How is everyone doing for butterflies? Apart from the small white laying its eggs on the nasturium we haven't seen a whole lot about. Yesterday we had a peacock which we had in the earlier part of the year but not recently. There definately seems a shortage that not even the buddleia can attract them.
We took this pic of our lone peacock yesterday but look at what else it happening in the picture.

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Our bee numbers are not doing so badly. Here is a closer look.

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This post was last modified: 25-08-2007 05:24 PM by tibbar.

Beautiful!

Since my encounter with the honeybees on the horsemint, and the bumblebee on the dahlia, I have not seen any bees.

When I was young, it was always a marvel to see the huge Swallowtail butterflies in California, partially because they were so large, but mostly because they were very uncommon. Here it seems that virtually every butterfly seen is a Swallowtail. However, I haven't really seen many of those this year.

Kingfisher

On a bike ride yesterday I saw loads of butterflies, it must have been 20-30 in less than an hour which was brilliant. I didn't stop at all though so I can't tell you what they were unfortunately.

Great pictures.

Thanks, I keep looking at the bee as it makes me laugh to see how they tuck their legs in flight. I think I am about to become a bee fanatic. Shame about no pics from the butterflies.

This post was last modified: 26-08-2007 03:15 PM by tibbar.

That is a beautiful butterfly. Yesterday one similar to that but slightly lighter I think came into the kitchen and flew around us all for about ten minutes. It seemed like it was playing with us the way it would flutter closer and closer to our heads before zipping away! It was a gorgeous specimen, but I didn't have the camera there so I haven't got a picture of it either.

On a separate note, when photographing butterflies, is there a good technique to get them to open their wings while they have stopped or does it come down to luck? I often see brightly coloured ones that would be great for a photo, but when they settle down they tend to have their wings shut. Am I just unlucky?

I only use one method................stalk!!!!!!!!!! Seriously I know that moths land & their wings are horizontal & butteflies always put theirs up. We did get quite a few shots where the wings were up but as it was feeding it put it wings down . I think it is just patience or luck unless someone more experienced than us knows better. I would appreciate a few tips also.

There is nothing more frustrating than seeing a beautiful butterfly flying around and then when it lands it keeps it's wings firmly shut.

I don't have any tips on getting more shots with the wings open, I think that comes down to luck, but the most important thing when photographing them is being very quiet and smooth, even from some distance away as they are easily startled. Also, make sure you don't cast a shadow in the butterfly.

As tibbar and riana have said, stalking is the key! Disturbances, even if they are small and from a relatively long distance can startle the butterfly, so smooth movements are the order of the day!

Take lots of shots too, don't wait for the perfect one off shot as it is likely to fly away before you get it.