Last Flight of the Wanderer

Wanderer Butterfly

Some of my caterpillars have packed up shop and, true to their name, wandered off. I haven't been able to find any pupas but they must be out there because I found this guy developing his wings when I was mowing the yard. He was happy enough to sit on the end of my finger and fan his wings. He had tiny little hooks on the end of his legs that felt 'interesting' when he was crawling over you. hehe I accidentally dropped him that's why there is grass on his head. I couldn't get it off because he was so hairy. When I was looking at him up close you could see his head moving as he was watching me as I moved him this way and that. Their colouring when they have just emerged and are fanning their wings cannot be explained with words alone. I hope that when my pupa hatches I can capture that intense colour... might be time to break out the silver umbrella again.

Wanderer Butterfly

A freshly emerged Wanderer Butterfly contemplates flight after a crazy life cycle involving binge eating, fierce predation by wasps and spiders, and the need to eat ones own skin off in order to pupate into one of natures beautiful creatures. Now he has plenty to look forward to - all the lovely ladies you can poke a stick at (and he probably will), the sweet nectar from his favourite flower, and the slight hindrance of snapping beaks from the local birds. All-in-all, it sounds like a pretty good deal ;)

I also found 2 more Ornate Burrowing Frogs while I was mowing the yard but I couldn't think of any fancy way to capture them so I let them go after checking out their cool patterns and amazing eyes.