow at Mt. Meron

It’s been four years. I’ve travelled to Mt. Meron in 2013, ’14, ’15 and in February 2016. This year the Israel National Parks Department closed off my favorite mountain trail. My guess is that storm damage during the winter destroyed so many Eastern Strawberry trees, that they just decided to leave the trail as is, and forbid hikers to use it.

This image of a cool brushfoot butterfly, Lasiommata megara emilyssa was appreciated back in 2013. This photo is the best I could get, for this species flees once you approach within 15 feet of it. I was pleased with this look, with its clear eyespots, wing patterns, antennae and other features. You might be wondering, Is that my shadow to the left of the butterfly?

Good for the time being as I am confident that future visits will score closer, more intimate images of this exercise in browns, with eyespots at no additional charge.

I have not seen this species since, and if I have, it’s been one of the many blurrrrrs that rocket away as I work the trails. That’s one of the many challenges and thrills of future hikes. What will we see and what will we capture (on film) and . . . how will readers measure our shares of elusive wild butterflies, who never, or who fleetingly suppress their escape behaviors?

Jeff