Wednesday, July 21, 2010

A butterfly pauses


Painted
London, ON, June 2010
[Click photo to embiggen]


Technically, this doesn't qualify as a summery photo because I took it just a couple of days before the season officially began. But I'm going to stretch things - again - because these lovely butterflies usually migrate through this area at the beginning of summer. I'm guessing this particular one didn't enter the itinerary into his (her?) BlackBerry and ended up leaving a few days early.

Which makes me glad, because I happened to be Right There when a friend called me over from the kids' school parking lot and told me to bring my camera. Of course, I had it on me, and was soon shooting this enormously gorgeous example of nature's engineering. The context was all wrong - deep shadows and gusty winds - but I shot enough different scenarios that I just had to get at least one keeper. And sure enough, here it is.

Your turn: What name should we give him/her? Feel free to suggest something.

10 comments:

Mark said...

Isn't this a moth? I'm not an expert at telling just by looking, but do you know for certain?

MorahMommy said...

I also think it's a moth, but gorgeous none the less!


xoxo

Mojo said...

yeah, the feather shape of the antennae say it's a moth. Who cares? It's beautiful and the composition is bang-on and besides... it doesn't know it's not a butterfly. Or care. And frankly I think the contrast in subject and context is awesome. I love it when nature plops something beautiful right in the middle of the concrete-steel-glass mess we make. Just to remind us how transient we are.

Yeah, this one's a keeper. Definitely.

CorvusCorax12 said...

what a beauty...can't think of a name

Prettypics123 said...

Carmi,
Thanks for coming by A Camp Host Housewife's Meanderings. I hope you stopped by my other blog - Levonne's Pretty Pics. I love your pictures and your style of writing. Those antennae on that moth are incredible! I am looking forward to following your blog! Do you work for a newspaper or magazine? (I see that you are a journalist.)

srp said...

He certainly looks fierce... hmm... perhaps Genghis Khan would fit.

Tracie Nall said...

I don't know what kind of butterfly or moth this is...but it is incredibly beautiful! I have never seen one like it before.

lissa said...

These, and butterflies, are the only insects I can stand. Moths are still iffy for me, but I'm getting better!

This photograph is sublime, Carmi!

PastormacsAnn said...

Wow, he is truly lovely, Carmi! What a wonderful capture and perched there on the brick - wonderful.

How about Jovan? (majestic) He sure is.

Heidi said...

Absolutely stunning photo!