A Red Admiral butterfly. Poor little thing, it's wings are tattered and torn. It's amazing to me how butterflies can fly in the first place, but to see them fly with wings in such bad shape is intriguing. I wouldn't want to fly in a plane that had tattered wings!
I've read that Red Admiral butterflies may stay year round in mild climates, even in northern climates if the winter is mild. I wonder if it's been here its entire life, or if it immigrated from the north, or if it's even coming up from the south! I guess I will never know where this little one has been before now.
Even without answers, I loved seeing this little guy (or gal). And even though the pictures aren't great, it was a fun experience. One I wouldn't have noticed before I started blogging!
I can't even imagine seeing a butterfly in the winter. You are so fortunate to have had your camera with you.
ReplyDeleteCher
I love seeing all the butterflies. I think we have that one here in Austin as well- looks just like it anyway. I am not a butterfly expert but I do love to watch them. It was 76 degrees here yesterday- nuts. Texas weather. You just never know. haha.
ReplyDeleteHow lucky that you ventured outside today or you would have missed it! I love them and look forward to seeing them each spring. Butterflies don't stand a chance at life during a Michigan winter. I'm happy you were able to enjoy the visit ~Debra
ReplyDeleteI saw a Monarch just the other day hanging on my Lamb's Ear. He was not moving a whole lot, so I got some great pictures, but I fear he was not long for this world. Yes, blogging does prompt us to pay a little more attention to our gardens, doesn't it...always looking for the next posting opportunity :-) Before it was just a butterfly in your garden; now it's a POST!
ReplyDeleteOh how lovely Holley!! I haven't managed to capture A butterfly yet on camera, they just kinda flutter around me. Maybe I'll get lucky in winter too :)
ReplyDeleteThat's one of the nice effects of being a regular blogger, you get to notice a lot of things a bit more as you search for inspirational things to blog about :)
ReplyDeleteThat's really nice. I love butterflies. Must admit, I carry a camera outside with me all the time now. Before I started blogging, the camera spent most of the time in its box, and was never around for those 'wish I had my camera with me' moments.
ReplyDeleteDear Holley, oooh my, how toughing to see a butterfly in the middle of the winter. I wonder what has happened to him that the wings are so damaged. You are right blogging can make you have a closer look at what is really happening in the garden. That is one of the great things that come with it! Have a wonderful rest of the Sunday!
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A butterfly in winter? How incredible! It looked grateful for those pansies. :o) Thanks for your kind words on my last post.
ReplyDeleteWay to go Holley! It just goes to show that we never know what we might see venturing into our gardens any time of the year.
ReplyDeleteHugs ~ FlowerLady
Blogging does get you out in that garden even in the middle of the winter. So fortunate for you to see a butterfly...a nice surprise in the winter months! Thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteCher - I almost couldn't believe it, either. I'm glad I had my camera so I could prove it - and not think it was a mirage!
ReplyDeletekacky - It has been wonderful this past week. I wouldn't mind if we didn't have a winter this year!
Debra - I really was surprised to see a butterfly in the middle of winter! It looked like it had traveled a long way. I hope it gets to wherever it's going safely.
Toni - Shouldn't he have been in Mexico by now? I wonder if the warm weather is confusing the butterflies, too!
Gardening Blog - That's why I only have two pictures, both not so good. He decided to fly off right after that - for funny little flutterers, they can be gone in a flash!
Mark and Gaz - And isn't it great that the garden always provides a joy of some sort to blog about!
Crystal - I never took pictures before I started blogging! That was my husband's job. Now, I just take pictures of my garden. Everything else is still my husband's job! (He's much better at it than I am.)
Christina - I used to think I looked closely at my garden, but no, I didn't. When I started taking my camera out there is when I really started looking at my garden! And although it's never perfect, it gives me much more pleasure.
Casa Mariposa - I don't know how he found me, but I hope those pansies supplied him with enough fortitude to last him through his journey's end.
FlowerLady - I think you see butterflies all year round, don't you? But I usually don't see one until spring! I did love this special sighting.
Landscape Design by Lee - I think that's part of the reason I love my garden even more now that I've started blogging. I have to go out, and it always has a delight for me!
I too am glad you are blogging! My son found a fritillary recently, it was sleepy and he walked around with it sitting on his head for awhile. He left it on a milkweed plant overnight, and it was gone the next morning.
ReplyDeleteIf I hadn't started blogging I know I would be missing out on so much that's going on in the garden. I've often seen butterflies with rather ragged looking wings here in my garden too, and I've wondered how they fly so well!
ReplyDeleteMasha - What a great memory for your son! And I bet it loved being placed on its favorite plant!
ReplyDeleteBernie H - I, too, think I would be missing out on so much if I didn't have to slow down and really 'see' the garden, and blogging helps with that. Poor little butterflies. They must really be much stronger than we give them credit for.
How serendipitous for you! It's amazing how I look at things differently now that I'm a blogger. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteVery cool. Lol, I blame blogging for a lot of things!
ReplyDeleteBlogging and gardening could have been tailor-made for each other. I wonder if people with cooking blogs feel the same way--much more attentive and observant and like they don't dare put the camera down, just in case...
ReplyDeleteGirlSprout - I agree. We see the tiniest things now. Too bad we don't always see that hose that creeps into the pictures sometimes! :)
ReplyDeletehundredsofideas - hahaha Yes, me too!
Stacy - I never thought about it, but I bet you're right. I bet not only cooking blogs, but mommy blogs, too. I love that blogging makes people stop and see the little things that they love.
Hi Holley, I often find Red Admirals when I'm chopping firewood. They seem to love the dry logs as a place to overwinter. And I always try and have my camera with me too!
ReplyDeleteSo great to capture all the wonderful visitors our gardens get! Well done! I know that butterflies can travel great distances - some say! I also see a few fluttering by! Red Admiral is not a familiar breed here. Will have to do some research.
ReplyDeleteI blame it on blogging too. I have paid more attention to things outside: weather, sun and moon patterns as well as attention to detail more because of blogging.
ReplyDeleteDavid - How exciting! I didn't realize you had Red Admirals there! I'll have to start looking for them around old logs.
ReplyDeleteGardening Blog - I wonder how far this poor one has traveled. Red Admiral is supposedly very common here, but I don't know if it's they're in your neck of the woods!
Donna - And I think those moments where we really pay attention not only make us much more aware of all our surroundings, but also make time go by more slowly, too.
I don't know which is more amazing the butterflies that migrate or the ones that overwinter.There is a whole world to be observed in the garden. Most people have no idea what they are missing. Isn't it great to be a garden blogger?
ReplyDeleteBecky - And I don't know if this butterfly normally overwinters here, or was traveling. I do think we are much more observant about nature and its many wonders, and yes, it's great!
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