The desk in my studio faces a large picture window which gives me lots of great light and a great view of the flower beds I planted. While I simply adore flowers, I don't possess an ounce of botanical talent. My husband, however, is the "Mr. Green Jeans." So for me to have planted a couple of flower beds of perennials is a very rare occurrence indeed. This afternoon while painting, I looked out the window and saw dozens of butterflies flitting around my flowers. After about thirty minutes or so, I could not longer fight the urge to grab my camera and go outside. I don't know if you've ever tried to photography a flutterby, but it's not that easy. They really don't care about posing for you to immortalize them on film. They are more intent on drinking nectar, and they are fast too. If I were a butterfly, I'd find one flower, take a load off and rest while drinking my fill. I mean seriously, what's with this take a sip, fly away, sip from another flower, fly away and then come back to the first flower thing anyway? I'm just saying, they've got that cool narrow tube in their mouth that acts like a straw, so what's with all the flitting? I know a few things about butterflies, for instance that tube they use to drink nectar with is called a proboscis. And did you know that butterflies can taste with their feet.? They have six legs and they each have sensors on them that can tell just by landing on a flower what it taste like. Anyway, I got some pretty good shots.
The Gulf Fritillary
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