It's That Time Again

It's that time of year - for butterfly bush photos.  I pruned my butterfly bush late this year and it has just recently come into full bloom.  However, I still haven't seen that many butterflies yet.  Just a few along with a few bees.  Don't know if they just haven't found it yet or whether reports of declining populations of both bees (click here for more info) and butterflies (click here for more info) are also responsible.  There were a few visitors Saturday morning.  This silver-spotted skipper was sitting on a leaf on a rose bush when first saw it. 

After I took its picture it flew up into the air and then landed on the top of my camera.  I needed another camera to take its photo sitting on the top of the first camera!  But I had a very nice up-close and personal visit getting a really good look at it as it was only inches from my face before it took off and landed on the butterfly bush.  This one is actually in focus and in both photos you can definitely see where it got its name.

Also had this visitor I haven't really identified it yet. I didn't ever get a look at its interior wings but it definitely looks like it has some dark markings on its wing tips.

I got this picture on Sunday and I think they are both Cabbage Whites.

And my favorite big bumble.

On Sunday I also got a shot of another skipper type - unidentified.

While looking at butterfly photos, I was admiring pictures of small blue butterflies and what should show up also on Sunday, but this little guy which I think is an Eastern Tailed-Blue - a new species for me!  They are pretty common but I have never seen one before that I know of.  And it choose to sit on a Columbine leaf instead of partaking of the butterfly bush.

I have seen several little dragonflies but they prefer a more global view of things and are nearly always up too high to get a decent photo of them.  Hoping for more pictures of visitors to share in the coming months.  Hopefully you're not sick of seeing butterfly bush photos - I never am!!