Competitive butterflies

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Competitive butterflies

August 25, 2015 by Mike Powell

There were lots of other available thistle plants yesterday at Huntley Meadows Park, but an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) and a Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) kept jockeying for position on this single flower, each seemingly determined to gain the upper hand.

Who knew that butterflies were so competitive?

Posted in Butterflies, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer | Tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 50D, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, Great Spangled Fritillary, Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly, Huntley Meadows Park, Papilio glaucus, Speyeria cybele, Tamron 150-600mm telephoto | 14 Comments

14 Responses

on August 25, 2015 at 1:33 pm | Reply Mjollnir MacAlba

Outstanding photo Mike 🙂
- on August 26, 2015 at 4:58 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks.
on August 25, 2015 at 3:38 pm | Reply Ed

Very cool shot, I spent the last 3 days just photographing butterflies and bees. It was a bee nanza. 🙂
on August 25, 2015 at 6:43 pm | Reply sallywoodphotography

Very Lovely! I haven’t been as successful at finding these beauties this summer…
- on August 26, 2015 at 4:57 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Sally. I have been seeing the Great Spangled Fritillaries a lot, but not so many Eastern Tiger Swallowtails. It was a treat to capture them together in a single image.
on August 26, 2015 at 1:46 am | Reply Charlie@Seattle Trekker

Gorgeous photo…I love the setting and the lighting you used, helps to make the image that much more engaging.
- on August 26, 2015 at 4:55 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Charlie. I worked a little to get this angle, so that the sun was shining through the wings, illuminating them like a stained glass window. There are lots of creative choices that a photographer makes before each shutter click.
on August 26, 2015 at 4:54 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions

There is just something about those thistle flowers. Beautiful photo!
- on August 26, 2015 at 4:56 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Indeed, Allen. The butterflies seem to love those thistles.
  - on August 26, 2015 at 4:57 am New Hampshire Garden Solutions
    
    Bees too!
on August 27, 2015 at 10:02 am | Reply Jet Eliot

Stunning clarity, artful composition Mike.
- on August 27, 2015 at 10:26 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Jet. Having a double subject really magnifies the difficulty of getting a good shot, especially since they both were moving. I was thrilled with the way that this one turned out–a lot of luck and a little skill.
on September 1, 2015 at 5:19 pm | Reply Sue

Beautiful shot, Mike. I’m surprised they tolerated each other. I’ve seen butterflies flap their wings at the wasps that approach a flower while they’re feeding, but I suppose there is enough nectar in a thistle for all.
- on September 1, 2015 at 6:41 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  They were pretty well behaved, though it still was quite a challenge to get both of them in a photogenic position simultaneously. It’s like trying to get a family photo–there’s always at least one person who is not posing properly.