Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Lofty Intentions

 At the Tucson Botanical Gardens, you'll discover the tropical butterfly exhibit at Butterfly Magic.   The exhibit will be open until April 30th.  After that you'll have to wait until October....or you could go to the tropics.  That's fun as well:) 
The Postman Butterfly(Heliconius melpomene) found in Panama and parts of Mexico, South and Central America. 
 Most of the butterflies are shipped from parts of Africa, Australia, Central and South America.
 It was a nonbusy gardening day and I had to get some photo work done for a post on Rock Gardens this month.  It's easy to capture butterflies while they are on a flower, but todays photo shoot was about capturing them in flight.  And that is NOT easy.  I think they're harder to capture than most birds! 
The Cairns Birdwing Butterfly(Ornithoptera euphorion) This is a female. The butterflies are found on the Northeastern coast of Australia.
 If you visit the exhibit, remember that it does get warm inside the building and it's humid.  If you wear glasses or are planning on doing some photography, you'll need to give yourself some time to unfog your camera or eye lense:)
It's quite the show and everytime I go, I see something different.  While it was a challenge doing photography with A LOT of people inside, I got some shots that I'm okay with....don't ask what happened to the 400 + that weren't chosen for this post:)  More tomorrow.....

15 comments:

  1. To byłby raj dla mnie to zobaczyć . Pozdrawiam walentynkowo. *** That would be heaven for me to see it. Yours for valentine's day.

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  2. These are amazing shots of such beautiful butterflies!

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  3. Some really great photos there Chris of beautiful butterflies in flight. You did really well to capture them - its hard enough taking photos of them on flowers!

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  4. Butterflies are always so beautiful! I think it is a good choice for today!
    What i find amusing when walking in a Butterfly special enclosure it that you have to swerve between them as they tend to land everywhere including you! they might think we are a species of flower! :) Have a wonderful day! DeeBee

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  5. Ah, butterflies and hibiscus... a match made in heaven.

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  6. those look beautiful! needed that pop of color this morning! thanks!

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  7. are those your photos.....whoopie if so

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    1. Yes they are:) Thank you for the compliment. Hope you have a fun V-day today:) Dinner somewhere special? Or something special for dinner?

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  8. I haven't been this year, but I must go. I really want to see those huge moths.

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  9. Love your beautiful photographs and your thoughtful previous post too. There is real magic in those colourful compostions. Looking forward to more visits:~)

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  10. All lovely photos. Love the colors especially the red on the butterfly!!

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  11. Ha, I've a nice place full of butterflies, not very far from me, I must go and do some catching up. Thanks Chris, you have a good time.

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  12. Nice. I wonder why Phoenix only gets monarchs?

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  13. Your photos of the butterfly and flowers are simply stunning, Chris.

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  14. Haha, i smiled at your first photo and what you said about the 400+! I love butterflies next to orchids, and it is my preoccupation when i go to the province some weekends, chase butterflies. And you're very right, difficult to shoot when flying, actually some of them even continue fluttering when they alight on flowers. So you are already very good in getting those frozen photos here! hahaha!

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Thanks for stopping by!