instant butterfly | Winged Beauty Butterflies

Toronto! The city was so much fun to see. My camera was along for the trip, so our good friend supplied directions to a park in the middle of the city. Early the next morning we prepared for who knows what?

Jackpot! West Don Park on July 17th. Let’s set the scene. Milkweed and thistle were in bloom and reaching peak. Butterflies, where? Everywhere!

Limenitis arthemis arthemis and Red admirals are very, very closely related.

Our instant butterfly here may well be a female. Females visit flowers much more frequently than males do.

After enjoying so many Mourning cloaks, Monarchs, Tiger Swallowtails, Sphinx moths and countless skippers, the appearance of this White Admiral was dramatic. It was as if a member of the royal crown family suddenly entered the hall.

As the field guides note, when Limenitis arthemis arthemis powerfully flies in, there is no doubt as to which species it is.

Jeffrey

Here it was the first week in October and you would think that butterflies would be few and far between. Nope. Our Vanessa cardui, challenged by the limited selection of nectaring wildflowers, has settled for a meal of Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) sugars.

Judging from the condition of this individual, it would appear that it was produced by a late in the season brood.

Our other posts of Ladies included several that triumphantly were scored after stealthy stalking up to the butterfly. Not necessary this time, because our instant butterfly is 100% engrossed imbibing nectar. Only a reasonably careful approach was necessary.

An occasional visitor to home gardens, their visit is usually a very brief one, and then whooost, gone!

Not known to overwinter here in eastern U.S., the last brood flies all the way to the Mexican plateau. Very impressive, that.

Jeffrey