Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Flutter-bys in Arizona

When I was little, I called butterflies "flutter-bys" because in my tiny, unformed brain, that was easier to pronounce. However, I maintain it's because it is more accurate than referring to them as flying butter.

I also called high heels "hee hiles" and the couch (chesterfield) was a "fester-eedle" but I digress.

I visited the butterfly museum in Arizona a couple of weeks ago, and it was pretty special. Except for the 102F temperature outside and extreme humidity inside the atrium where the butterflies lived. And the sweaty tourists with freaked out kids who kept ducking and swatting the butterflies like they were missiles.

And of course, this was the trip I did not bring my good camera. However, I had my trusty point and shoot. Settle yourself on the nearest fester-eedle, put your hee hiles up and take a gander, if you're so inclined.


Blue Morpho, the most beautiful one in my opinion, but also the most difficult one to photograph because they never stopped moving. Except this one. Which got tired. Or maybe it was on its last legs.

The King of Butterflies, the Monarch.

Parthenos Sylvia or Clipper Butterfly. I'd like to decorate a room in these colours. I find them very soothing.

Monarch.
Banded Peacock.

Another view of the Blue Morpho.







Arched-wing Cattleheart

This looked like it was made of plastic. It's called, appropriately enough, Greta Oto, the Costa Rica Clearwing.

 

8 comments:

Unknown said...

I just LOVE when you post! Those butterflies are breathtaking .... the clear winged one is incredible! We have a butterfly world here on the Peninsula and it too is amazing!

A Novel Woman said...

Next time I go with my trusty Nikon!

Julie K said...

Lovely, as always!

(I used to call the yard light the lard light...and an elephant was a hammer. Don't ask me, I was two-and-a-half years old.)

Jenny Watson said...

Beautiful!

nightsmusic said...

Beautiful pictures! I think you did a fine job with your trusty point and shoot. We have a butterfly house here at our zoo. I love to stroll through it and watch the flutterbies land on everyone. And I called them that too, still do. Taught my girls to.

We used to be in the flight path for the Monarch migration but they came through when I was in my teens and sprayed with DDT and we lost most all of our milkweed. It never really came back and neither did they.

Anonymous said...

I love the photos, wow, I can't imagine them possibly being more beautiful.
Dave called the (American) Sears Roebuck Catalogue, "Sears cattle buck Rolog"...hee, hee...

Anonymous said...

We must be related … I, along with a make-believe pal, "my friend girl" also called these beautiful Lepidopterans flutterbys and the furry brown ones "mosz".
Fabulous pix cuz.

jeanie said...

Pretty darned awesome shots anyhow!!

My grandma's joke was "Why did the butterfly flutter by? Because the bumblebee wouldn't let his bottom be."

It was very risque. And she did the above edit.