Yellow and black honey bee perched on a green leaf in the garden. Pollen is seen attached to one of its legs.

chalkhill blue, Polyommatus coridon

After years of decline in the insect population in Germany, places with motifs for macro photography have become rare, especially outside the urban environment.

Thanks very much for your interest, fav or time to comment !!

I am finally beginning to see female monarchs emerge from the ones I am raising. So far I have released 3 females out of the 21 released to date. Bringing them into my screen lanai to raise has been very interesting. I have over 40 on the lanai in various stages and I have 35 tiny ones in a make shift habitat on my dining room table. It's a pretty good use for the dining room table since it is otherwise only used once about every two years or so when I host a holiday dinner. However, it will be nice when my husband finished building their proper habitat because I do like a neat, clean house and I have out of town company coming in less than two weeks. I am not sure they would appreciate all of the caterpillars on the table :) To be fair, they are contained and I clean the containers daily and it is my table.

I am starting to see the spicebush swallowtails more often now too. Butterfly season is getting off to a fantastic start.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

This beautiful queen butterfly seems to really enjoy the nectar from the blackberry lily also known as the leopard flower or leopard lily. A friend of mine gave me a bunch of seeds for this lily before she moved to Colorado. I spread them in several areas in the yard. Some areas the lily did no emerge and other areas they are doing great and have started seeding again.

I'm surprised how many different hoverflies there are.

I grew tired of chasing these guys trying to get just the right pose. So while I'm attempting to get the right framing for a shot I wanted, look who dropped in. Close up lens ready, I turned and snapped two quick shots before he joined his elusive brothers and sisters.

bee in flight

I thought dragonfly exuviae not sure which species, It is on the bird hide window frame.

Many thanks to you ALL for the views, faves and comments you make on my shots it is very appreciated

This was finished several times.

The spicebush swallowtail butterfly can usually be seen in early spring through December around here. I am happy that I have three of the bay trees they like to lay eggs on and plenty of nectar for them so they like to hang out in my yard. The bay trees volunteered in my yard, I have to say the birds must have brought them.

Lycaenidae

Pseudozizeeria maha ossa – Dakhan Pale Grass Blue

26-30 mm

My 100th photo on Flickr.

Sunshine with a chance of butterflies :)

In this video, there is one female that just eclosed and the males are all trying to be the lucky one to get to marry her. Zebra longwings and gulf fritillaries often pupate on their host vine. When they do that they look like a dead leaf until they emerge as a beautiful butterfly. This host vine is passiflora bi-flora, they also host on the corky stem, which is another passion vine.

Have a wonderful day and happy snapping.

The monarchs are continuing to do well in the garden. I have planted a ridiculous amount of milkweed for them. My original plans to collect and raise them the entire summer did not work out. During the three weeks when I had company I decided not to try and keep up with the demands of raising them inside so I could fully enjoy my company. Once everyone left, I did begin to bring in the caterpillars again. Some are eating, some have formed their J and will change to their chrysalis stage soon. Today the first three collected have eclosed and shall be released by noon. It looks like I will be able to release three to five monarchs daily for a while. I also have spicebush swallowtails, pipevine swallowtails, giants and gold rims inside at this time too. I hope you are all having a wonderful summer, happy snapping.

When a lovely lady flies into the yard, the boys start to gather. Monarchs are usually the first on scene, but they were busy with their own ladies.

The goldrim in this image seemed very confident in asking the lady giant for a date. Then a zebra longwing flew in to check her out as well. She ignored both of them as she continued to nectar. Low and behold, it did not take long for a male giant swallowtail to notice her. She noticed him as well. She stopped sipping the nectar and started flitting about in slow motion as the male giant followed.

The courting giants flitted and danced all over the yard and into the neighbors yards and back again. She agreed to be his wife and just as I was about to snap a honeymoon shot, a Carolina wren nearly snapped them up for dinner.

Fortunately for the giants, the lady chose her husband well. He whisked his new bride off before the wrens beak could clamp down on them. They finished their honeymoon on the screen lanai cover of my neighbors pool. It's not a butterfly paradise but it is pretty safe over there.

That particular neighbor is afraid of snakes and other than grass, they have one oak tree in the backyard. They are always telling me to keep my snakes in my own yard. As if I control the snakes that visit the yard:)

Have a beautiful day and happy snapping.

Lycaenidae

Caleta elna noliteia – Indo-Chinese Elbowed Pierrot

&

Caleta decidia – Angled Pierrot _ in front

Two different butterflies about to share the same flower

Telicota bambusae, the dark palm dart, is a grass skipper butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found in Sri Lanka and on Peninsular Malaysia.

Bläuling in beim Erwachen

Papilionidae

Papilio demoleus demoleus – Northern Lime Swallowtail

Wing span 80-100 mm

Papilionidae

Papilio demoleus demoleus – Northern Lime Swallowtail

Wing span 80-100 mm

Many thanks to you ALL for the views, faves and comments you make on my shots it is very appreciated

Although this is an image of a spicebush swallowtail enjoying nectar from one of the pentas, they are still laying eggs on the bay tree. Lots and lots of eggs. It seems to be a bit late in the year for this activity but the temps are still in the mid to upper 80's.

Thank you to everyone who views, faves or comments on my photos, it is always appreciated.

Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) - This photo was taken at the Butterfly Estates in Ft. Myers Florida. These beauties visit my yard and I do have the host plants they lay their eggs on. Wild lime is the preferred host plant but they will use citrus trees such as orange or lime. I don't think they like lemon because they don't touch my lemon tree.

Pieridae

Delias eucharis – Indian Jezebel

A hummingbird clearwing moth gathering nectar. They have hummingbird in their name because their wings beat fast like a humming birds and you need a fast shutter speed to see the wings.

Today it's all about the giants in the yard. There are a lot of other beauties as well but the giants have captured my attention today.

Many thanks to you ALL for the views, faves and comments you make on my shots it is very appreciated.

Papilionidae

Indian Spot Swordtail (Graphium nomius nomius)