July 28, 2018

Location: Lakeland, Circle B Bar Reserve

I am Variegated Fritillary Butterfly
Brazillian Verbena is what I'm pollinating
It is a rapid growing perennial plant,
And for butterflies, quite accommodating.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden - Verbena bonariensis

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 27, 2018

Location: Lakeland, Circle B Bar Reserve

We are Variegated Fritillary Butterflies,
Below to the left of us is a chrysalis.
While we are above, totally in love,
A butterfly is forming below, how felicitous!

(Special thanks again to Heather Stapleton for pointing out the chrysalis to me, I totally missed it when I first downloaded the picture.)

Sources: A Welcomed Vagabond - Variegated Fritillary

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 26, 2018

Location: Lakeland, Circle B Bar Reserve

We are Variegated Fritillary Butterflies
Getting down in public, totally nude!
Our egg will be laid on our favorite host plant,
And by December, we'll have four broods.

(Special thanks to Heather Stapleton for the ID.)

Sources: Butterflies and Moths of North America - Variegated Fritillary

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson