Flower
Quiet Company
A delicate, Eastern Tailed-Blue butterfly rests on a vibrant purple aster bloom, its wings softly spread. An out of focus bee can be seen zipping by in the background above.
Look closely at the bottom of the butterfly’s hindwings; you’ll see tiny, delicate hair-like tails that give the species its name. Here’s a fun fact…the Eastern Tailed-Blue often rubs its hindwings together when perched. This movement makes the tiny tails wiggle, which is thought to trick predators like birds or spiders into attacking the “wrong end” of the butterfly, allowing it to escape with only a small piece of wing missing.
You can get a better look at those hair-like tails by clicking on the photo. That will bring up a much larger, more detailed image in a new browser tab.
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Glory of the Snow
These delicate blue flowers are known as Glory of the Snow. (Formerly, Chionodoxa). They are a joy to find with their white and yellow centers blooming amidst early spring grasses.
This image was captured on an early spring visit to Krug Park in St. Joseph, Missouri. I went specifically looking for early spring blooms. There was little to find in the park, but these were a pleasant surprise. I don’t think I’ve photographed this kind of flower before. I thought they were wildflowers but later learned they are grown from bulbs…so, someone planted them at some point in the past.
You can get a better look with a larger version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Two-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly
A vibrant, yellow, Two-tailed Swallowtail butterfly works to draw the nectar from a purple thistle, showing off its striking yellow and black wings accented by blue dots on the tail.
I captured this image while photographing a herd of bison on the prairie at Custer State Park in South Dakota. While focused on the buffalo, this flash of color caught my eye and I immediately changed focus. So, in the middle of my strip of large, brown beasts is a few frames of this delicate beauty.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Going for Gold
While hiking a trait to a waterfall in Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota, I spotted a patch of yellow wildflowers. The flowers were humming with busy bees. As I focused in on the bees, I noticed the orange area of their abdomen. While processing this image I did a quick internet search and learned these are orange-banded bumblebees. I don’t think I’ve seen this variety (Bombus ternarius) before. If you zoom in, you can see the legs of the bee covered with pollen from the flowers. You can learn more about this variety of bee at Bees Wiki.
For a larger, more detailed look at this image, click on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Behind the Bloom
This is the backside of a hibiscus bloom; with buds waiting for their turn in the foreground. This was taken in the early morning, while the dew was still lingering. This is from a hibiscus plant in the back yard of our northwest Missouri home.
I like this close-up capture because it showcases the delicate fold of the petals adorned with dewdrops. The green buds and leaves contrast beautifully with the vivid pink.
You can view a larger version of this image by clicking on the photo. When you do a full-screen version will open in a new browser tab.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Loverly
These deep purple lilies were a pleasant early summer gift. I love the way the yellow centers stand out and how the petals are delicately veined.
I found this beauty blooming in a small flower bed in southwest Wisconsin a couple of weeks ago. The colors and the composition are what makes this a good capture for me.
You can see a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Grape Hyacinth Spring Gathering
I got out last week to take photos of early spring bloomers. I went to St. Joseph’s Krug Park to see if I could find anything growing in the wild. There was not much there. (I did find a couple I will post later.) On my way out of the park I noticed an impressive group of daffodils blooming in a yard next to the park opening. I noticed a gentleman doing yard work so I stopped to ask if I could photograph some of his beautiful flowers. He graciously allowed me to shoot his flowers.
As I was starting, he invited me to the backyard where he had a patch of grape hyacinths blooming. I jumped at the opportunity. It was a sprawling, beautiful patch of hyacinths at the peak of bloom. What a delight! This is one of my favorite shots. Thank you so much, François. More photos from your yard will be featured in future posts.
I learned a little about this flower from Wikipedia: “Muscari is a genus of perennial bulbous plants native to Eurasia that produce spikes of dense, most commonly blue, urn-shaped flowers resembling bunches of grapes in the spring. The common name for the genus is grape hyacinth (a name which is also used for the related genera Leopoldia and Pseudomuscari, which were formerly included in Muscari), but they should not be confused with hyacinths. A number of species of Muscari are used as ornamental garden plants.”
You can view a more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo. When you do, a larger version will open in a new browser tab.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Rambling Wild Beauty
These delicate white flowers are a version of a Wild Rose. This plant was found on a hike through the woods of northwest Missouri. Don’t you love the pink bud?
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Honorine Jobert Anemone
The Honorine Jobert Anemone is a delicate white flower with orange anthers surrounding a spherical green center (ovule). They bloom in the fall.
This particular patch was incorporated into the landscaping at the Pittock Mansion in Portland, Oregon. I visited there is October of 2022.
You can get a larger, more detailed view of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Summer’s End
Two vibrant sunflowers with rich yellow and orange petals begin to wilt as the main stalk bows over signaling the end of Summer in northwest Missouri.
This was a sunflower planted on the edge of my father-in-law’s vegetable garden. For the most part, the gardening season is completed.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on it.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.