Congrats, Laura!
I rarely ever see painted ladies here.
What's the variety of the pale pink butterfly bush? It's pretty!
Sherry

Shoot, Sherry. You would ask me. I actually have no idea. Isn't that terrible??? I bought it at a Plant Festival two years ago and it was just in a little bitty container with no label. The lady who sold it to me also sold me the purple one.

When I buy plants with tags or labels I save them, but a lot of times at those little festivals, they don't label the plants and I was so excited to just find something different than purple that I jumped on the chance and forgot to ask questions!

~Laura

This one visted me on July 8th. Let me take a few photos with my camera right next to it.

{{gwi:500872}}

WOW! That picture is fabulous, KC! You can see every detail of the sulphur, even the green eyes!
Thanks for posting this one!
Sherry

Exceptional photo, KC!

Your photo is lovely KC - thanks for sharing it!

~Laura

Thanks for the kudos. All you need is a cooperative butterfly, and those can be tough to come by. There is a little blue something out on my boneset right now. Totally ignores the coneflowers, maculatum, fistulom, coreopsis, and roses (ignore my spelling if I screwed up some of those) that are also right there. Just loves the boneset (Eupatorium type). But it has absolutely no interest in letting me get near it let alone posing for a shot like the sulphur did. I need Jean's camera setup for these uncooperative types.

On the plus side, I found some monarch eggs on my Sullivant's milkweed. Besides the monarchs I've released, I've seen maybe two monarchs in my yard this year. But as long as they sneak in and leave me eggs, I'm a happy camper.

I hear ya! I am always happpy to get anything that will stay still long enough for a pose or two for the camera. I managed to get 150+ shots of the Tiger Swallowtail as he was particularly cooperative! :-)

I have found myself literally almost laying in wait for butterflies - sitting outside, being as still as possible just waiting for something to land so I can photograph.

~Laura

Laura, Congrats on the butterflies. We are having a good summer for the leps. I think they are really seeking out the nectar in this heat. I also think you've got it bad!! I remember doing the same thing. These days, I can't handle the heat as well.

KC, love the photo!

LOL - I *DO* have it bad. I admit it! I am hooked. Completely and totally hooked. Fortunately my husband and kids seem to be interested as well and so when I ask my hubby to help me put in more garden space or plant more flowers, he doesn't mind. :-) Also, he is starting to make suggestions based on his own observations - telling me he's paying even more attention than I realized! Yay!
~Laura

did anyone figure the species of Laura's second picture? I think I saw the same butterfly nectaring on our common milkweed last week. I don't think I've ever seen one before.

Great pictures KC and Laura. KC is right about finding cooperative butterflies. The MOST cooperative species I've found is the red admiral. Last summer, they would literally let me stand right over them while they were nectaring on latris spicata.

The worst? Mourning Cloaks....AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

My guess is that the 2nd picture is a Silver Spotted Skipper. I had several last year - this was the first one I have seen so far this year.

~Laura

Wow! Gorgeous pictures from both of you.

KC, get your camouflage netting out and drape it over your head (with holes positioned for the eyes) and you will be able to walk right up to them - your neighbors might think you're nuts but you'll get that shot!

KC, what kind of camera and lens are you using? Tony

Silver Spotted Skipper Epargyreus clarus is #2. Great pictures all!

Jeff

My camera is a Canon PowerShot A720IS. Using the lens that came with the camera. Bought it June 2008.

I've been very pleased with the macro shots I get with the camera. With this sulphur, I just put the camera in macro mode, held the camera right next to the butterfly, let it autofocus and snapped the pic. All the pics I took of this butterfly turned out very well. The linked pic is the one that got closest to the butterfly so it shows the most detail (pic has been cropped a little). My wife thought the pic I posted was the best because it showed more of the flowers.

My camera before this one was a Kodak DC280 Zoom. It was miracle if my macro photos were in focus. Used the camera for seven years and never could figure out why once in a great while, a macro shot actually worked.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:500865}}

You are getting a really nice shot! I am using a DSLR - Nikon D40 and having to do manual focus because I dropped my lens! Oops! I have two 300mm zoom lenses but one is in the shop for repair (it has a macro feature.) Hopefully when I get it back my pictures will be a little more clear. It also doesn't help that I'm taking photos in this darn Oklahoma wind. Feels like a convection oven outside!
~Laura

I have a nikon d60 with the 18-55mm lens. While I've gotten some decent pictures with it, I am really sick of carrying around a bulkier camera. I think it's time to downgrade (upgrade?) to a point and shoot nikon or canon with macro abilities. The quality of many of your p & s photos is amazing!

This appears to be the best reviewed p & s on amazon and it also has full HD video capability.

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-COOLPIX-P300-Wide-Angle-Black/dp/B004M8SVGG/ref=sr_1_6?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1310920878&sr=1-6

has anyone used this camera? Tony