Prior to this past weekend I had never seen an American Painted Lady butterfly (Vanessa virginiensis) and now it seems like they are everywhere, if you define “everywhere” as two separate locations within a few days.
Previously I posted a photo of the American Painted Lady butterfly in beautiful soft light in a shot taken from the side. On Sunday, just as I was getting ready to leave Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, Virginia, I saw a flash of color and realized that it was a beautiful butterfly. Upon closer examination I recognized the now familiar coloration of the American Painted Lady.
She settled onto a plant and seemed to pose for me, as though she could put aside the normal activities of feeding for a moment. The late afternoon light was behind her and was still bright, causing some of the highlights to be blown out. However, the light also gave her a glow, partially illuminated her wings, and highlighted her reddish hair. The angle of he shot provides an unusual, but pleasing, view of this butterfly.
The shot may not be perfect, but you can’t help but admire the beauty of this American Painted Lady.
The lady is a redhead
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
bug faces are so interesting!
Agreed. Some seem almost human in their expressiveness while others seem completely alien.