Mike Powell

During transitional periods throughout the year, I like to capture images that include elements of the season that is ending and of the season that is beginning. Last Friday I took this photo of a Common Buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia) that has some foliage in the background that was in the process of changing colors. Though the leaves on which the butterfly is perched are still green, the reds and oranges of the background provide a foretaste of the future, a foreshadowing sign of what is yet to come.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

It was wonderful to see so many butterflies still active last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, including this spectacular Common Buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia). This butterfly was so feverishly feeding on these flowers that it scarcely seemed aware of my presence, which made it possible to capture shots of this magical creature from various angles. The challenge for me was to time those shots to capture the spectacular colors and patterns of the butterfly when its wings were fully opened.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

What does “common” mean to you? For many of us, the descriptor “common” is used for ordinary, everyday things to which we tend to pay little attention. Their purposes tend to be functional and utilitarian and beauty is often of secondary importance, assuming that it is considered at all.

I rebel against the use of “common” in the name of many wildlife species. Even if “common” is meant to suggest the likelihood of encountering a species, it is usually related to geography—what is “common” in one area may well be “uncommon” in another area. I think that the folks who name species should be a bit more creative in choosing names for species.

On Monday I encountered this Common Buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia) during a visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Take a close look at the colors and markings on this little butterfly and I’m sure that you will agree that it is uncommonly beautiful.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

By mid-November most butterflies have disappeared in my area as the weather has cooled off. One notable exception, however, has been the Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia). I was delighted to spot numerous Common Buckeyes last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

The markings on these little butterflies are incredibly beautiful and I was happy to be able to capture some of that beauty in the photo below.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

There were few insects flying last Thursday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, so I was a bit surprised to encounter several Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) butterflies. The body color of this butterfly is pretty drab, but its markings are stunning in their beauty—I especially love its multi-colored eyespots. Wow!

I do not think that Common Buckeye butterflies overwinter in my area as adults, so I wonder if the butterflies that I observed are in the process of migrating southward. If not, then they are appearing on the scene quite late in the season, when we have already had several frosty nights. Perhaps they will hang around for a little while longer—I will keep an eye out for them on my next trips to my favorite local wildlife refuge.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Many of the insects and plants that I now see show signs of the ravages of summer, like this damaged Common Buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia) that I spotted atop an equally damaged plant during a recent visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Nonetheless the beauty of the butterfly shines through and it appears to be fully functional.

Autumn is a time for harvest celebrations as we rejoice in the bounty of the growth that has taken place, but there is also a tinge of melancholy as we experience a sense of loss and the feeling that our lives our changing. Change, of course, is a constant in our lives, but most of us—and I definitely fit into this group—become creatures of habit and have trouble dealing with changes at times. Yet we eventually adapt and may even learn to appreciate the results of the change, even if the process of change is a bit uncomfortable.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

As I was wandering about Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge earlier this week, I was struck by the large number of Common Buckeye butterflies (Junonia coenia) that I observed. Not only were there a lot of them, many of them appeared to be in almost pristine condition, unlike the tattered survivors of other butterfly species that are hanging on this late in the season.

I decided to do a little research and learned from bugguide.net that Common Buckeyes have two to three broods throughout the year from May to October. I had suspected that was the case and that helps to explain the “fresh” condition of the butterflies that I observed. What was a little more surprising to learn was that, “Adults from the south’s first brood migrate north in late spring and summer to temporarily colonize most of the United States and parts of southern Canada.”

I don’t know if the Common Buckeye butterflies in my area will migrate south to avoid the freezing temperatures that will soon be upon us or if they will remain with us. In either case, I love to see these little butterflies and marvel at the way that their colors fit in with nature’s autumn color palette.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

The brightly colored summer butterflies have mostly disappeared, but Common Buckeye butterflies (Junonia coenia) still accompany me in great numbers as I walk the trails of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The subdued, earthy shades of this beautiful butterfly seem a perfect match for the autumn season.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »