Butterfly Macro Friday

It's Friday again! As a stay at home mom, I enjoy weekends with Hubby, but the perpetual Moday-dread I've had most of my life is gone. I love having adventures with the kiddos, too! Happy Friday!

So far this year the butterflies have not been as cooperative as they were last year, but I did manage to get a few shots this week.

Here is a male Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) who was posing outside my back door.

He didn't seem to mind my photographing him, but, even so, he didn't stay long.


Below is the dark morph female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.

She was really enjoying the monarda, but wouldn't hold still. She has a lovely solid (or nearly so) black body, which turned out blurring in all my shots.

The next butterfly pair took a lot of identifying. And I'm still not sure.
I *think* this is a pair of Pearl Crescents (Phyciodes tharos).

According to Butterflies and Moths of North America, they are quite variable, but the males usually have black antenna knobs. Black antenna knobs- check!

They also have those cute, little upturned "noses."

They are also quite pretty when they finally open their wings.

As always, you can click on any of the photos for a closer look.

Don't forget to
stop by

blogging from bolivia
to link up your own Macro Friday post!

-Susan

Macro Monday

Insects, anyone?
Spring is here and so are the bugs.
Here are some of my favorites from the last week.

Here is our Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly. Notice his red antennae.






I believe this to be a Spicebush Swallowtail.

Here is the underside of the same individual.




I think this is a female Twelve-spotted Skimmer.




Okay, I admit it. The above is an arachnid, not an insect.
I had never seen a red spider before.




This is a Six-spotted Tiger Beetle.
According to Enature, these guys bite. I didn't handle him to find out.

Stop by Lisa's Chaos to see what others have to share this Monday.

Edited to add more spider pictures:

-Susan

Macro Friday

We have had some lovely weather this week. Really, truly springtime weather- warm and sunny one day, rainy the next. It's perfect because we get to get out and enjoy just being outside and I don't have to worry about watering the plants.

Here are some macros of one of my favorite moths,
the Bumblebee Moth.



There have also been an abundance of Easter Tiger Swallowtails out and about.


I hope the weather is lovely wherever you are!

As always, you can click on any of the photos for a closer look.

Don't forget to
stop by

blogging from bolivia
to link up your own Macro Friday post!

-Susan

Wordless Wednesday

-Susan