"Butterflies are self propelled flowers."
~ R.H. Heinlein
"The fluttering of a butterfly's wings can effect climate changes on the other side of the planet."
~ Paul Erlich
"Not quite birds, as they were not quite flowers, mysterious and fascinating as are all indeterminate creatures."
~ Elizabeth Goudge
"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."
~ Maya Angelou
"We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever."
~ Carl Sagan
TIGER SWALLOWTAIL
(Papilio glaucus)
"Swallowtails epitomize the beauty, vibrant color, and grace of butterflies. Their large size makes them conspicuous visitors to any garden, ant their gorgeous colors make them prized additions to any scene." (The Butterfly Book)
Caterpillar: Leaf green and plump ... excellently camouflaged. Feeds on trees, particularly cherry, willow and ash.
Wingspan: 3 1/2 - 6 3/4 inches
Habitat: Woodland, wooded gardens and parks.
Range: Across North American continent, from Alaska and Canada to Mexico
Status: Widespread and common
"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
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32 comments:
So beautiful. Great quotes as well.
Beautiful butterfly, beautiful poetry! I finally saw a Monarch yesterday for the first time this summer.
Eileen
Hi Joey, Your photos are always so breathtakingly spectacular. I feel like I'm right there in your garden! I love the butterflies and bees and other winged creatures in the garden.
We are short on butterflies this year. Thanks for your lovely images and words...it was a nice start to the day.
Hi, Lindalou, and thank you. Running back/forth, having a hard time catchin' up ... but so enjoyed your Lake Huron vacation photos. Wasn't the weather grand!
Thank you, Eileen. While tweaking the garden after my long absence, I so enjoyed a moment watching and shooting ...
Thanks, dear Monica. Being away so much, I have missed many summer garden favorites. As much as I love lake living, it's always a joy to be back in my garden. The summer is sure flying ... way too fast for me! Do hope your summer is grand!
I do love Tigers.
Thanks, Cat. It made my day yesterday!
Love 'em too, Nell Jean. Happy August :)
Flutter not little friend,
What a super post Joey.
Those are the best photos that I've seen of capturing the light, butterflies and flowers with perfection! You must be a professional photographer.
Just beautiful! One my summer delights.
I love the blues on the butterflies. So beautiful..and beautiful shots!
Thanks fun imac :) Always a joy/honor to hear from you.
Dear Freda, you are too kind! My camera/cameras and I have been friends since I was a child. Among other pleasures, I simply love life behind the lens.
Ah yes, Michelle ... summer in Michigan is grand!
Thank you, Hamilton's. Totally agree, Swallowtail blue is amazing!
This is a bad year for butterflies here where I live. None to speak of. I saw one Monarch once. And I saw two Tiger Swallowtails once. And a couple of Cabbage Whites. Nothing here to compare with the beautiful swallowtails you have there where you live. Very nice photos.
Thanks Abe. They sure enjoy my coneflowers :)
Love the quote about thinking we have forever. My neighbors husband just died unexpectedly Monday so it hit home.
You have some exceptional photos of the Swallowtail Joey. I've been lucky enough to see more in my garden this year than in previous years. Maybe I'm finally getting some blooms they love??
Nothing says summer like Purple Coneflowers and Swallowtails. :) Such beautiful images!!
Hello Joey and thanks for dropping by my blog girl ! .. You have captured gorgeous pictures of these delicate beauties .. I have not seen but one in the garden (I think they all come when I am NOT there !! haha)
I especialy love the short quote from Carl Sagan .. so very true !
Joy : )
Just lovely Joey. I've always thought of butterflies as flowers. I hope you're enjoying your beautiful summer. Here, uhm, not so much. I'm glad I got to go to Seattle to cool off.~~Dee
Beautiful captures of the swallowtail, Joey! I've had a tiger swallowtail visiting me, too, lately, but never when I had my camera handy. And I love that in all your pictures he's visiting the coneflowers, of course!
What an exquisite post...Swalowtails are my favorites and I never seem to be able to get a photo, and then to see these, oh my! Just wonderful.
You captured this beauty in its full glory! Great pictures...
What a fabulous collage of swallowtail photographs! I can't even get close enough to a swallowtail here for one photo, let alone a hundred. I must admit I'm quite envious!
Thank you, Kathleen, and good news about the visiting butterflies. We are very lucky, aren't we!
Agree, Sweetbay, and thank you. Truly summer at it finest!
Wishing you a butterfly sighting, dear Joy! Thank you.
Dear Dee, I think of you daily when I see the heat index! Yes, thankful you went to Seattle that looked like an amazing time for all. Wish I could whisk you up north to the cooling lake!
Thanks Rose. Yes, the coneflowers seem to be the tastiest! Hope you can capture one ... they are fun to photograph. Happy August :)
Welcome, La Vie, and thank you. Vibrant swallowtails are my favorite too. Do hope you return. (I sure loved your red mailbox!)
Thx Skeeter!
Thanks, Clare. In ecstatic euphoria, oblivious to my nearness, it was a joy shooting ...
I don't know how you did it but that butterfly and those coneflowers are just about as perfect as perfect comes!
How kind. Thank you, Tina. Happy August :)
Aw, yes, Joey! We are both immersed this summer in the loveliness of Tiger Swallowtails! Lucky us! Looks like the East Coast ones are more colorful than our Western version. Truly spectacular. So grateful you encourage and protect their beautiful selves. xoxo
Think of you often, Kathryn. Yes, we are both blessed, dear friend. Happy August :)
Love the collages. Hope you are having a wonderful summer Joey!
Thanks Kala ... it's been a wild/wonderful/busy summer!
I love the quotes and photos. It is that time of year for butterflies!
I don't really know what to say about these beautiful photographs, except, how the heck did you manage to keep a butterfly preoccupied while you took its picture?
You know, Joey, the Tiger Swallowtail is my favorite butterfly. And a few weeks ago, I was finally honored with its lovely presence, right in my own backyard.
The magnificent winged creature hovered over me for a brief moment, just to disappear as quickly as it came. One of the highlights of my summer.
Lucky for you, dear Marysol. This beauty became soporific sipping ... the moments shooting became a breeze!
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