A beautiful, newly emerged tiger swallowtail showed up in our garage this week. He wasn't able to fly well yet, so he hung around to be photographed.My insect book says the larvae feed on willow, alder, sycamore and aspen. We have aspen lining the driveway, so that must be where his cocoon spent the winter.
Here's another butterfly friend. This one decided to rest on Mischief's mane.Of course, we think of butterflies being symbols of spring, all sweetness and light.
I hate to disillusion anyone, but I discovered that a butterfly's eating habits are not entirely pleasant. These guys are hogging up on ... coyote turdules!
I hate to disillusion anyone, but I discovered that a butterfly's eating habits are not entirely pleasant. These guys are hogging up on ... coyote turdules! 
To view an abundance of photogenic critters, click here.
Just gorgeous! I'm loving the double horsey & butterfly shot too:)
ReplyDeleteWhat pretty butterflies! The first one is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI seem to be losing my comments! The top photo is very attractive. The banner for your blog seems quite descriptive and reflects what you have written in your profile. Your life seems idyllic. Thanks for visiting my blog.
ReplyDeleteButterflies are cool, horses are cool, butterflies and horses together are double cool.
ReplyDeleteButterflies and coyote turds are interesting.
btw, I nominated your blog for best travel blog at "bloggerschoiceawards.com"
I see only a handful of these butterflies in a season. These are so new and perfect. Love the shot of the horse and butterfly!
ReplyDeleteButterflies are like magic. How special for you and Mischief. Love that first shot of the cooperative one, but also appreciate the last shot.
ReplyDeleteJanie: wonderful photos of the Tiger Swallowtail, I saw a Black Swallowtail today.
ReplyDeleteGreat series - I like the first one best. Beautiful! :-)
ReplyDeleteWonderful shots. I had no idea butterflies ate poop though! I may never kiss another butterfly on the lips :)
ReplyDeleteButterflies flitting about always brings squeals from the children!
ReplyDeleteThe first two are wonderful! As for the third one...I didn't know that butterflies had such a diet either!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful butterfly and what a beeeuuuutiful horse. Did you know that butterflies taste with their feet? Their taste sensors are located in the feet, and by standing on their food, they can taste it! Yikes on the coyotee poo, I always thought they liked fruit!!! ;)
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that butterflies can't fly at first. And Mischief is a beauty. That last photo...well I'm glad I ate before I saw it! LOL
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, that tiger swallowtail is STUNNING!
ReplyDeleteI am just going to go right on believing that butterflies only eat beautiful, nice-smelling things like flowers.. ;)
Lovely photographs. Yep, the butterflies are equal opportunity eaters. Sometimes flowers, sometimes poop!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos !!
ReplyDeleteThat first one is beautiful and the one of Mischief with a butterfly on her mane is awesome..
beautiful butterflies in the third one, but I don't think I'm ever going to have a butterfly settle on my hand, again, without wondering what their feet were last on !!! :-)
Really good photographs! I love seeing butterflies. We don't get many here in the UK compared with abroad, but ones we do have are shy being seen. What a lovely place you live!
ReplyDeleteLove Granny
It would be interesting to know what food or nutrients the butterflies were getting from coyote turds--maybe a sort of salt lick for them? Nature is a strange & mysterious place, and in relatively undisturbed systems, evolution does work out a balance over time so that little is "wasted."
ReplyDeleteThe photo of the tiger swallowtail is gorgeous -- very well done! I guess I prefer to think of butterflies without knowing too much about their dining habits!
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
ReplyDeleteabsurd and lovely sandy
ReplyDeleteYou did a top notch job capturing this tiger swallow tail!
ReplyDeletelovely captures!!
ReplyDeleteA selection of great photos. I never knew butterflies snacked on pooped either: dirty little monkeys!
ReplyDeleteThat yellow butterfly is a stunner. It probably almost never eats poop, probably only ambrosia or honeysuckle.
ReplyDelete