Spring's Arrival of Painted Lady Butterflies

What's Buzzing on the Brussel Sprouts Blooms

One of the highlights of spring 2015 has been an influx of Painted Lady butterflies, Vanessa cardui, to my yard in western Nevada.  I do not recall these butterflies arriving in early spring, because they are usually here in late summer when the rabbit bushes are blooming.  I first began to notice a few butterflies landing on the wet dirt when I was watering my garden plants. Then I noticed numerous Painted Lady butterflies drawn to my Brussel sprouts plants, which I allowed to flower since they did not not produce any sprouts over winter. .  

One afternoon as I walked by the yellow flowers, I saw so much activity that I grabbed my Nikon with the 150mm macro lens and waited nearby.  

Not only were the blossoms attracting the butterflies, numerous worker bees were buzzing around, collecting the pollen.

While focusing in on the butterflies, I noticed a large number of moths coming to the flowers. From my research, moths also serve a very vital function to the environment along with butterflies and bees as pollinators. 

  

A Painted Lady with its straw-like proboscis unraveled, eating nectar from the flower. 

 

 Painted Lady butterflies use their feet to taste food.

As far as my Brussel sprouts plants goes, I think I came out way ahead by allowing the plants to flower, even though I did not get to eat any fresh sprouts.  What a fun and exciting photo opp this has been.  And by the way I did enjoy many of the plant's leaves in fresh salads during the winter.  

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

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Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

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