This lovely visitor to my Zinnias gave me an idea for a post today. This is a Red Admiral, or Red Admirable, as it apparently first was called. I was puttering outside when I saw it alight and I ran in to get my camera. At first I stayed a few feet away and took a picture, then I got bolder and came right close as you can see from the second pic.
I wonder if I've shared my Butterfly collection before. I don't think I have. This cupboard is in the sunroom but NOT in the sunshine since that is the one thing that will fade the colours. On the very top is a collection of local butterflies I made years ago. On the bottom shelf, the green one on the left is from New Guinea and the two on the right of that shelf are from China and Peru. This was my first set of Butterflies gifted to me by my youngest son. Since then I have added many more.
This is not a good pic of this pretty green one from Sulawesi ( I think that's what is written on the back.) Each framed butterfly comes with a certificate pasted on the back which identifies it and also assures that none of them were taken from the wild. They are raised in "Butterfly Farms". Can you imagine these big butterflies flying around you?
Of course that started me on yet another collection. The oval plates that they are resting on have colourful Moth motifs. Those were a gift from one of my daughters, as was the metal Dragonfly hanging behind.
Thanks for popping by today. As usual I love to have you comment so I know you were here.
Granny Marigold
What an impressive collection of butterflies you have! Over what period of time have you been collecting? And your zinnias are truly lovely - in particular the one on which your Red Admiral is resting - did you grow them from seed or did you buy them from the greenhouse?
ReplyDeleteEllabie
Oh my! I can't remember exactly when I got those first butterflies from G., maybe 8 years ago? The zinnias did very well this year, with all the sunshine we've had. I grew them from seed and will again next Spring but will look for shorter ones. These are very tall!!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous collection! ys
ReplyDeleteLisa, I don't think that it was furry, that was probably me shaking the camera in my excitement. It truly was gorgeous and we see so few pretty butterflies around here. Lots of the Cabbage Whites but they're so plain and, well, white.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like I not only can't hold my camera still, I also accidentally deleted your comment, Lisa. So sorry.
ReplyDeleteYour collection is SO impressive, actually a little overwhelming to me -- I don't know where to start admiring which lovely butterfly. So I will pick out my favorite: the last one in line, the yellow with orange tipped wings. Very demure and elegant...
ReplyDeleteBut the living, pulsing butterfly on your zinnia - that one is spectacular. What a colorful picture the flora and fauna make in that shot.