... and her name was Vanessa
Anyway, before we see more of Vanessa and her ilk, here's a summery tune to accompany your scrolling:
Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Dolce Vita
This tatty silver-washed fritillary alternated between feeding...
The unglamorous large - or "cabbage" - white
Here's the painted lady, Vanessa cardui
She's sharing her buddleia with a small tortoiseshell
The tortoiseshell was quite shy and kept its wings closed much of the time
This is the best "wings open" shot I managed
Sharing the buddleia with a peacock butterfly
Usually quite the show-offs, this peacock was also difficult to get a shot of in a "wings open" position
Hiding in the shade
Somewhat out of focus, but there's a red admiral in the lower left corner
Red admirals really are stunning!
A gatekeeper
Gatekeepers don't often come into the garden like this, but there are plenty of them over the embankment in the allotments and fields beyond where I walk Bitey
This one is enjoying some hebe nectar
I'll leave you with this tiny bee who is also visiting the hebe flowers.
Butterflies coming to drink from Ἥβη, goddess of youth.
ReplyDeleteThank you IDV.
You're very welcome, dear Mago. Perhaps we should all sip a hebe's nectar once in a while?
DeleteSo beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYou could see some of these (or very similar butterflies) in Idaho, such as the fritillary and painted lady.
DeleteIf we had a bigger garden, one of the first plants I'd make room for is a Buddlea. The plant is, admittedly, an ugly and straggly shrub (and has an unfortunate association with self-seeding in derelict walls and railway tracks), but those flowers are an absolute joy - and it has some lovely cultivars with really deep colours!
ReplyDeleteAs it stands, we get occasional visits from the local butterflies (mainly gatekeepers and whites), but having four different kinds of phlox in the extensive gardens here at Dolores Delargo Towers means we do get some impressive moths, including the hummingbird hawk moth and the "Jersey Tiger"... Jx