NatureLog
Nature & Energy Insights
Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little sunshine. - Jeffrey Glassberg Do you ever pay attention to the flitting cornucopia of colors all around you? Whether you’re in a city or out in the most rural countryside, somehow our colorful butterfly friends find us. Or at least they find their food sources. I’m simply amazed when I see these delicate little friends gliding across my backyard, often “war torn” with pieces missing from one wing or both, or emerging after the hardest rainfall I’ve ever seen – yet still finding their way to their food. This past summer up to the last 2 weeks, I've spent a lot of time in Virginia where I rediscovered the breadth of butterfly varieties in my parents’ backyards. And as I paid closer attention with each visit, I realized just how many different species I was encountering. Which got me wondering – do any of us notice how many different colorful species surround us? They represent a variety of life spans (2 weeks to 1 year), sizes (a tiny Skipper to a massive Tiger Swallowtail), and colors; and some migrate, while others die within the season. So as I began reviewing my photos, I started researching to discern precisely which varieties I had photographed. Fun Fact: Butterflies see in ultraviolet (UV).
Other Friends Perhaps bringing out the paparazzi in me the most: the Hummingbird Hawk Moth. While I’ve only seen one – at night – in my own backyard in California, my mother had two(!) for many weeks throughout the summer. Be aware that you may have these moths in your yard but never even know it - unlike most moths, they come out during the day, they resemble Bumblebees in color, and hummingbirds in action, so my mother never even suspected they were there. They happily glided from plant to plant in her yard, all the while followed by a huge, human stranger. Not to worry – these moths are quite patient with us paparazzi. But they proved quite the challenge to this photographer’s abilities.
Cold winter weather? You can still enjoy butterflies -
Of course, you can see butterflies year-round. I’ve often cheated and flown to Australia – south of the equator – during our cold summer months, delighted to enjoy the gorgeous butterflies there. But if you can’t get south of the equator in the winter months, not to worry – very often, local museums have butterfly exhibits. Below are some of my personal favorites and some resources to find others. Be sure to check the state or country you may be visiting, too, as I find many opportunities to see butterflies all over the world:
I hope you also enjoy my Butterfly collection of products. I’ll be adding more as I continue curating the many butterfly friends I encounter. Please let me know if there's a particular image you like but would prefer on a different product - it's an easy addition to the Zazzle site. And thanks for getting out to enjoy nature and all of her benefits!
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January 2023
AuthorPamela, Eyes4Nature's proprietor, enjoying life out in the field among the animals and the peacefulness of nature. Categories
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