Thursday, May 10, 2007

Red-spotted Purple

I put a basket of grapes out.

The Red-spotted Purple butterfly found them.
He bats the flies with his wings.
My butterfly book identifies him as, Limenitis Arthemis, 3-3 3/8 inches wing tip to wing tip.


I am on the very western edge of his range.

8 comments:

smilnsigh said...

More beautiful specimens and more beautiful close-up photography. -sigh-

Sometime, please show us your camera.

Mari-Nanci

Q said...

Dear Mari-Nanci,
I use a Nikon D-50 with a few extras! My lens go fron 15-500x. I also use filters to help with sun glare. I like the close ups for iding and for printing.
I am so happy you like them too.
We are in butterfly days.
Sherry

Sheila said...

Another beautiful butterfly. It seems all I see are Monarch and Admirals here, and the occasional cabbage moth..!
I have a small Sony CyberShot (4.1) and all it has is a close up feature.
:(
I dream of owning a better camera, and hope to soon. I must remember to ask you what to look for when it comes time to buy.

Chrissie said...

This butterfly is so beautiful too! I really haven't seen many in our garden yet, perhaps they come when I am out :-) This week it hasn't stopped raining, I knew we would pay for such a dry April :-) I long to be able to sit in the garden with my camera at the ready but we really did need the rain!

Mary said...

I think that is the most beautiful butterfly I have ever seen. Real EYE CANDY.

Q said...

Dear Sheila,
I have been working on growing the plants the butterflies like. This year I have added Hops for the Question Mark and the Eastern Comma.
I hope to continue to add host plants as I learn more.
I think you do very well with your camrea! Your travel photos are wonderful.
When I decided I wanted to learn to be a photographer I made a list of everything I wanted the camera to do foe me. I had to wait a few years for technology to catch up but it did!
I wanted good optics. I did not buy the best available but as good as I felt I needed.
I am very pleased with the Nikon and their lens.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Chris,
This is a beautiful butterfly.
I have seen it a few other years as well as this year. It does like the "rotting" fruit. Lots of the butterflies do.
Rain is nice as long as it is not too much. Many areas west and north of me are having flooding.
My new butterfly book lists the host plants and indicator flowers so finding in the wild will be easier. Also I can continue to plant for the butterflies.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Mary,
The Red-spotted Purple is so beautiful that I gasp when I see him.
I am fond of all of the butterflies yet I think my heart belongs to the female Tiger Swallowtail. For some reason I just connect.
They are "eye candy" my butterfly book calls the butterflies, "flying jewels".
With all the birds and butterflies my yard is full of "flying jewels".
Sherry