My Best Butterfly Photos: Part II

Part II:

Black Swallowtail

Black Veined White

Blue and White Heliconian

Blue Clipper

Blue Morpho

Blue Morpho

Blue Tiger

Blue Triangle

Brown Clipper

Still Singing the Blues: Blue Morpho

As mentioned yesterday, while the ventral side of the Blue Morpho is brown with large eyespots, the dorsal side is quite blue --- and here's the proof. They are a challenge to photograph though. The Blue Morpho flitters about constantly and when they do land the wings are open only for a split second. Then the wings close (as in yesterday's photo) and rarely open again. So you have one shot.

Blue Morpho

Continuing the Blues: Blue Morpho

Live butterfly exhibits, like the one at the Tucson Botanical Garden provide wonderful opportunities for the photographer. Its exhibit runs from October to April with butterflies from different parts of the world every month. Not only the beautiful colors of the butterfly, but the flowering plants as well. Today's "5" Star photo comes from the TBG and is of the Blue Morpho. No blue on the ventral side, but as you will see with tomorrow's photo the dorsal side is a rich blue color. The ventral side has amazing patterns of eyespots. The Blue Morpho lives in the tropical America's. It's entire life cycle from egg to death is about 115 days.

Blue Morpho

Blue Morpho

As you enter the greenhouse where the butterflies are (at the Tucson Botanical Garden) the first thing you notice -- other than the 93 degree heat and 95 degree humidity -- are dozens of large blue butterflies flying around. The Blue Morpho is a resident of the Central and South American Tropics. Their wingbeat is decidedly slow so they almost look animated. They never seem to land anywhere -- although there are many that have. You just don't see them land. When they are at rest their wings are closed and you would never know that the dorsal side of the wings are blue. If you are patient, occasionally you can find one with its wings open as in the first photo. But as with the second photo you can see how intricate its ventral (under) wings are with several "eyespots". (If you click on the photo you can see it enlarged).

Blue Morpho

Blue Morpho

Butterflies - Part VI

I must have talked myself into another trip to the Tucson Botanical Garden -- because, off I went to see this year's Butterfly Magic. Here are some of my NEW Butterfly photos:

Banded Bamboo

Blue Morpho

Brown Clipper

Next is the Indian Dead Leaf which looks like a deaf leaf in the following photo:

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But notice how the Indian Dead Leaf looks when he spreads his wings out:

Indian Dead Leaf

Butterflies

Although our "Butterfly Season" is essentially over, it has just begun at the Tucson Botanical Gardens. TBC has a Butterfly Magic Festival each year from October 10th to April 30th. Each month a new group of Butterflies from some part of the world: Africa, Asia, the Tropics, the Americas, Australia, etc. are brought to the Gardens.

Plants native and important to those Butterflies also are brought in. All of the butterflies in the Gardens’ exhibit are hatched from eggs and live as caterpillars in butterfly farms in tropical parts of the world. When the caterpillars change into the pupae or resting stage, they are carefully counted, labeled and packed. In the pupae stage of the butterfly life cycle, no food is required so they can survive the two or three day trip to Tucson. Once they arrive at the Gardens they are housed in a climate controlled environment which allows them to emerge naturally from their pupae. (This emerging room is visible through a glass window). They are then transferred to the Greenhouse where they are released to fly free in a beautiful tropical environment. 

It is here where you can walk amongst them. Great care is taken as you enter and as you leave to ensure that none of these "non-native" butterflies escapes into our Southern Arizona world.

This is a photographer's paradise -- especially, if you are just learning or beginning to shoot wildlife photos. These Butterflies certainly aren't hard to find, there are hundreds of them. They will land on your head, shoulders, or a pant leg.  Their colors are often brilliant; they sit still for photos; and they are often on or near beautiful flowers. What more can you ask for?

Here are a few that I have taken over the past few years:

Asian Swallowtail

Blue Clipper

Blue Morpho

Atlas Moth

Arcas Cattleheart Mating

Banded Orange