David's Images of the Day Photoblog
Black Swallowtail Butterfly with Tattered Wings on a Joe-Pye Weed in the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 Camera FT1 Adapter, and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 195 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec).
Most of the butterflies yesterday had tattered and damaged wings. I haven’t seen praying mantis yet, so birds?
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Joe Pye Weed Bloom at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 250, 500 mm, f/5, 1/600 sec). Lens mounted on a monopod.
I’ve visited the Sourland Mountain Preserve several times since returning from Iceland. There are a couple of patches of Joe Pye weeds that the Yellow (Tiger) Swallowtail and Black Swallowtail butterflies are attracted. I did see one Clearwing Hummingbird Butterfly, but wasn’t quick enough to get a picture. I only saw one thistle in bloom. Didn’t see any Praying Mantis (butterfly predators). Also, only one Monarch Butterfly.
Pair of Yellow Swallowtail Butterflies Near the Pond at Sourland Mountain Preserve in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 180, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec).
In previous years I have seen these butterflies congregate near this pond in areas with wet mud. Another time, they were on a dead ground-hog. I wonder if they are looking for a source of salt?
Monarch Butterfly. Five-years ago while driving home from work I saw purple wild flowers on the side of the road at an abandoned golf course in Hillsborough. I pulled over to see if there was a picture. The purple wildflowers attracted dozens of Monarch butterflies providing more colors. I took this image with my favorite 80-400 mm telephoto zoom lens. The hard part was working at the minimum focus distance for the lens (~ 7 feet). I needed to keep stepping back to get the image in focus. One more reason I always have a camera with me.
Monarch Butterfly Being Stalked by a Praying Mantis. Today while hiking in the Sourland Mountain Preserve I had a Monarch Butterfly stay long enough to get some images. I then saw that there was a praying mantis stalking the butterfly. The praying mantis is well camouflaged. In this case the butterfly took off before it became breakfast. Last year I got some images of a praying mantis stalking and then eating a hummingbird moth. 21-august-2011.
GPS: N40°28’19 W74°41’41
