My day began with a brightly colored Monarch butterfly in a field of flowers and is ending with the more subdued colors of an Appalachian Brown butterfly (Lethe appalachia) perched on a tree. Together they provide us with some sense of the diversity of the coloration and habitats of butterflies. (I confess that I am not certain of the identification of the brown butterfly, because there are a number of species that are pretty similar.)
Perhaps you like to stand out from the crowd and the gaudy colors of the Monarch are more your style. Maybe you prefer to blend in a little better like the Appalachian Brown and find its colors and patterns to be more refined and dignified.
Whatever your taste, there is almost certainly a butterfly that fits you and I encourage to join me in chasing the butterflies through the woods, the gardens, and the meadows.
Appalachian Brown butterfly in early September
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 