Wednesday, October 28, 2015

The Elusive Clouded Sulphur


At last! I've been trying for weeks to get a shot of this lone yellow butter fly that has been hanging out in our entryway. 



Every time I approached it, it fluttered up into the trees and
disappeared.


A few days ago I looked out the kitchen window and saw Ol' Yeller sitting on a snapdragon by the greenhouse door. I grabbed my camera and dashed out -- no butterfly. But I checked out the Pineapple Sage, where I've seen him (or her) before. 


I didn't see it at first. These butterflies keep their wings folded when they land and, as the Pineapple Sage's leaves are almost the same yellow, my quarry was well camouflaged.


 

But at long last, I got the picture!


Several of them.

Small victories....






10 comments:

Ms. A said...

Good catch! I can sure see why it would be hard to spot!

Thérèse said...

He or she seems to be a butterfly always on the run, autumn and winter are not too nice to them. I am amazed they are still around.

Jay St Vincent said...

Lovely shots, Vicki! I have been chasing three around my yard flowers for the last week! They are beautiful and elusive.

Deanna said...

So delicate.
Deanna

Barbara Rogers said...

Good hunting, Ms. Photojournalist!

Frances said...

Vicki, isn't it great to have interest and patience rewarded? That elusive yellow butterfly is a beauty, as is the pineapple sage. I'm not sure I ever knew of that plant before. Now I will be on the lookout for its brilliant red floweer...with a graceful flying yellow accent.

Your photographs are very fine. xo

Vicki Lane said...

Frances, Pineapple Sage leaves smell just like . . .pineapple! And the red flowers are a butterfly/humming bird magnet. I overwintered this plant in the greenhouse last year which is why it's so big. They aren't cold hardy.

jennyfreckles said...

Worth the effort, Vicki. What a pretty colour, it's a delicate looking butterfly. I've never seen pineapple sage either, it's very attractive.

Frances said...

Vicki, thank you so much for that additional info about the sage with the beautiful red flowers and a pineapple ! scent. Please do take these beauties into your greenhouse again this winter.

The butterflies and humming birds will thank you, and I'd also like to see them again in 2016. xo

NCmountainwoman said...

Small victories can often be the most satisfying. We've had an errant Rose-breasted Grosbeak hanging around, far too late for him to be here. He senses when I grab the camera. I'd so love to catch a shot of him.