Caterpillar - Black Swallowtail

Two from a black swallowtail caterpillar living in my backyard.

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Cool,,,,,,, If you tickle it with a little twig or straw, it will show you it's forked snake tongue. It can be a little tricky to get out of the image, if you are hand holding, so best to use something that looks natural to be in the image.

Love the second shot!

Wonderful shots
Brian v.

Great shots

Superb specimen and very nicely captured

Lovely captures Richard.

Nice capture. I think all the rain this year has made the wildflowers so abundant that the butterflies are so scattered (rural area) that I haven't had many. Even after saving seed and planting extra milkweed for our normally abundant Monarchs, haven't seen a single one.

Niteclicks wrote in post #17709946
Nice capture. I think all the rain this year has made the wildflowers so abundant that the butterflies are so scattered (rural area) that I haven't had many. Even after saving seed and planting extra milkweed for our normally abundant Monarchs, haven't seen a single one.

I've only seen a few butterflies but several caterpillars. My wife grows butterfly weed which attracted monarch caterpillars. The black swallowtail caterpillars are on a parsley plant. The butterflies also seem quite interested in our snow on the mountain. I think you're right that the extra rain has changed some things. I curious to see how it changes the fall color.

Really hoping for a nice fall, I know the trees have really put on the growth this year. I see where they have bugling elk tours at your Wichita stomping grounds. Any chance we will be seeing some shots of elk? Although I think the rut will be over before any fall color.

Steve

Niteclicks wrote in post #17710229
Really hoping for a nice fall, I know the trees have really put on the growth this year. I see where they have bugling elk tours at your Wichita stomping grounds. Any chance we will be seeing some shots of elk? Although I think the rut will be over before any fall color.

Steve

The Wichitas are in good shape this year. They have recovered nicely from the fires a few years ago and the rain this summer has been good to the area. You rarely see the elk there. They are usually in the "special use area" which is fenced off from the more public part of the refuge. I have made a few shots of them in the past but my best shot at elk will be in Colorado in a few weeks. And, with luck, some pronghorns as well. Getting to try out a new EF 100-400 MkII while there so I hope the critters cooperate.