Thursday, May 3, 2012

The Joys of Cherry Wine

“How does one become a butterfly?" she asked.
"You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar."
Trina Paulus, American author of Hope for the Flowers

The air this morning was full of Japanese cherry perfume and tens of butterflies flitted from blossom to blossom. It was quite a sight and a difficult one to capture with the camera because they preferred the upper blossoms and alit for mere seconds before somersaulting to another branch. It has taken me all day to identify these Monarch lookalikes. I believe I have finally solved the mystery: they are Polygonia comma, otherwise known as Eastern Commas. Wikipedia informs that Eastern Commas seldom procure their nectar from blossoms; instead they prefer rotting fruit of which there is an abundance still hanging in the tree. These fellows had found a source of cherry wine and were happily drunk, bringing smiles to the firmly rooted earthlings standing below.

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