Friday, April 17, 2009

Butterflies Just Around the Corner

The weather here has been pretty nice the past few days with our high temps getting up into the 70s yesterday and today, which is about 15 to 20 degrees above normal for this time of year. With a little bit of rain, they are predicting some for this weekend, things should really green up. So it should not be too long before the wild flowers begin to dot the fields and I butterfly season begins.
I have already seen a few of the early risers so far this year, mostly morning cloak and one eastern comma, but I can hardly wait until butterflies are in full force and eastern tail blue, like the one pictured above, are fluttering by the blooming wild lupine.
By now the monarchs, who have been hibernating down in Mexico and California, have come out of their state of suspended animation and have laid their eggs. The larva that hatch from the eggs will head north after they reach the adult butterfly stage and it will be the offspring of this new generation, that will be our first brood of 2009.
The first brood will live out their lives and lay eggs which will be our second brood, these are the ones that will hatch next August and then head south before the winter comes so that they can begin the process all over again. These pictures where taken near the Old Cedar Ave Bridge back on September 15th.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice start to the butterfly season. Great images

LuLo Designs/Blue Eyed Tango said...

How on earth do you get such clear photos!? Informative and beautiful post as always. Thanks! Luanne

Helen said...

Great pictures. I love butterflies. Helen

Unknown said...

An appropriate named butterfly, of all of the butterflies.

FAB said...

Lovely images. We are just beginning to see the first of our "flutters" on this side of the pond.

Chris said...

Nice you finally managed to get some colourful pictures of butterfly. We do not have them that much here. Iceland is too cold for them :-) Thanks for sharing.

Jane Hards Photography said...

I have seen more this year so far than I did all last year.Exquisite crystal clear images.

Arlene said...

They are sooo springy in color! Great photos.

Happy week-end!