Bees & Butterfly Weed

I'm continuing my test of the iPhone for nature photography and videography. This piece was shot using the stock lens at 240 fps, replayed at 30 fps. Audio was also recorded at the time of capture. I used creative license and put the best buzzing at each of the flight times, along with dropping the level of background audio. New lens attachments are being tested and there will be a video available next week.

For those of you who are more interested in still photography I have started using Flickr regularly and can be found at:

Flickr Photostream

As always, just sharing my love of nature.

Enjoy,

Dale

Prairie Colors

Now is the time to visit the tall grass prairie! The colors are brilliant and match the rainbow in variety.  Phlox are past peak but still present.  Butterfly weed is at peak and the yellows are just starting with coriopsis. Early morning dew adds to interest and the wind is usually less. Enjoy.

So much food, so little time.

The orange is overwhelming as the is its food supply for the butterflies and bees that cover it. I chose to use a wide angle lens instead of the usual macro lens to show the diminutive size of the butterfly on the flower and make the most of the morning colors.

Butterfly Breakfast

It was 46 degrees when I woke up this morning, way too cold for butterflies. I finally went out when it hit 55 degrees and found a couple hairstreaks feeding on a dew covered butterfly weed. I settled for the butterfly after getting frustrated trying to capture a bumblebee in flight as it moved from flower to flower.

The Next Generation

With all the talk of the demise of the monarch butterfly it is refreshing to see a new caterpillar, it is even on a native plant. This guy was blowing in the wind yesterday trying to find a juicy leaf.

Still Chasing Butterflies

I was wandering yesterday afternoon and came across a couple butterflies.  This pearl crescent held still for a minute allowing a couple shots. Eastern tail blues are still around.  This butterfly is named for the white mark (pearl) surrounded by brown on the edge of the hindwing.  They won't be around much longer.

Great Spangled Fritillary

Fritillaries are so intent on feeding they sit with their wings open inviting a photograph.  The biggest challenge of photographing fritillaries is identifying which species you are watching. My tendency is to start at the front and work backward but starting at the wing edges and moving inward seems to be a faster way to identify them.