Monday 26 October 2009

Isn't she lovely....

The weather is still warm.....sunny days....blue skies.......an extended summer. a bonus for wildlife. This lovely little butterfly has been flitting around my garden for the last two weeks. She/he is easily disturbed and very hard to approach. By chance I managed to get two photographs today.......
Clouded yellow or Pale clouded yellow, I am not sure. Please note the tiny blue patch. She is very lovely.......can anyone help me identify her???

20 comments:

Roses and Lilacs said...

I've noticed some of the butterflies are really bothered by the infra red focusing beams on cameras. Some just will not tolerate it. That's a lovely little butterfly and she certainly looks to best advantage on that blue flower;)
Marnie

Liz said...

Lovely photos Cheryl, the pale clouded yellow is a rare migrant to this country so I would be more inclined to assume it's a Clouded yellow... Is that pessimstic of me???

Either way she's stunning :)

Rose said...

I'm no help in making a specific i.d., Cheryl; sorry. But I have noticed the sulphurs still flitting about my garden, too, in spite of the cooler temperatures. Yesterday I saw a Monarch fly through! Of course, I didn't have my camera, and I was so surprised to see one still here that I just watched it float through the air.

Cheryl said...

Hi Marnie....clouded yellows are known to be skittish....they very rarely settle for long.
Thank you for the info re infra red, that is very interesting.....

Cheryl said...

Hi Liz....No not pessimistic at all.....me I live in hope.
I guessed Clouded Yellow but was not 100 per cent certain.....

She is lovely though.....

Cheryl said...

Hi Rose....I nearly fell over my feet, rushing in to get the camera.
Butterflies are distracting....they have to be the prettiest of creatures.
I am pleased you still have some around......

Gail said...

Yes, she is very lovely! We have a very similar butterfly in our gardens Cheryl. They are such flirts! It seems that whenever I step outside...s/he comes flitting over to me. This afternoon, it seemed s/he even tried to land on me...but I was wearing purple! gail

Lisa at Greenbow said...

What a colorful photo of your beautiful butterfly Cheryl. It is fun to know what they are but you really don't need to know to enjoy them. At least that is what I tell myself when I can't figure out which one it is. tee hee...

Randy Emmitt said...

Cheryl,

If you were in the USA I would be able to ID this one. Perhaps you could just call it a Coleus spp. Beautiful anyway to me.

Wendy said...

Oh, so exquisite! She really is a lovely butterfly. I hope somebody can i.d. her for you.
Nice that you were able to get the photo.

beckie said...

Cheryl, what delightful photos. I have tried several times to get one to sit stiil and have had no luck. I would think Cloudless Sulpur, but no guide mentions a blue spot?? Your Verbena B. is still so pretty!

marmee said...

good evening cheryl,

love this little guy/gal. i was looking in my field guide and online...my two guesses would be mead's sulphur or southern dogface. i hope somebody that can just quickly say oh i know that is a such and such will help you id your little friend.
regardless enjoy and go glad you were able to get such great captures of this fast/shy butterfly.
happy autumn.

Q said...

Dear Cheryl,
Yes she is lovely...so very lovely.
Reminds me of the Orange Sulphurs in my area.
I also have a few butterflies and bees still in the garden. We have had a hard freeze but some flowers remain. I love seeing the wild violets tucked down in the grass.
I will miss the butterflies and bees. They are so beautiful!
Always hard for me to say goodbye to the bugs.
Stay strong,
Sherry

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Love the Verbena bonariensis... and the butterfly, too, of course!

Brenda Kay Ledford said...

Cheryl,
I can't identify the butterfly, but I sure enjoyed the photos of these beautiful butterflies. I love butterflies, but have trouble photographing them because they really get about. Great posting.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I don't know what your butterfly is, either, but it reminds me of a sulfur. I do recognize your verbena "on a stick".

I just got my approval to be a monarch waystation. I"m sad they seem to be gone for the season, but I was tickled to see them every day once they got here this summer.

ShySongbird said...

She is beautiful Cheryl, I have spent some time trying to make a positive ID and am still not certain but I think it is more likely to be a Clouded rather than Pale but I would be thrilled anyway, I have never seen one. How lovely to have one visit so late in the year!

Cheryl said...

How wonderful Sue....the monarchs are such beautiful butterflies....it is always sad to say goodbye to the bees and butterflies....

Cheryl said...

Hi Jan....thank you for your help, so kind.

I to have looked through books and on the internet and still am not 100 percent sure. Like you I am thinking Clouded Yellow.

She is, as you say, a lovely butterfly......

Miranda Bell said...

Hi Cheryl - love your photos - you're very lucky that they stayed still long enough for a picture - do you know we've had the same here in Brittany and I only saw a pair together in the nearby fields whilst out this morning - I'm pretty sure they are a Clouded Yellow... have a lovely weekend Miranda x