Saturday, May 1, 2010

Flight Of The Butterfly

Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. Nathaniel Hawthorne

For about a week, I have noticed several shoots of the dreaded Passion Plant (former post on Plant) coming up in our yard, one is about 7 inches high and I kept MEANING to bend over and yank it out, but did not.  Yesterday I stepped out the door with the dogs and there was a butterfly hovering over the plant. The camera had the long lens on it and was laying on the kitchen table (this never happens when I need the camera, it always has the wrong lens and is in the backof the house). This is what i got by madly clicking. I am showing all of them in the order I took them so you can see what he was doing.












Can you find the butterfly in this last photo? to see the detail you must click on the photos, don't miss the beauty of up close and wonderful, it is floating and floating.


"How does one become a butterfly?" she asked. "You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar."



Anonymous

8 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

How cool! Looks like we had similar experiences a day apart! I had to go to the Passion Plant link to find out why it was dreaded. I would still keep them for their beauty, and also apparently they attract bloggable creatures. But I do not remember this post, and it is dated September, so maybe we did not know each other then? But surely we did? We met because of Beverly posting Ella's cat impersonation. I think I'll mosey over to her blog and try to find it. These butterfly shots are great! And it's not the unual monarch, either, but a different kind. Do you know? Clicking on them makes them even prettier! Did you make the dogs come in as soon as you saw it?

MedaM said...

I love butterflies very much and I am delighted with this series of photos and your new header is just great.

Kilauea Poetry said...

I like your in flight flutterby! I see what you were doing..and go figure- I need a new battery charger, so I have trouble with that end too. Anyway, I enjoyed this lovely series! Passion plant must be different than the vine with the fruit? Anyway, have a great afternoon-

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Sandra, I believe that I'd leave the Passion Plant --since the butterflies obviously love it. That one certainly enjoyed nibbling on the plant. I don't know my butterflies---so I can't help you with identification. Great pictures though---all of them...

I know what you mean about the camera being in the wrong place and with the wrong lens. That happens to me alot also!!!! ha

Hugs,
Betsy

Tipper said...

Just amazing shots of the butterfly! I've enjoyed catching up on your posts this mornging. I so wish they could stop the oil from doing anymore damage than it already has.

Holly Salvato said...

BTW Sandra that is a Gulf Fritillary and Passion Vine is it's host plant. You have a pic of a female oviposting on your plant--see the curved abdomen? In other words she laid an egg and it will soon turn into a caterpillar, a chrysalis and then a beautiful butterfly. Nice set of pics showing this wonderful segment of bug life! I hope you didn't pull it out of the ground!

SquirrelQueen said...

I was going to say it looked like she might be laying eggs, I'm glad Holly confirmed it.

She is a beauty. I have only seen one or two butterflies here so far the wind has been blowing so much they must be hiding.

Dawning Inspiration said...

beautiful images... I don't think I've seen a butterfly like that before. and wow - that quote!!! I'm going to have to borrow that one!