July's the Time for a Butterfly Safari

Wildflowers are everywhere, and so are the butterflies. This Aphrodite Fritillary sucking nectar from a clover was very cooperative. Unlike several other buttefly varieties in the neighborhood recently, the Aphrodite is not camera-shy. It's smaller than a Swallowtail, but just as beautiful. On any sunny day in the past month, all I've had to do is stand still in a field or meadow and butterflies will appear. Hey, it's not only children who love to run through the grasses and wildflowers with a butterfly net in hand.

I've had no luck at all photographing the Monarchs that have been going insane with happiness over the flowering milkweed. They are so skittish--I've been more successful getting them to sit still for a moment during their September migration.