Friday, June 14, 2013

~~~Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly~~~

 I was getting a little envious of a fellow UK. blogger  who was posting all his gorgeous butterfly
photos  ; )...I hadn't even seen the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly yet this year!!

Usual when the Lilacs are in full bloom they have hatched , and are sucking up the sweet nectar!
The Lilacs blossom died of, and no Swallowtails!!

The last weekend in May I was at a  local Greenhouse and landscaping place,and there was Swallowtails everywhere !!  I mentioned it the lady working there , and she said that they had just started appearing that morning !!

When I got home I walked around the grounds, and sure enough they where flitting about
everywhere "Yeah"!!!

So here are some of the photo's I have had time to get, and get posted !


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 

I think this one has had a close call with a bird already by 
the looks of the chunk out of it's tail!!


This is what they where feeding heavy on!!
I call it wild Honeysuckle!!
 It grows all along the tree line to my property!!
In fall it is covered with red berries that the birds love!!

These have a wingspan at it's widest point of approx. 4 to 5 inches!!







This is another of there favorites growing on the property line, the Autumn Olive bush!!
It also has small berries in the fall that the birds love !!



A little PS I am having on then off  internet grief .....so I want to thank all who commented on my WBW post!!


Posted by at

25 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 14, 2013 at 2:15 PM

    very pretty little guy

    ReplyDelete
  2. TexWisGirlJune 14, 2013 at 2:40 PM

    glad you got to see and photograph them. love that honeysuckle!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Margaret Birding For PleasureJune 14, 2013 at 2:42 PM

    what a lovely butterfly. You captured it well. Margaret

    ReplyDelete
  4. DaveJune 14, 2013 at 2:54 PM

    A stunning Butterfly, always fantastic to see special specie such as these

    ReplyDelete
  5. eileeninmdJune 14, 2013 at 3:32 PM

    They are beautiful butterflies. Lovely blossoms and photos. Happy weekend to you!

    ReplyDelete
  6. KathrynJune 14, 2013 at 4:06 PM

    Now I can be envious of both you and Roy! Beautiful photos.

    ReplyDelete
  7. grammie gJune 14, 2013 at 4:43 PM

    Thanks so much Terry.. : )


    Thanks Teresa.. : )

    Thank you so much Margaret .. : )

    Thanks Dave...hopefully I will be seeing some others here soon!! : )


    Thanks Eileen...Aren't they though... : )


    Thanks so much Kathryn... How did you ever guess hahaha!!! ; )

    ReplyDelete
  8. Carole M.June 14, 2013 at 6:42 PM

    just love the photos - the swallowtails look so grand and 'fresh', colours strong. All the flowers happening too; what a treat for you.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Roy NorrisJune 14, 2013 at 7:05 PM

    Super images GG.
    You are lucky to have these close by.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Muffy's MarksJune 14, 2013 at 10:14 PM

    They are beautiful. We normally have them here too. Unfortunately not quite yet!!! Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos.

    ReplyDelete
  11. ArijaJune 15, 2013 at 2:00 AM

    Now if you walked around 'the grounds' Grace, you must a a sizeable garden. How big a patch do you look after? Unfortunately we don't have swallowtails here so it was doubly nice to see yours.

    ReplyDelete
  12. The HeraldJune 15, 2013 at 2:41 AM

    Hi Grace...That's a stunner of a butterfly, and you're lucky enough to have them in your back yard!! You got some lovely images, it's a shame that it was a little damaged though!...[;o)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Bob BushellJune 15, 2013 at 3:31 AM

    Beautiful butterfly, what else can I say. Grace, you're a genius.

    ReplyDelete
  14. grammie gJune 15, 2013 at 9:10 AM

    Thank so much Carole....they are very showy in the garden!! : )

    Thank you Roy...I see then all the time now,they are very busy, because they only live about a month!! : )


    Thanks Arija...I don't know how to tell you in anyway, but our system which would be 3 acres!!
    I'll have to figure that out for you : ) Maybe I will post some photo's sometime!!

    Thanks Trevor...Ya poor thing got nipped, but plenty around right now, so I'm trying for a better specimen ; )


    Thanks Bob..and your a
    sweetheart ; ) !!



    ReplyDelete
  15. Beatrice P. BoydJune 15, 2013 at 9:16 AM

    A few years ago, I spent the better part of the spring and summer photographing the varieties of butterflies in and around our VA home, so can appreciate all the colorful fun you have been having, Grace. I know there are slight variations in the male and female coloring a of the eastern swallowtail, one has more blue I believe...sorry forgot which is which.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Findlay WildeJune 15, 2013 at 12:10 PM

    They are stunning butterflies, I'd really like to see one. From Findlay

    ReplyDelete
  17. theconstantwalkerJune 15, 2013 at 3:07 PM

    Lovely images of a real beauty Grace...

    ReplyDelete
  18. DeniseinVAJune 15, 2013 at 10:53 PM

    Oh wow, gorgeous photos Grace!
    Denise
    An English Girl Rambles

    ReplyDelete
  19. DebbieJune 16, 2013 at 11:23 AM

    honeysuckle is the best!! it grows so wildly, requires no care and smells so beautiful!!

    it's a no wonder that the butterflies are attracted to it!!

    you got some great close-ups providing beautiful details!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. AlJune 16, 2013 at 8:15 PM

    What great shots of the butterfly, I've never had any success with that.

    ReplyDelete
  21. MoiCLouLouJune 17, 2013 at 10:54 AM

    Hi Grace,
    I too, love the butterflies! And like you, I didn't see them as early this year. They appeared about 1 to 2 weeks ago.
    Honeysuckle is great for them as well as for the hummingbirds. Picture #3 is not honeysuckle right? Nuber 4 is unless number 3 is white honeysuckle???
    Do you know what it is?
    A great series; hope you will see butterflies all summer long!
    Take care, Louise :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. PhioxeeJune 17, 2013 at 10:50 PM

    The butterfly is beautiful. The photos are lovely with those honeysuckle flowers.

    ReplyDelete
  23. MaryJune 19, 2013 at 9:35 PM

    Beautiful! I haven't seen many butterflies yet. Of course I don't have a beautiful garden like you do :-) I will have to get out looking for some somewhere.

    ReplyDelete
  24. grammie gJune 19, 2013 at 11:43 PM

    Thanks B.. : )

    Thanks Findlay...You will have to pay a visit to the states : )


    Thanks Denise : )


    Thanks Debbie .. : ) they do love that honeysuckle!!


    Thanks Al.. : )


    Thanks Louise... They are very white when they first bloom and turn that yellowish color in a day or two!! So #3 is honeysuckle and so is #4!! : )


    Thanks Phioxee.. : )

    Thanks Mary...I bet you have some lovely flower to : )

    ReplyDelete
  25. Cicero SingsJune 20, 2013 at 10:20 PM

    I believe I saw a swallowtail as I drove in the driveway today ... but it has been so rainy they must have been hidden undercover.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)