Up-close …

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Butterflies are beautiful .. until you get a real closeup. Maybe that is just my take, but wow. The thing is, when you really look this close, you notice that all butterflies kind of look the same .. up close.

We are kind of like that. Most of us are not that different. Think about that and be kind to each other. Life is too short.

~ Rick

Rick’s latest technology muse:

Check out our vlog, which includes more pictures and video on YouTube at tales.photos. Remember to subscribe!

Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. Contact Rick for more information.

©2019 ©2020 Rick Cartwright

Viceroy Perfection:)

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Over the past 4 weeks, we have visited this location at Stillwater Prairie Reserve on several occasions. Every time we do, we see a few Viceroy Butterflies . It is the only place were we see them so frequently. This one is so beautiful.

~ Rick

Rick’s latest technology muse:

Check out our vlog, which includes more pictures and video on YouTube at tales.photos. Remember to subscribe!

Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. Contact Rick for more information.

©2019 ©2020 Rick Cartwright

Pearls Everywhere

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We continue to see Pearl Crescent butterflies in large numbers. I thought I would just share a few of them today. There are all taken over the last two weeks .. maybe three. There are photos here that Teresa took, as well as photos I shot. Beautiful butterfly.

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~ Rick

Rick’s latest technology muse:

Check out our vlog, which includes more pictures and video on YouTube at tales.photos. Remember to subscribe!

Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. Contact Rick for more information.

©2019 ©2020 Rick Cartwright

Skipping

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I have posted a photo of this species recently. Do you recognize it?

If you said [Silver-spotted Skipper]((https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epargyreus_clarus), you are right. There are 3500 species of skippers .. this is mindblowing. Nature is so diverse. Check out this from the Wikipedia Entry for Skipper butterflies.

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If you are interested in learning more about identifying skippers, check out greennature.com. Enjoy!!

~ Rick

Rick’s latest technology muse:

Check out our vlog, which includes more pictures and video on YouTube at tales.photos. Remember to subscribe!

Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. Contact Rick for more information.

©2019 ©2020 Rick Cartwright

Eastern-Tailed Blue

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I had to get some help with this one. I thought it may be a Short-tailed Blue, but they are not native to this part of the world. I contacted a naturalist at the Miami County Parks District and learned that is is actually a Eastern Tailed-blue. This one is a female. Here is a interesting fact from Wikipedia:

Eastern tailed-blues feed on various legumes and are known to secrete a substance which is favored by some ant species. The ant in turn protects the larva of the butterfly from other predators.

Very cool!!

(A special acknowledgment and thank you to Amalee at Miami County Parks District for her help identifying this beautiful butterfly)

Rick’s latest technology muse:

Check out our vlog, which includes more pictures and video on YouTube at tales.photos. Remember to subscribe!

Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. Contact Rick for more information.

©2019 ©2020 Rick Cartwright