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| Brown Clipper |
And so the Tucson Botanical Gardens begin another year of Butterfly Magic. On this day I was astounded by the new additions to the greenhouse! It was fun getting back to the docent work.
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| Great Mormon Butterfly |
We've had some new additions like the Great Mormon and Julia butterfly, but there were certainly more:) The best part this year is that the Butterfly Magic is included as part of the entrance fee at the gardens. So if you've never been to one of these events, it's worth checking out.
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| Julia Butterfly |
The butterflies of Southern Arizona are quite different from their tropical siblings. In essence, I sit studying charts and names to help me ID these beauties. I can point out our butterflies here in the desert but I still have a hard time with the tropicals. So today I studied the Great Mormon butterfly with great interest.
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| Birdwing Butterfly |
Of course some of the popular regulars include the Atlas Moth. I believe as of this write a Lunar Moth also went into the greenhouse. Another beauty in the moth world.
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| Atlas Moth |
So while things will hopefully cool off soon, this place will be warm and humid all year round. As a docent, we rotate out in 3 shifts over 3 hours. Entrance, educator, and Exit. This year I have several students volunteering from the high school and I hope they enjoy it as much I do.
If you live in Tucson and are interested in becoming a docent at the Tucson Botanical Gardens, contact
(520)326-9686, Ext. 39 or email education1@tucsonbotanical.org for more information. And as always, more tomorrow......
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| Lacewing Butterfly |
Posts
I think I must include a trip to this place on my next Arizona visit! Because I do love butterflies and these are some very unusual ones. Beautiful shots, Chris.
ReplyDeleteGreat photography Chris. The Tucson Botanical Gardens is a great place I think.
ReplyDeleteWow!!!!! Wonderful photos of some beautiful butterflies and as for the Atlas Moth - well I just love it :) Your volunteer work at the Botanical Gardens sounds fascinating and a great way to get close to these lovely flutters!
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is WOW. Gorgeous butterflies and I love the luna moth. Awesome photos! Hope you have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteMotyle są bajeczne.U nas takich nie ma, wiadomo. Dziękuję za pokazanie ich. Pozdrawiam.
ReplyDeleteButterflies are fabulous. We do not have such, you know. Thank you for showing them. Yours.
Qué belleza de mariposas!!!.. son unos seres excepcionales.. Enhorabuena por la imágenes.. Muy bonitas.. Un abrazo..
ReplyDeleteoh wOw!!!!! those are amazingly gorgeous shots of the butterflies!! the markings...on each one...just so awesome!!
ReplyDeletenature sure is full of breath taking surprises.
cool job...whether volunteering or getting paid...would be hard to leave!
Nature's little miracles! I just love these.
ReplyDeleteChris, you captured some stunning butterflies that I have never seen before. You are one patient photographer. Beautifully done my blogger friend :)
ReplyDeleteYou have captured some of the more colourful butterflies. The Atlas moth is spectacular in its pattern and size.
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed with the colouring of the Birdwing butterfly; red thorax and yellow abdomen.
These are gorgeous shots of the butterflies Chris!
ReplyDeleteThis was a real treat! You have highlighted so many beautiful butterflies....gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI have never seen the 'mormon' butterfly before!! Wow...it's marked beautifully.
ReplyDeleteAlso perused your previous post and loved the bird photos. Those turkey vultures....when I see them soaring high above, I'm wondering what is below.
All of those creatures are just spectacularly beautiful. Never heard of any of them until now.
ReplyDeletethey're such beautiful creatures. glad that you do this.
ReplyDeleteWhat beauties! The pictures are amazing :) Enjoy your time in the greenhouse, away from the bugs biting at your ankles.
ReplyDeleteFantastic set butterflies but the Atlas Moth has got to be my favourite :-)
ReplyDeleteButterfly markings fascinate me Chris, what a lovely series here, I so hope all your readers take the time to enlarge the shots, it's time very well spent.
ReplyDeleteThat atlas moth...wow! I missed you were a docent there, what a great place I will definitely revisit.
ReplyDeleteYesterday, I had to deeply soak in my MX Blue Sage, as it was wilted from being gone w/ no rain for 10 days. The moment I finished, a orange-black butterfly swooped in and fluttered on the wet soil for a while. May have saved it from dying - it's bad out there!
My gosh what beauties. Thank you for sharing these.
ReplyDeleteBUG WINGS!!! BuG wIngs! bUg WInGs!!!!
ReplyDeleteThese are Stunning. I have never seen the likes of these creatures. Your photography improves everyday!
Amazing variety of butterflies. We don't seem to have so many here in Ontario as you have in Arizona.
ReplyDeleteThat Great Mormon is WOW! All the colors and patterns make for wonderful eye candy, and the photos are great also.
ReplyDeleteHow long does this go on for?
Well hopefully until the end of the year...but we shall see:) I am slowing down on this end. It's been hard to keep up and with holidays arriving, it's going to be difficult:) But I'm going to try my best.
DeleteThese moths are absolutely incredible Chris. Our moths are nowhere near as flambouyant as these showstoppers.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, maybe when Magpie and I get together with Kathy next time we will just have to head down your way! Then you could kill 3 (old) birds with one stone! :-)
ReplyDeleteI just can't decide which butterfly and moth is my favorite. The Julia was amazing, but so is the lacewing and the Lunar Moth. Wow! great photos...OK, I think the Botanical gardens is my next excursion!
ReplyDeleteHey, who's Tracy calling an old bird...yea...that would be me. :)
ReplyDeleteHow do you get any docent work done with all this beauty around you??? I love that Great Mormon Butterfly! The contrast in color is amazing.