15 Minutes
and 4 Butterflies
August 7, 2016
 


  I'm accustomed to wandering about here or there in the search of butterflies, and it is an entirely different sensation when butterflies arrive in my backyard. On Friday, four different types of butterflies appeared within 15 minutes of one another.

The first butterfly to catch my attention (actually, my cat's attention which alerted me) was a spicebush swallowtail (Papilio troilus) fluttering around my dwarf butterfly bush. I grabbed my camera and went outside.

 
Spicebush swallowtail
 
  Outside, I saw that along with the spicebush swallowtail, a silver-spotted skipper (Epargyreus clarus) was also enjoying the butterfly bush.
 
Silver-spotted skipper
 
  While I was photographing the two butterflies, a Peck's skipper (Polites peckius) arrived.
 
Peck's skipper
 
  As soon as I went back indoors (many photos later), a red-spotted purple (Limenitis arthemis) showed up. I dashed back outside.
 
Red-spotted purple
 
  All in all, it was a very good 15 minutes in my backyard at Cooper's Pond, State College, Pennsylvania.

Photo note: I used the Pentax K3, with the SMC-A* 200mm macro lens, on August 5, 2016.



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