Butterflies and Grasshopper Love

Been a great day! Lots of great images and many more to edit. Spent the morning and early afternoon in the meadow. Kind of warm, but well worth it. The meadow is alive and so beautiful.

I ended my day by going down to the pond and taking sunset photos and just enjoying the view. It's the weekend so lot's of people around.

 Painted Lady enjoying shade under a fern.

 Meadow in full bloom.

 Painted Lady

 Painted Lady

 Grasshopper Love

Mio Pond Sunset

Perfect Day!

Spent the better half of the day in the meadow. many butterflies, dragonflies and other insects flying. Many wildflowers in bloom...it was perfect. I was able to photograph this mating pair of...

Aphrodite Fritillaries (Speyeria aphodite)

Not only was I able to photograph this species, but the one I was after for a few days finally let me get close. Close enough to use my macro lens. I found a spot where the butterflies where gathering and enjoying some kind of minerals. Must have been 30 or more feeding. I carefully crawled up to them and laid there and filled 2 0f my 4 gig memory cards up. I am so glad it was a hazy to partly overcast sky. The lighting was perfect for today's trip to the meadow. I guess good things come to those who wait.

Chasing Butterflies

Today has been one of those days that are few and far between.

The last couple days I have been trying to get some photos of this hairstreak that has been eluding me.This morning I spotted it, but before I could even get close enough it flew away. I searched and searched, but no luck. I did see others, but they were just as fast. I think they were playing a game with me. So I came home and went back late this afternoon and had luck. After uploading all the images I took today...I can safely say I will be editing for the next month. I reviewed them quickly and I have many wonderful images. I'm so tired out that I passed up a great sunset tonight.

Coral Hairstreak - Satyrium titus

This is a new species that I can add to my life list. 

Painted Lady

Wonderful day!

I was bale to go to the meadows twice today. Once this morning and than late this afternoon. Both times were rewarding. Many dragonflies, only spotted a few butterflies. Lots of wildflowers blooming and soon the meadow will be covered in summer flowers. Both time sit was very hot, but it was worth enduring the heat. Drank plenty of water and used lots of bug spray.

Twelve-spotted Skimmer - Libellula pulchella - Male

Banded Hairstreak

Hairstreak

Been staying around the house for the last few days. To much traffic and people to be out in the meadows and woods. I like to keep the places I go peaceful and really don't like it when someone sees me taking photos and stops and starts to ask questions and than later find out they picked the flowers or disturbed the subject I was shooting. To many people from the big cities think they can pick and take from the woods. So staying home till after the big holiday weekend is over. Plenty of subjects in my garden to photograph.

 Banded Hairstreak

 Red Poppy

Banded Hairstreak

Rain!

Well it is raining again today, but at least it is a warm rain.

As of today I have nine species of spiders in my yard and garden. I know I will find more and looking forward to it. the Golden-rod Crab Spider found a good hiding place and was waiting for some food when I found it today. Later this afternoon it had made a dinner out of a Rose Chafer. Score one for the spider...

Golden-rod Crab Spider

A favorite of mine has made a web and laid a clutch of eggs...

Six-spotted Orb Weaver

Six-spotted Orb Weaver

She will stay with the eggs until they hatch and than she will leave.

I also had a cool visitor to my garden today. This Eastern Pine Elfin stopped by to feed.

I will be keeping a close eye on the orb weaver and eggs.

Wet and Damp Day!

Most of the day it rained and between rain showers and the storms the sun came out. I was able to get out and take some photos of the insects and other subjects around my garden. Had three red-spotted purples visit the mock orange bush today and one hummingbird moth. Many bees and other insects stopped by also.

Return to the Meadow

I went back to the meadow for the third day in a row and today was the best yet.

Six species of butterflies and 5 dragonfly species. Many birds singing and enjoyed the fresh taste of wild strawberries. YUM!!!

As I was photographing the berries I noticed some wild rose's near by and moved over to photograph them. So I moved my tripod and laid back on the ground and when I got up I realized I squished a bunch of berries on my white shirt. So I really got into photography today.

The first image is the wild rose before it opens.

This next image has some visitors.

Syrphid Flies enjoying the rose.

After I was done photographing the rose I moved back to a spot where I had seen two American Coppers the day before. So I sat down and watched, but nothing. So I walked around and one flew up and the chase was on. First I tried to use my macro lens to get close, but it would not have nothing to do with me getting close. So I attached a 36mm extension tube to my 300mm lens and was able to get a few decent shots. After about and hour it flew off and I could not locate it again.

Going to rain tonight and some tomorrow so I won't make it back out there until at least Friday. There is so much to photograph there and I still have not explored the full swamp and near by woods.

Beautiful Day!!

It was a great day to be outside. I spent about 4 hours today in the meadows and swamps searching for subjects to photograph. Many species flying around and many wildflowers. I plan on going back again tomorrow...just can't get enough of the outside and the beauty of the wilds. I added a two new species to my butterfly list today. The Eastern Pine Elfin and Common Ringlet.

Common Ringlet

I hope to find them again and get some better shots. They are so hard to get close too...

Here are a few more images I took today.

 Yellow Goat's Beard

Wild Columbine

Back to the Meadow

Went back to the meadow again today, but the lighting and wind was bad. I will try again when we get a better day. Did see plenty of dragonflies and butterflies, but no good shots. Sometimes that happens, but it is always nice to get out there...even if I don't get any shots.

Viceroy

I was lucky to get a shot of one of my favorite butterflies. This is the first one I have seen this year, but when I was out in the Swampy Meadow I spotted this one feeding on a Wild Bergamot. Planning on going back to the Swampy Meadow again tomorrow. I heard the weather report and it's going to be hot and muggy. I hope so...

Afternoon in a Meadow

I spent the afternoon in a swampy meadow. It was muggy and very warm...but the butterflies, Dragonflies and Bees did not mind. Spotted Knapweed and Wild Bergamot could be seen covering the meadow. I took well over 500 images and sweat enough to make my shirt wet, but it was well worth the trip. Will go back in a week to see what else I can find. I would like to go there early in the morning, but it's hard for me to do this...maybe I will try one of these cool mornings. Would be nice to find Dragonflies with dew on them.

Black Swallowtail Caterpiller

I have yet to see a Black Swallowtail Buterfly, but have found the caterpiller.

New Wings

This Monarch was raised from an egg and I watched it grow and fly away. I had a female and male...both lived to fly away.