What do you call a group of butterflies? There are apparently many collective nouns for butterflies in English, but my absolute favorite is “kaleidoscope.” The word combination “kaleidoscope of butterflies” captures well for me the magical and fanciful nature of these colorful creatures.
I was excited yesterday when I spotted an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio glaucus) fluttering about near a stream at Prince William Forest Park—it was my first “big” butterfly of the spring season. I was even more thrilled later in the day when a spotted this kaleidoscope of Eastern Tiger Swallowtails clustered together on a rocky ledge at water’s edge, engaged in what is often referred to as “puddling.” Many species of butterflies congregate on wet sand and mud to partake in “puddling”, drinking water and extracting minerals from damp puddles or even from animal droppings.
According to a posting by Westborough Land Trust, “When tiger swallowtails emerge from their chrysalises, one of the first things they do – especially if they’re male – is to head for a mud puddle. There they fill up on water and get minerals needed for reproduction. They suck water and dissolved minerals up through their long “tongue” or proboscis, which they also use to drink nectar.”
It is really early in the season and all of the butterflies were in perfect condition, with fully intact wings and vibrant colors. I am always energized to see the emergence of new life in the spring in plants and in all of the small and large creatures that I love to photograph.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Stunning!! Love butterflies!
Thanks so much. I love butterflies too and it was such a joy to see them yesterday in the forest. It was a different environment than the gardens where most people are used to seeing them, but I guess they are pretty adaptable creatures.
Reminds me of my story awhile back of the butterflies in the forest where the fairies lived. You didn’t see any fairies did you? Perhaps you should have followed the butterflies. 🙂
The stream was flowing pretty quickly, so I would have had trouble following the butterflies when they flew deeper into the forest. I will keep my eyes open for fairies and other woodland creatures.
😊
Wow! I saw a little yellow butterfly 🦋 flitting around me while mowing. I anxiously await to see many more! Beautiful picture. I love butterflies so much!
It is always special to see butterflies and I can’t wait to see them in abundance. The last few years have been a bit erratic in seeing Monarch butterflies, perhaps my favorites, but I am hopeful that I will see lots of them this year.
What a cool sighting! I never heard of puddling before. I’ll have to pay more attention next time I spot a butterfly.
According to a source I just found, “When tiger swallowtails emerge from their chrysalises, one of the first things they do – especially if they’re male – is to head for a mud puddle. There they fill up on water and get minerals needed for reproduction. They suck water and dissolved minerals up through their long “tongue” or proboscis, which they also use to drink nectar.”
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful butterflies, swallowtails. We have a variety – quite similar to the species shown in your photos – in the UK but they are are very localised, being found in just a small area of wetland in eastern England. I’ve only seen them once, and not in the numbers that you evidently experienced. I’m very envious!
Thanks. It is a bit early for these butterflies, so I was quite happy to see them. I think this little cluster had five of them. I had multiple sightings of swallowtails throughout the day, though it was generally a single butterfly each time. As the seasons progresses, they seem to spread out and it is unusual to see a cluster of them like this. In my area we are fortunate to have several different swallowtail species, including one of my favorites, the Zebra Swallowtail. (https://michaelqpowell.com/2017/08/20/zebra-swallowtail/)
What a wonderful term and what a great photo. We haven’t seen any around here, but I’m hoping we will soon.
Thanks, Dan. I think they emerge in the woods before they show up in gardens–there is not a whole lot blooming in most gardens to attract them. I hope you’ll be seeing them soon. Yesterday was pretty warm, about 71, and I think the warm weather caused them to emerge from the chrysalises in which the spend their winters. According to one source, “When tiger swallowtails emerge from their chrysalises, one of the first things they do – especially if they’re male – is to head for a mud puddle. There they fill up on water and get minerals needed for reproduction. They suck water and dissolved minerals up through their long “tongue” or proboscis, which they also use to drink nectar.”
Mud puddles – a great place to pick up women 😉
Great image of butterflies Mike! Enjoyed seeing it!
What a grand, wonderful photo, Mike!
Blue Rock Horses Frederick County, Virginia bluerockhorses.com
Just amazing!!!
Such a wonderful sight! We have few butterflies in NZ but heaps of moths. I need your photos for my butterfly fix. Keep up the good work Mike 🙂
I’ll be on the lookout for butterflies (and dragonflies too). We both need the fix. 🙂
What would I do without you Mike (truly). You are so appreciated!
Thanks, Liz. Over the past year, this blogging community has become even more important to my daily life. This Thursday will mark two weeks since my second COVID vaccination shot, which means I should be at peak immunity. Things are still pretty restricted, but seem to be getting a bit better in many parts of the US
Great to know you have that extra level of protection.. wonderful!
Thanks, Liz. I don’t like to admit it, but living alone makes the pandemic isolation a bit harder, though I am in a little pod with my friends Cindy and Michael, which definitely helps.
There is something special when you get surrounded by hundred of colourful butterflies. It lifts your spirits and gives you that sense of wonder.
Wow…hundreds of butterflies would be amazing. A half-dozen were enough to raise my spirits yesterday. 🙂
There are in great numbers in the tropics on some of the islands we stop at: mainly Blue Tigers.
Thank you for teaching me a new group noun, one not in my lovely book, “An Exaltation of Larks”, which I know you would enjoy if you don’t already have it.
My own recent favorite is “a story-telling of crows”, also not in the book, which only includes a murder.
Also, I had no idea why butterflies engage in puddling, so thanks for educating me on that count, too.
And your butterfly image is wonderful!
Thanks, Nina. I think that we are both in the category of people referred to as “lifelong learners,” with intellectual curiosity that makes us love to learn new things. I noted there are several books that go by the title “An Exaltation of Larks.” Is the you that your referenced the book by James Lipton?
Yes, that’s the one!
I love the lifelong learner moniker. But maybe we are just nerdy. 😉
I wear that label with pride. I can “geek out” on a wide range of topics, thanks to my liberal arts education and my personal predispositions.
Beautiful capture, Mike, of this kaleidoscope! Another sure sign spring is happening!
Thanks, Ellen. Spring is definitely here. Our high temperature today reached 83 degrees. Yikes!
This is like a kaleidoscope. As they change positions each probably becomes front and center. Nice capture, Mike!
Thanks, Steve. I used to love kaleidoscopes as a kid.
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[…] in groups to drink and extract minerals from puddles (see my blog post from last year called A kaleidoscope of butterflies for more information and a photo of this […]