Butterflies, Needles, and Leaves

Dainty sulphur, Nathalis iole, Family Pieridae. Photographed outside a retention pond near the post office.

Says Bugguide.Net: "Resident in Guatemala north to peninsular Florida and the Southwest. Cannot survive cold winters, therefore every summer re-colonizes through the Great Plains to southeast Washington, southeast Idaho, Wyoming, and Minnesota." This is the smallest sulphur butterfly in North America. Feeds on dogweed, marigold, and other asters. "Males patrol a few inches above the ground in low areas for females," Bugguide continues. "Females lay eggs singly on leaves of host plant seedlings. Adults rest with wings closed and held perpendicular to the sun's rays to warm themselves."

This time of year the neighborhood is heavily populated with checkered whites. Here's another one.



Pontia protodice, Family Pieridae. Ranges throughout the southern United States and Mexico, according to Bugguide. The University of Florida states that this species "also colonizes northern states and occasionally parts of southern Canada. It is most common in disturbed areas where its favored host plants occur."

My late afternoon walk also yielded some lovely lighting conditions. I found these around the corner from the post office.


Large view


Large view


Large view





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