Chasing Butterflies on Lughnasadha

67 and cloudy this morning. Light showers, breezes interspersed with sunshine all morning and early afternoon.

Happy Lughnasadh! According to old Celtics tradition, this is the first day of fall, and usually it looks like it in our region, as we see tbe first tinged of yellow in trees and plants. Because of all the recent rain, everything is still verdant and green this year.

Still, we will see change begin. Days will cool more quickly in the evenings, and mornings will stay cool longer. The Joe Pye, Ironwood and goldenrod will soon be in bloom. And of course the days will be shorter. Paying attention to these changes makes me feel the rhythm of the year more keenly, and to appreciate the circle of life more deeply.

Perhaps the butterflies also feel change coming, for there have been many of them in the gardens, and a very busy. I spent some time while the sun was shining to try to catch photos of some of them. I missed the lone Monarch visitor but was thrilled to see it as these butterflies are a rare sight here.

Here are a few of the flutterers I saw:

I am not sure of the name of this one. Black, with blue and orange? I used to know it but now can't recall.

Where that elusive Monarch was, a split second before I snapped the picture. 

I believe this is a Summet Azure butterfly, very small and never stops moving long enough for a photo. 

One of the fritallaries, but I am not sure which one.

A tiger swallowtail. There was a similar black and white one too, that I missed.

It is surprising how much time disappeared as I wandered after the butterflies.  But what better way to lose an hour or so?

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