Thursday (03-August-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Sunflower in my backyard wildflower meadow.

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Sunflower. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/350 sec). (© 2017 David J Mathre)
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Sunflower.  Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/350 sec). (© 2017 David J Mathre)

Wednesday (02-August-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

A Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Cosmos Flower in my wildflower meadow. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec).

Tiger Swallowtail butterfly on a Cosmos flower in my wildflower meadow. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec). (© 2017 David J Mathre)
Tiger Swallowtail butterfly on a Cosmos flower in my wildflower meadow. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec). (© 2017 David J Mathre)

Two-Years Ago (29-August-2014) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Yellow Swallowtail Butterfly Getting Some Sodium/Salt From the Mud Near a Pond at the Sourland Mountain Reserve. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 80-400 mm VR II lens (ISO 1000, 400 mm, f/11, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define, and Photoshop CC.

Yellow Swallowtail Butterfly Getting Some Sodium/Salt From the Mud Near a Pond at the Sourland Mountain Reserve. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 80-400 mm VR II lens (ISO 1000, 400 mm, f/11, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Yellow Swallowtail Butterfly Getting Some Sodium/Salt From the Mud Near a Pond at the Sourland Mountain Reserve. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 80-400 mm VR II lens (ISO 1000, 400 mm, f/11, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)

Friday (26-August-2016) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Darwin Award Winner. This Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly Got Too Close to the Praying Mantis in the Thistle Bush. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec).

Darwin Award Winner. This Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly Got Too Close to the Praying Mantis in the Thistle Bush. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly Being Eaten by a Praying Mantis in the Thistle Bush. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)

Wednesday (24-August-2016) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

I visited the Sourland Mountain Preserve yesterday at 15:00. It was hot out, and I only lasted an hour. I saw a number of Monarch butterflies, but they were not staying still. I did catch both a Monarch butterfly and an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly feeding on a Queen Anne’s Lace flower. I don’t often see butterflies feeding on this flower.

Monarch Butterfly on a Queen Anne's Lace Flower. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (David J Mathre)
Monarch Butterfly on a Queen Anne’s Lace Flower. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (David J Mathre)
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Queen Anne's Lace Flower. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (David J Mathre)
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Queen Anne’s Lace Flower. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (David J Mathre)