Flying Flowers
By Ted Gorczyca
23 Sep 2008
Butterflies are noted for their unusual life cycle. As a caterpillar and then inactive stage the coccoon and then the beautiful metamorphosis stage. The beautiful colorful adult stage. Due to their colorful pattern and their erratic yet graceful flight have made butterfly watching a fairly popular hobby.
Butterflies are important economically as one of the major agents of pollination. They feed primarily on nectar from flowers, some from pollen, tree sap and rotting fruit. As adults they consume only liquids.
Butterflies sense the air for scents through their antennae. Vision is well developed and most species are sensitive to the ultraviolet spectrum.
Some butterflies will migrate long distances while others maintain territories and actively chase other species or individuals away.
Color does play an important role in butterfly survival to find and to avoid: food, mate and predators.
I personally just like to watch and enjoy the different colors and patterns. They seem to fly in no pattern or reason which is not true, but it seems that they have a carefree style about them. It is relaxing to take a moment and watch as they fly from one spot to another.
17 responses
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Ineta McParland gave props (24 Sep 2008):
Publish to JPG? Absolutely! The variety of photos are stunning and article is informative.
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Amy Evenson said (24 Sep 2008):
Absolutely beautiful shots! Well done!
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Glenn Brandenburg said (27 Sep 2008):
These are so beautiful and you captured them all just right.
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Espen Tjernshaugen gave props (28 Sep 2008):
This should be published, the photos and the text got so high quality that it deserve to be printed.
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Bill Duffy said (30 Sep 2008):
These are all very nice. Were you at some sort of butterfly garden?
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Joanne Warda said (2 Oct 2008):
Breathtaking butterfly photos and the story is very informative Yes Publish!!! You have my vote!!!
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Ruth York said (11 Oct 2008):
Great story, and beautiful photos. You were able to really capture some personalities of the little flyers.
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Lorna Burgess gave props (18 Oct 2008):
These photos are just beautiful. Loved the write up also. It gets my vote.
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Mark Williams gave props (21 Oct 2008):
Very nice story and super shots too!
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Carl Kuntze gave props (1 Jan 2009):
A remarkable coincidence. I periodically spent nerve-wracking days photographing butterflies. These series make me nostalgic. My vote!
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Zerina Phillip gave props (10 Jan 2009):
Beautiful photos and very good essay to go with it.
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Ron LaFond gave props (13 Feb 2009):
Nice collection of photographs, Ted. I like the essay too. R
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Larry Sinanto gave props (24 Apr 2009):
My vote!
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Laura Regnier gave props (14 May 2009):
Lovely photos Ted and an interesting article as well! We live in the Monarch migration flyway and love to watch as they pass through every year. My vote as well!
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eithne mythen gave props (31 May 2009):
Well done Ted , informative and super shots..
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Sarah Storer gave props (9 Jun 2009):
Fantastic shots... and love your words too, voted
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Robert Doyno said (26 Jun 2009):
Beautiful shots. Informative essay. Well done!
