Giant Swallowtail

[marlingardener]

A Giant Swallowtail has been visiting our zinnias for a while, but they are so "fluttery" that they are hard to photograph. My patient husband with a quick finger on the camera button got this photo this morning:

 

[alp]

Very pretty. I was trying to capture a butterfly which has a blue edge to the bottom end of the wings. Needless to say, it flew off.

It looks like this one

I'm going to have my siesta. See you later. It's hell and the heat just makes me want to sleep!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

but they are so "fluttery" that they are hard to photograph.

I've had the same experience with Giant Swallowtails. They never stop moving!

 

[alp]

Such a big butterfly. We can only see butterflies of this size in a butterfly farm! You are sooooooo lucky!

 

[roadrunner]

I mostly get monarch butterflies in my yard...A LOT!

However, I've been putting in more and more variety of plants to attract other species and have noticed an increase this year in the giant swallowtails and others. BTW, they seem to really like the Mexican sunflower plant.

And now I'm noticing humming birds starting to show up, but I've yet to be able to get a pic, for the same reason -- they never seem to stop moving.

Now when I take my camera outside I put in on max shutter speed.

 

[alp]

they seem to really like the Mexican sunflower plant.

! Might be too late for me to grow them on. Tomorrow morning, I will direct sow them. They are gorgeous. I really like orange flowers!

 

[roadrunner]

I mostly get monarch butterflies in my yard...A LOT!

However, I've been putting in more and more variety of plants to attract other species and have noticed an increase this year in the giant swallowtails and others. BTW, they seem to really like the Mexican sunflower plant.

And now I'm noticing humming birds starting to show up, but I've yet to be able to get a pic, for the same reason -- they never seem to stop moving.

Now when I take my camera outside I put in on max shutter speed.

Finally got the chance to take a pic, only because these two were staying in the same general area for so long, so I had time (with much time to spare) to go get my camera.

I don't know what's going on here, but it seems to me that the butterfly with the torn up wings is the male and the female is with the pretty wings. The "female" was going from flower to flower (Mexican sunflowers) while the "male" was just fluttering behind her, it was almost as if he was chasing her from flower to flower, but she kept coming back to the same group of flowers

Maybe someone here can explain what was going on...

And this is just the "male" getting a sip of nectar after chasing around the "female"; it's the only time I saw him sit still, but shortly after he was back at it chasing his prize.

 

[DeborahJane]

Wonderful series of "the chase" roadrunner. I'd love to know the ritual too

 

[alp]

Wonders of nature. Never seen in the UK, apart from Butterfly farm. Thank you for sharing, @roadrunner !