Saturday, July 24, 2010

Butterfly in my Garden - Camera Critters #120

We were just pulling into our driveway when I spotted a huge butterfly fluttering around the perennial garden.  I mean, it was HUGE!  I whipped my camera out of my bag and crept up as close as I thought I could without startling it.  I needn't have worried...it was so absorbed in its task it didn't even notice me.

Got a couple of nice shots, I think, as it flew from flower to flower.





So as luck would have it, this is just in time for Camera Critters #120.    There are lots of wonderful photos of butterflies out there in blogland but I am throwing one more into the mix.


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Posted by CherylK at 8:36 PM
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30 comments:

  1. Wow, I have trouble getting photos with the wings open. These are excellent, and I love the blooms in the second one.
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  2. Your garden looks so lush and green. How could a butterfly resist? Lovely photos!
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  3. gorgeous butterfly shots...love the coloring...we are getting a lot of the blue and black this year...
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  4. So beautiful!! I haven't been able to capture that pretty of a butterfly yet this year.
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  5. Wow! What stunning shots of a huge butterfly! It's so pretty and colorful, I love the deep orange!
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  6. Oh wow, taht's very neat and clear capture of butterfly, it's beautiful creature and a pretty flower in the photo.
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  8. Such beautiful shots - You did a good job there :)
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  9. Wow, wonderful shots! Love the butterflies.
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  10. That butterfly looks like a toy it is so perfect and beautiful. What a good eye you have to see it as you are pulling in.
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  11. Such vibrant colors, these are truly exceptional photos.
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  12. Beautiful. Love the bit of background floral blue in the second photo.
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  13. Hey! That butterfly was in my yard just the other day! He sure travels! :)
    Gorgeous shots, Cheryl!
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  14. The butterfly is beautiful, and your flowers are looking good, too.
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  15. Well, thank you, everyone for the great comments! I was gone all day Saturday and Sunday and when I logged in this morning I was pleasantly surprised!

    Sue, I know what you mean about getting butterfly shots with the wings open. But this butterfly was just sitting there on each flower for several seconds so it wasn't my expertise with the camera...it was a butterfly who was really focused on it's job!

    Thanks, Adrienne. We've been lucky with rain, this year so the gardens have had lots of moisture. The nicest part is that it has rained at night, mostly, and the days have been sunny and warm. Perfect.

    Brian, I wonder what the blue and black butterflies are called? I've seen some that are lighter wings with dark markings but I don't think we've had the darker varieties. I think I'll treat myself to a butterfly book for reference!

    Thanks for the visit, Armyfamilyok! That Praying Mantis photo of yours is terrific, by the way.

    Darlin, I agree...the deep orange Monarchs are so pretty. Thanks.

    Siromade, thank you for stopping by my blog! Much appreciated.

    Thanks, Leah! A lucky shot for me, actually.

    Nikki-ann, thank you. It was as much luck as anything :-)

    Iowa Gardening Woman, so glad you enjoyed this post!

    TechnoBabe, thank you. For some reason I just caught the motion out of the corner of my eye so it was a great opportunity. Probably won't happen again in a million years - ha!

    Well, thank you very much, Poetic Shutterbug! You are kind.

    Teresa, I like the blue flowers, too. Thanks, my friend.

    Bag Lady, if a butterfly can make it all the way to South America, flying from your place to mine is probably a piece of cake - ha!!

    Janie, thanks much. I'm still in awe of your elk photos and Daisy. Makes me want to head out to Utah!
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  16. Incredibly beautiful photos! I know how tough it can be to get those critters to hold still and "pose" for the camera- Great captures!
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  17. Cheryl, these are GORGEOUS shots!! Every time I try to get too close it seems they fly away! I just think I need a zoom lens. ;)

    Our botanical gardens have a butterfly house, so it's always a relaxing bonus of hanging out in a gorgeous habitat while waiting for them to land on the flowers...
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  18. Hi Hannah! Wow...thanks! Luck had a lot to do with these shots, I must admit.

    Sami, thank you. My camera has a zoom lens but I find that even just using the regular lens and then cropping the photo when I load it to the computer works great. Give that a try :-)
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  19. Wonderful shots. Butterflies are so hard to capture (well, at least for me!)
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  20. You are lucky to have such large and beautiful butterflies where you live and you are skilled taking the superb photos.
    Maggie X

    Nuts in May
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  21. Thank you, Lady Fi. I'd like to claim that I'm a great photographer but must admit that I really was in the right place at the right time!

    Maggie, you are so right...I am lucky. We have lots of flowers that the butterflies love which is why there are so many of them. Thanks much for stopping by!
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  22. Beautiful. I don't have as many now as we use to have. Could be cause I don't have as many flowers or could be cats.....
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  23. Looks like you got a Monarch! What a beauty!
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  24. That is so beautiful - both the butterfly and the flowers. Great catch!
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  25. Those are beautiful photos.
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  26. I wish my garden was more inviting so as to entice lovely little flittering friends!
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  27. Wow! Perfect specimen, perfect shots! You should enter these in a professional contest!
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  28. Not only did you get great shots of the butterfly itself, you have such gorgeous colours in the background. Nicely done.
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  29. Could be cats...that's funny, Ramona!!

    Hi Kerri...yes, that's a Monarch. We have some really HUGE Monarchs, this year.

    Thanks for stopping, Sweet Harvey. So glad you enjoyed the photos.

    Hi Janell...thanks!

    Blueviolet, maybe you could plant a butterfly attracting flower or two...check out this link: http://butterflywebsite.com/butterflygardening.cfm

    ethelmae, thank you for the vote of confidence. You're a sweetie.

    Thanks, Hilary. I'm learning new things about photography every day and you've been a real inspiration with your gorgeous pics.
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  30. Such beautiful butterfly shots!
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