Northern Crescent Butterfly

Pearl Crescent Butterfly, Phyciodes tharos - Ellie Kennard 2016
Northern Crescent Butterfly, Phyciodes cocyta – Ellie Kennard 2016
Phyciodes cocyta

This is a common butterfly around here in the summer, but I was really pleased to get this photo of it as it rested on the path. The patterns on its wings are finely drawn and the tips of its antennae are tiny orange balls (hard to see in this photo, to be fair). Rupert (our Cornish Rex cat) tried to catch it and almost succeeded (which is what drew it to my attention) but I managed to save it and put it safely out of his reach (he is on a long leash) so it could get over the shock and fly away. Have a lovely week everyone, full of lovely butterflies!

 

43 Responses

  1. Hi +Ellie Kennard. I'm sorry to have to tell you this but the Pearl Crescent does not occur in Nova Scotia. Your photo is of a male Northern Crescent, Phyciodes cocyta. The Butterflies of Nova Scotia webpage is a good resource for checking IDs.

  2. Utterly symmetrical. Beautiful. Here in Columbus we have Franklin Park Conservatory (a large botanical garden within walking distance if you're good at walking) where several times each day in the spring a caretaker gives a little lecture and releases some new butterfly into an enclosed habitation, some of them quite large and exotic. There are hundreds flying around at any given time, and they often will land on your shoulder or wherever else they please. It's quite a sight. (Something you might want to see when you're here, time and circumstances permitting.)

  3. +Morten Ross sorry I didn't get notified of your comment! And thank you so much for the lovely comment. Yes, early morning would have been better, but as it happened this turned out okay despite its flitting about in the sun.

  4. It is a beautiful butterfly Ellie. You have captured so much detail. Glad you were able to save it from Rupert

  5. Lovely shot of a beautiful butterfly +Ellie Kennard
    On a sunny day one might see many of them, but as you indicated they are hard to photograph as they are so charged with the heat and light of the sun and fly in all directions normally.

    In the very early morning they are much easier to get close to as they are cold and in need of sunlight. A pity I don't really like getting up early…

    A beauty to us and fun for Rupert 🙂

  6. Thanks very much +Andi Fritzsch!

    Ha ha, +Jasbir S. Randhawa – and I bet that was a sight! Rupert and Molly both have little harnesses and are attached by the house on long leashes so they don't wander off, just so they can sit in the sun and be in the fresh air. They are really indoor cats, but they do love the sunshine, as do all cats. Though perhaps hot tin might be more than their feet would appreciate!

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