They look so bizarre up close in your pictures. I bet that was a cool experience. Nice photos

Those butterflies are absolutely beautiful.


My name is Rebekah

whoops... lost my post but will try again...
I am delighted I came across these photos tonight...these creatures are amazingly elusive and I'm amazed at these great shots.  So Beautiful.  We have some clover at this time too... and I love bees... Very nice!

just called a girlfriend that knows a little about butterflies to ask if this could be a less shy type... she just laughed, and said you were fortunate to get the shots in and wondered if you were in mountainous or hilly country... and I said don't know, but will check, all I knew is there is clover.... nonetheless... I really like your photos..

You'd better call her and tell her the dragonflies are friendly too, lol. I don't know what it is, the butterflies and now the dragonflies really seem very nice and are quite friendly. However the bees are another story- my son was mowing the back yard (or should I say clover patch?) and must have stepped on one, it stung him- on the bottom of his toe. After resting his foot in a bowl of mud he was as good as new. Guess who had to finish mowing the yard? I had to stop once for a butterfly, it was sitting in the clover. I thought it was great, I went and had a drink of my water while I waited for it to eat and run, or should I say fly?

It's very hilly here, we're kind of in the middle of two hills, which is great now but wait come winter. The backyard is extremely sunny come afternoon and that's pretty much when all our wildlife shows up. In the front we have several large gum trees and it's always shady. You should see the birds! Lots of cardinals. And bugs, lol, not that I don't like bugs but the ticks I can do without. Yesterday I pulled a giant beetle out of the cats water dish. If it's still around I'll take a picture of that, I thought it might revive and fly away so we'll see.

I'm glad you like the pictures, my family thinks I'm crazy with all the pictures I take but then cameras have been the great American pastime since they were invented!

Sorry about your son's sting... but you knew just what to do!  I, too, in the last few days, since seeing your photos here, have seen more butterflies... and they seem to linger... I got my camera and took a few photos.. but they are blurry!!!  I need to learn more on taking close ups - (I do reasonably okay for a large background area ) ... or perhaps a different camera.  I have hollyhock, lavatera, a couple of butterfly bushes and other flowers are blooming in my backyard now... and I am seeing more and more butterflies!  And lots of different types of bees and hummingbirds... I am concentrating on slowly getting this place as friendly to that sort of  'community' as possible!  I absolutely love your photos above....

Your place sounds lovely!  I have set up a few feeders and just really love the birds visiting too...

I hope the beetle is okay...  if you can get a pic, I'd like to see that!  Do you have finches?  I didn't so much until this year.. I put a finch feeder up and been feeding them thistle(?)... they are loving it and it has been wonderful to see them.  I'm glad you take pics... and have been popping in here recently to see what you come up with - I really appreciate seeing what others see in their areas....  thanks for sharing