Monday, October 1, 2012

Looking Back-Butterflies and Moths


Skipper at Madera Canyon
At the Tucson Botanical Gardens, we begin our Butterfly Magic.  It's a sign that fall has begun here.  But let's not be so quick to say goodbye to our butterflies out in the wild.  Mother Nature's show has been an exciting one this year.  Here's a look back at some of the butterflies and moths I was able to get over this past summer. 
Spring Azure Butterfly in Madera Canyon

Queen Butterfly mating at Sweetwater Wetlands in Tucson, AZ

Painted Lady in the Sonoran Desert at Wassom Peak

Mourning Cloak at Patagonia Lake, AZ

Marine Blue taken at my window here at El Presidio


Pipevine Swallowtail-Ramsey Canyon

Black Swallowtail-the pyramid of the Moon of Teotihuacan in Mexico City(wasn't this summer but it was still a cool shot)

Comma Butterfly, Governor Dodge State Park in Dodgeville, WI


Giant Swallowtail(above and below) in Tucson at our El Presidio Gardens



Arizona Sister-Ramsey Canyon

Common Buckeye, Governor Dodge State Park, Dodgeville WI

American Snout Butterfly-Woodland Dunes Wetlands, Two Rivers, WI

Question Mark Butterfly-Green Bay WI

Tiger Swallowtail Two Rivers, WI on the Lake Michigan Beach

Queen Butterfly in Miller Canyon

Black Witch Moth-Biosphere 2 in Oracle

Gulf Fritillary Tucson Botanical Gardens around their pots
Checkered White Butterfly-Santa Cruz Wash, Tucson
Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly-Ash Canyon
Variegated Fritillary-Patagonia/Arivaca Trail
Zela Metalmark-Ramsey Canyon
Checkerspot-Miller Canyon

Tiger Moth-Montosa Canyon
Sara's Orange Tip-Redington Pass

Funeral Dusky Butterfly-Miller Canyon
Dicogaster Coronada
Spring Azure Butterfly-Ramsey Canyon
Apatelodes pudefacta
Mexican Fritillary-Arivaca-Patagonia Trail

Two Tail Swallowtail-Montosa Canyon



The Tucson Botanical Gardens opens up their Tropical Butterfly Display today! On October 8th, I'll be working in the greenhouse during the afternoon from noon until 3:30. Maybe I'll see you there?  But if you can't make it, take a look around you.  How many butterflies and moths do you see fluttering about?

29 comments:

  1. Wow, I'm going to return to take a longer look at these stunning looking butterflies another time. Just wanted to pop by and say thanks for your comments on my blog over the last while. I have appreciated them.

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  2. Wow, great post, Chris! I loved the photos and that you named all of the them. It helps a lot to see the name with the butterfly or moth. The Arizona Sister is gorgeous and a new one for me. Awesome photo, have a great day!

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  3. Dang, you have been very butterfly/moth observant. I see them more often than get photos. Nice shots all.

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  4. Lovely post Christ with some great photos. The butterflies are so colourful and I love the moths!!!!The Tiger Moth is my favourite but its so interesting to compare your species with ours though we get Comma and Painted Lady too. Sadly I don't remember see the latter this year :( Enjoy your afternoon at the Botanical Gardens.

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  5. Amazing how many butterflies and moths you've captured with your camera!

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  6. wow!!! what an assortment of flutter-bys!!!!
    they are all so beautiful!! wonderful pictures!!

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  7. Wow!! What a selection, I bet the Display will be fantastic, enjoy :-)

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  8. Oh, what an amazing collection, Chris! So many of these are new to me, I'm captivated by your Pheon Crescent, looks like stained glass, so beautiful!

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  9. If I had to make a choice I would go for the Checkered White Butterfly...

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  10. Menuda serie!!!.. Que bellas son y como nos alegran la vida.. Un cordial saludo..

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  11. great collection of pictures

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  12. A beautiful series of shots Chris!

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  13. You have so many varieties of butterflies where you are! I guess they prefer the heat to our frigid temperatures :( I love the way the sun lights up their wings making them look like fluttering bits of stained glass.

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  14. you got a great bunch, here! i love those queen butterflies. i get a few here. their color is so rich. swallowtails steal the show, too.

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  15. Są śliczne, jeden piękniejszy od drugiego, ale motyl z 17 zdjęcia od góry mnie urzekł. Pozdrawiam.
    They're beautiful, one more beautiful than the other, but the butterfly with the top 17 photos captivated me. Yours.

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  16. Extraordinary collection of beautiful butterflies.What a pleasure it has been to see them.:)

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  17. Wow! these are all wonderful to see... so much colour.

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  18. They are beautiful Chris, but, I love the last one, tremendous.

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  19. So many pretties! I have never seen the Queen butterfly so it has to be my favorite. It looks almost like monarchs. Lovely!

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  20. Love it - love it - love it... I am on bug wing overload!!:)

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  21. If I lived near, I would be there! Excellent photos; what an incredible variety! I saw about 5 different ones in my yard this weekend, but not one wanted to be still, for even a moment!

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  22. This collection of butterflies and moths is really something! You have so many varieties. Today it’s warm, and cool (compared to the summer), and I ‘m happy to see some visits of butterflies. It’s refreshing to watch them sitting on or flitting away from flower to flower but I can’t have warm thoughts toward caterpillars as they eat up the leaves of my favorite plants.

    Yoko

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  23. Outstanding series of butterflies, just gorgeous!

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  24. Chris, that is a lot of butterflies! Wow! Great pics once again! I love the Sarah's Orange Tip and the variegated Fritilarry!

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  25. Outstanding Chris, a very fine collection of butterfly images..You should be extremly proud of them, I certainly have enjoyed seeing them.

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  26. What a great collection of winged beauties! Amazing captures and colors.

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  27. Wow! What an AMAZING grouping of butterflies! You have captured so many with your camera, and they are all so beautiful! I have seen so many but haven't been successful taking pictures of them. It's good to hear that the Botanical Gardens is a good place to go to see them as well as flowers!

    BTW I am so sorry you missed the Shuttle flyover. How sad that you couldn't go outside to see it!

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  28. Beautiful display of butterflies.You've given me an idea to take a ride up to a butterfly conservatory in Mass during my vacation.

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  29. All I can say is, Wow! Well, and that I see nothing common about the Common Buckeye...very pretty.

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Thanks for stopping by!