Thursday, August 26, 2010

At Home ~ Butterfly

Butterfly...

Basically a day-flying insect. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts….egg, larva, pupa and adult. Comes in many sizes…tiny to large and oftenly with brightly coloured wings.

Butterfly comprises of:

1.   true butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea)
2.   the skippers (superfamily Hesperioidea) and
3.   the moth-butterflies (superfamily Hedyloidea).

Note: All the other families [within the Lepidoptera] are referred to as Moths.

Some will migrate over long distances.

Some have evolved symbiotic and parasitic relationships with social insects such as ants.

Some species are pests because in their larval stages they can damage domestic crops or trees.

Some species are agents of pollination for some plants, and caterpillars of a few butterflies (e.g., Harvesters) eat harmful insects.

Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts including photography. It is definitely one of my favorite subjects though most of the time I find it difficult to capture them on camera.

Some of the butterflies captured on camera at home....



Butterfly, Butterfly

Butterfly, Butterfly
flew so high.
Butterfly, Butterfly
caught my eye.

Eyes were a glisten,
wings winked in delight.
Sought such a current
so as he could drift
in warm summer's night.

But as the days shorten
he sags in the air.
Gracefully curves downwards,
until he lies motionless
so calm and fair.

a poem by Eve Walker


...I wonder what it straws from the soil...
minerals??

...they seem to have cute faces with large eyes
almost similar to dragonflies...

Butterfly, Butterfly

butterfly, butterfly
fly in the sky
butterfly, butterfly
flies so high

butterfly, butterfly
lands on my thigh
butterfly, butterfly
motionlessly lies

butterfly, butterfly
gracefully dies

a poem by Adryan Bates


...a pupa. This one I discovered while cleaning and
moved it... to ensure I would have the chance
of capturing when it is born...
...though I had missed the birth action but was lucky to
find it hanging still while adjusting before making
its first attempt to fly....

Butterfly, Butterfly

Hoping to catch your eye 
Circling around you, oh my
Butterfly, butterfly, come into the light
Oh, what a beautiful sight
Flying so gracefully
Into the sky, the butterfly
Trying to catch a butterfly
Fly, fly, fly, butterfly
 There he sets upon the mums
I'm having so much fun
Here's another on the sill
Your standing so still
You go to touch him
There he goes, the butterfly
I hear a tapping on the window
It's the butterfly, fly, fly, fly
There he goes into the sky
Flying so high, the butterfly
I'll see you another day
Butterfly, butterfly, away

a poem by Sharon Adamson







Butterfly, Flutterby

The butterfly was young
Her vibrant wings of delicate lace
Such grace such poise
A charming butterfly
The cricket was slick thicket
Moving quick but swift
Yet smart somewhat wise
Proud of his chirp
Hopping through the grass
Butterfly fluttered by till upon a rose
Spreading her wings a dainty show
Slowly sipping sweet
Hopping skipping
Cricket saw
Butterfly glanced
The cricket saw butterfly
The butterfly looked yonder
Cricket hopped and chirped
A jumpety crickety song
Butterfly sighed
And rolled her eyes
Cricket hopped closer
Butterfly laughed
Silly cricket trying hard
Butterfly cared less
Poor cricket hopped and hopped
Butterfly sipping nectar sweet
Cricket sang sonfter sweeter
Butterfly stopped
A song so sweet
Too lovely than nectar
Cricket hopped upon a rose
Butterfly jumped
Almost to fly away
Cricket song too lovely to fly away
Butterfly in a trance
Fluttering her wings lovely
Too charming
Too tempting
Crickect sang
Butterfly in a spell
Too late to break
Lovers forever
Strange couple though
Yet lovely
Yet happy
Suave cricket, Princess Butterfly
Flutterby, flutterby.......

a poem by Bella Ravenstar