Red Admiral Butterflies Appear without Fanfare

Posted February 5, 2021

Filed under Raccoon Creek State Park, PA, Red Admiral

Red Admiral Butterfly on trail, photographed by Jeff Zablow at Raccoon Creek State Park in Pennsylvania

There are butterflies that I’ve now seen hundreds and thousands of. I’m near embarrassed to admit that I no longer pursue them, for my Neumade slide cabinet (a gift from a friend in Pittsburgh) has strong photographic images of them.

Know too that there are butterflies that I’ve seen dozens of, give or take, and that I still rush to go after. Why? Because though I have images of them, I believe that there will come along a fresh one, and I want an even better photograph.

Here’s one that I will jump up from a crouch, from shooting others, to rush to score an image of. The Red Admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta) appears without fanfare, usually lingers for moments, and then speeds away. I have seen several over the years that just stunned me, they so vividly colored, so gorgeous (this word here correctly chosen). My careful, patented, robotic approach near always was futile, with the stunner gone before I could close the Macro-distance to it.

This one here is a tad worn, but so reminds of what I had hoped it might be. The Fuji Velvia film used here provides exactly how sweet it looked, real-time.

Raccoon Creek State Park, southwestern Pennsylvania (+/- 8 hours west of New York City).

Jeff

None Of You Will Guess Correctly (Not Even You)

Posted June 30, 2020

Filed under Admiral, Ramat Hanadiv, Israel, Red Admiral

It’s a Red Admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta) nectaring happily on a flower bed. Guess where they were seen?

Ohio? Georgia? Arizona? Ontario? Wales? Alaska? Mexico? Japan? Azbekistan? Portugal? The Gold Coast? Kenya? Australia? Machu Picchu? Nicaragua? People Republic of China? Thailand? Malaysia? UAE?

Want to know where I saw it?

Ramat

Hanadiv in the HolyLand/Israel.

An international butterfly, no?

Jeff

Butterflies Don’t Fret

Posted January 3, 2017

Filed under Raccoon Creek State Park, PA, Red Admiral

Red Admiral Butterfly on trail, photographed by Jeff Zablow at Raccoon Creek State Park in Pennsylvania

Mirrors bedevil so many of us. A look in the mirror, and we are awash in thought. With Hollywood and sports celebrities almost always before our eyes, we look at that mirror, and well think . . . . What will ‘they’ think when they see me looking like this?

Must be that we are among the few critters that fret about appearances. After decades in the bush, I offer this, butterflies don’t fret.

This Red Admiral butterfly must have eclosed some weeks before. A beaut when it left the chrysalis, this view shows significant loss of wing scales, revealing scratches and areas lacking full scale coverage.

But G-d didn’t install mirror anxiety in this brushfoot butterfly, and not a second is wasted, fussing or primping. No need for that anyway, what with these handsome reddish-orange bands and wing margins, white forewing spots and look, see those baby blue spots at the trailing edge of the hindwings and perfect pair of white antennae clubs.

Nope, butterflies don’t fret, they awake, pause to warm up, and fly up to do what butterflies do . . . and that might include enable us to reflect, in our own ‘mirrors.’

Jeff

Salute to the Red Admiral

Posted August 15, 2016

Filed under Raccoon Creek State Park, PA, Red Admiral

Red Admiral Butterfly photographed by Jeff Zablow at Raccoon Creek State Park in Pennsylvania

I’ve seen them everywhere I traveled to this 2016. Southwestern Pennsylvania, western New York State, northwestern Pennsylvania, the Maryland Shore (mid-shore and lower shore), the Habitat in Eatonton, Georgia, Rock Hawk in Eatonton, Georgia as well as Monroe, Georgia, Athens Georgia and the fabulous islands of the Georgia coast: Skidaway Island, Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island, and in unforgettable Shellman Bluff, Georgia.

If all works out, I look forward to seeing them in Big Bend Wildlife Management Area near Perry, Florida, the Florida Panhandle.

In this year where much of the USA East has a dearth of butterflies, the Red Admiral has joined me, everywhere I went! Preoccupied with the search, it’s . . . Battle Stations!! when the stark beauty of a red admiral flies in. Another battle ensues, your mind knows you have some wonderful images of them in your slide cabinet, but, but, your heart differs, urging, go ahead, it’s spectacular!

Vanessa atalanta thrills above and below. Below, not shown here, flashes that set of colors that trigger adrenaline flow, red, white and blue one against the other. My mind accelerates back to P.S. 244 in Brooklyn, where the installation of patriotism was fixed in my heart.

I kid you not.

Jeff

Where Would You Look?

Posted February 11, 2015

Filed under Raccoon Creek State Park, PA, Red Admiral

Today is February 11th in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This Red Admiral butterfly was photographed on August 27th, 2014. I was scouring Doak field for butterflies when this beaut flew in and stopped on a leaf. A real looker this one, sporting those smart red-orange bands, blue dots at the trailing ends of its hindwings, bright orange bands along its hindwing margins and even white tips on antennae. This butterfly is dressed to the 9’s.

“Where Would You Look?” asks a toughie. If you went outdoors today, or tomorrow, determined to find this Vanessa Atalanta, where should you look? To begin, they are common to all eastern US states, from Maine all the way south to Florida. Where in your area are they today, February 11th?

Answer? You’re unlikely to find their eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises or adults. Huh? Almost all the ones you will find in your garden, parks, farms, schoolyards and greenbelts fly up from Southern states in the Spring. Rarely do they overwinter as pupae. They are not well equipped to withstand northern winters. Remember those -9F nights we had this winter? This winged beauty has no adaptation for those temperatures.

You may hesitate to get into your car and drive 14 hours to St. Simons Island, Georgia. The butterflies take their time flying up from around there, but, that is what they do. Route I-95 anyone?

Jeff