12-JUN-2008
Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly
One of the most abundant butterflies in the spring. Weather and projects had delayed my visit to the Canadian Thistle and even though it appears to have been blooming a while, there wasn't a lot of other activity this day.
16-JUN-2008
Little Glassywing Skipper
Four days later and the skippers have emerged for their spring flight! There is no sign of wear and tear, so this one must have freshly emerged. Note the size difference from the previous Fritillary ...the skippers are very small!!!
16-JUN-2008
Little Glassywing Skipper
A different view of the same specimen as the previous one.
16-JUN-2008
Silvery Checkerspot Butterfly
This is a medium-sized butterfly.
16-JUN-2008
Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly
These are such beautiful posers!
16-JUN-2008
Mason Wasp
Monodia quadridens. Not the sharpest focus, but I love the blue of the wings in the sun.
16-JUN-2008
Bumble Bee
This is the last of the uploads for June 16th...LOTS more to go! It's been a very busy few weeks here.
17-JUN-2008
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
...and the first of all of the activity documented this day.
17-JUN-2008
Grass Skipper
Unknown species...still searching. It is already a little worn.
17-JUN-2008
Zabulon Skipper
This one is a little worn also. I don't believe it is the same species as the previous one.
17-JUN-2008
It's breezy out here!
Fritillary...determined to nectar.
17-JUN-2008
A Partial View of My Thistle/Butterfly Garden
It is very difficult to show how much activity is going on right now. I tried to count and saw at least 36 fritillaries, the most plentiful species at this time. This is a slight crop of one section. The patch is probably about 40' x 20', at the top of a little hill to the right of our driveway, and starts at the end of our daffodil garden (120' long). The "Rails to Trails" is to the north...the shaded dark area in this photo. I only take BMacro close-ups at the top edge since moving through the patch is impossible. The ground is very uneven and has a steep slope, I'd hate to disturb everything, not to mention that I also would be tangled and scratched up!
