its wings | Winged Beauty Butterflies

Red-spotted purple butterfly, photographed by Jeff Zablow in Raccoon Creek State Park, PA

When I meet a Red Spotted Purple Butterfly I check to see if it is fresh (recently eclosed from its chrysalis) and if it bears red spots on its forewings. On its upper (dorsal) forewings. Most of them lack prominent red spots.

I followed this one, at Raccoon Creek State Park in southwestern Pennsylvania because I saw that it had beautiful red spots at the apex (outside corner) of its wings.

For reasons yet not clear to me, I Love those red spots, and smile when I find them!

Jeff

NB, Were those Georgia Asters in the background?

Little Metalmark butterfly at rest, photographed by Jeff Zablow at Shellman Bluff, GA

In about 1962, I was backstage, with the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, in their dressing room. When will I ever forget that? Yes, Denise, I really was, and yes I was 19, and well, yes . . .

This “rarely” seen view of a “LU” (Locally Uncommon – Glassberg in his A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of North America) butterfly, so reminds. We were on Jekyll Island on the Georgia coast, and do I see what I see? This beauty of an Eastern Pygmy-Blue butterfly flew onto this tiny plant, I got down on my belly, and !!! it opened it wings, wide open!!!!

I enjoy this image, for it is happily so color-true.

Backstage once again, and again with celebrity.

Jeff