Monday, June 16, 2008

A quick walk about

The clouds cleared.
I took a walk about the yard.

A female Eastern Tailed-blue was nectaring
on the sweet white clover that grows in our yard.
It is their favorite food for nectaring and for hosting.

I normally see the males in their
shimmery blue iridescent colors.

It is exciting to see the female.

The Orioles are finished with oranges.
The Hackberry butterflies have taken them over.
I am harvesting lavender.

16 comments:

Mary said...

Sherry, I look at butterflies and marvel at their beauty, but you, dear, know them so well...

Rose said...

I always enjoy seeing your lovely butterfly photos. But I appreciate even more your skill in taking them after my own futile attempt to photograph a lovely black and blue one yesterday. He had no patience with my fumblings with my camera :)

Q said...

Dear Mary,
I know a wee bit about some of them! The butterflies that live around me all year long I have gotten to know a little bit about.
I also read about butterflies. I do dream about them. I talk about butterflies and look for them when I am running errands. Not many people think about the butterflies. The Eastern Tailed -blues are so small they often are over looked. If there was a way to let more of my yard go back to the "wild native" grasses and plants I would. We do mow and that takes away some of the butterflies hiding spots. I try to leave some "wild" ....
Sherry, a wild woman at heart

Q said...

Dear Rose,
The butterflies can be "spooked" easily! Sometimes I sit quietly in a mass of flowers and let the butterflies come to me. They are aware of all the birds in the yard and are watching for them. The Swallowtails, I think, almost like me being out since the birds stay away. I also think it is easier to photograph the butterflies when they are nectaring. If you have their favorite food growing they will forget about you and your camera!
Keep trying. It is fun and learning about the different butterflies in your area is interesting. Like so many critters, the butterflies have lost habitat. If gardeners will plant butterfly gardens it will help.
We need to feed the birds and the bugs!
Sherry

Tumblewords: said...

Amazing photos! It's going to take some time to catch up, but I have every intention of doing so! Love your space here!

ICQB said...

Harvesting lavender - that brought to mind a lavendar farm nearby that uses its lavendar in homemade soaps. Their soaps are an absolute indulgence! They're expensive, but the best thing you will ever bathe with - I'm not kidding.

Maybe I'll do a post with a link on my blog.

Those little butterflies remind me of the ones I used to chase in the field behind my house when I was little. Are they similar to alfalfa butterflies? That's what I remember the one's I chased being called - but I might have that wrong, it was a long time ago, after all.

Cheryl said...

Beautiful butterflies...thai people believe that if a butterfly enters your home, it is the soul of someone you have lost come to visit. I like to think this is so.
So pretty Sherry.....

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Good photos Sherry. It is difficult to get good pictures of these tiny butterflies.

Anonymous said...

I always love your pictures of the butterflies . . . bravo!

Q said...

Dear Sue,
Glad to see you are up and about.
I shall pop over and see if you have posted any new poems.
These are butterfly days at my house. I am hoping to draw some attention to the little guys...they are very pretty.
The white, sweet clover that grows wild and in my lawn, is a great food source for the bees too!
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Icqb,
I would be wowed by a lavender farm....I might want to volunteer there during harvest...What a beautiful sight it must be.
Please do a post! Maybe I could buy some soap on line from them?
I looked up Alfalfa butterflies in my Butterflies and Moths of Missouri field guide. They are similiar to the Clouded Sulphur. Much bigger too than the Tailed-blues. Maybe I will get out into the country side and see if I can spot some Alfalfa butterflies nectaring in a field of Alfalfa.
I did not chase butterflies when I was a kid, guess I am making up for that now!
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Cheryl,
Thank you for sharing the Thai folklore about the butterflies. I like to think so too.
I have a little journal I keep the folklore of bees and butterflies in. I added this to my journal.
Thank you for telling me about the bees too. I love telling my concerns to the bees. I do believe they have a way of making everything okay!
It would be fun to do a study of butterfly and bee folklore of the world. A nice winter project I would think.
Maybe there is a book already written. I shall do a google search and see.
The female Eastern Tailed-blue is charming. Tiny too only 3/4 of an inch from wing tip to wing tip!
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Lisa,
My camera does not always want to see them! They are small. I still would love to get the macro lens. Maybe I will next week. Perfect for bugs on Sunday Safari.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Mon@rch,
Thanks! Sometimes I just walk about and see what is out in the back yard.
Sherry

ICQB said...

Hi Sherry,
Now that I think about it, the alfalfa butterflies were sort-of white and bigger. The name just stuck in my head and popped up when I saw the picture of the sweet little blue ones that are just like the ones I used to chase when I was little. The alfalfas and these little blue ones were the most prevalent in the field behind my house.

I do have a post up about the soaps now, but the link is this:

http://www.daybreaklavenderfarm.com/store/

I'm pretty sure you can buy online. They're expensive, but worth a try, at least once.

Q said...

Dear Icqb,
Thank you for the lavender soap link. I will order some and let you know what I think. I can already tell I will love them as I can smell the sweet scent of lavender through the pictures. LOL...
Being transported back to special times and places is a delight.
Glad you remembered the fun of chasing butterflies.
Sherry