Butterfly
The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough. ~Rabindranath Tagore
Drinks provided – bring you own straw…. This is another shot from our garden. We are not absolutely sure of the right name, but we think this is an Ochlodes Venana, a skipper butterfly from the Hesperiidae family.
What ever name he’s got; he sure likes our nectar and he always brings his own straw!
![Emerald Swallowtail [Papilio palinurus]<br />
It is also referred to as Emerald Peacock or Green-banded Peacock Swallowtail.<br />
Did you know that there are approximately 20,000 species of butterflies in the world. About 725 species have occurred in North America north of Mexico. Go find them!](https://photos.smugmug.com/Macro/Butterfly/i-bgskVDK/0/34559304/Ti/butterfly%20green-Ti.jpg)
![Giant Owl butterfly, [Caligo eurilochus]
is a less colorful, but still very beautiful butterfly of which there are around 20 different species. They are one of the largest butterflies with a wingspan of up to 5 inches (12.5 cm).
The common name is derived from the presence of large <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eyespot_(mimicry)" target="_blank">"eyespots"</a> on the underside of the hindwings. To a human observer of dead butterflies pinned up in a collection, owl butterflies' underwings resemble the head of an owl when the butterfly is held head down. The eyespots are "false eyes" to scare smaller birds that attempt to prey on butterflies.](https://photos.smugmug.com/Macro/Butterfly/i-3Zf6dgf/0/e9a378dd/Ti/butterfly%20brown-Ti.jpg)
![Green Spotted Triangle [Graphium agamemnon]<br />
Just living is not enough,’ said the butterfly, ‘one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower. “ - H.C. Andersen – 1862 <br />
An adult butterfly has an average life-span of approximately one month. In the wild, most butterflieslives are shorter than this because of the dangers provided by predators, disease, and large objects, such as cars. The smallest butterflies may live only a week or so, while a few butterflies, such as Monarchs, Mourning Cloaks and tropical heliconians, can live up to nine months.<br />
.](https://photos.smugmug.com/Macro/Butterfly/i-wF4qQd7/0/7463c8ef/Ti/butterfly%20pink-Ti.jpg)
![Malachite butterfly [Siproeta stelenes]
is named after the mineral <a title="Malachite" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malachite">malachite</a>, which is similar in color to the green on the butterfly's wings. The wingspread is typically between 8.5 and 10 cm. The malachite is found throughout Central and northern South America, where it is one of the most common butterfly species. Its distribution extends as far north as southern Texas and the tip of Florida.
They have a rather fancy diet; Adults feed on flower nectar, rotting fruit, dead animals, and bat dung!](https://photos.smugmug.com/Macro/Butterfly/i-QFjSpDK/0/3175b6ac/Ti/Butterfly%20yellow-Ti.jpg)
![Tiger Longwing butterfly [Heliconius hecale]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Macro/Butterfly/i-sb69H7R/0/2b8fc436/Ti/Butterfly-Ti.jpg)
![Tiger Longwing butterfly [Heliconius hecale]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Macro/Butterfly/i-xS3BZwn/0/29c387e7/Ti/yellow%20butterfly%202-Ti.jpg)
![Tiger Longwing butterfly [Heliconius hecale]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Macro/Butterfly/i-cDcM86q/0/e9b14675/Ti/Sommerfugl-Ti.jpg)
