This delicate little butterfly was facing away from me, but I love the way that you can see the beautiful markings on the inside of its wings. I believe it is an Eastern-tailed Blue butterfly (Cupido comyntas), a kind of hairstreak butterfly with an average wingspan of only about one inch (25mm).
I chased after a number of these butterflies earlier this week when I was exploring Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. They don’t fly very fast, but their flight path is unpredictable and close to the ground and they usually don’t perch for long in one spot.
I suspect that if someone had been observing me from a distance, they would have been hard-pressed to figure out what I was trying to photograph and might have concluded that I was merely another crazy wildlife photographer. We are a peculiar breed, aren’t we?
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved
Trying to chase down a butterfly is similar to trying to catch a falling leaf. I just watched an old video of our daughters doing that when they were little, and I can well imagine you on your recent quest. Peculiar breed, indeed!
Not only is this a spectacular image, Mike, but I love the other image of you chasing the butterfly around. Nature photographers are indeed a different breed, so wonderful.
Pure beauty, Mike! Great image!