Common Buckeye Butterfly (Junonia coenia)

I didn't expect to leave the house today and see a new butterfly. I thought I would clean up some leaves in the back and finish up another blog about a wildflower in the neighborhood. Sometimes things don't go as we've planned but still work out for the good. My son went to do some jogging and walking in our neighborhood. On one of those laps around a dog bit him. He wanted to finish his exercise and asked about going to the track. Not what I had planned but for good God turned it. We went and I decided to take the camera along. I walked while he jogged and I took pictures of wildflowers, berries and this Buckeye butterfly. Their residence is in the Southern United States where I am and the coast of California, Bermuda, Cuba, Isle of Pines, Central America, Columbia and Southern Mexico. It can also be found in Southern Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. This one moved around a lot at the track. So I spent some time chasing butterflies. The eye spots on this butterfly are said to be used to scare away predators. My what big eyes you have ! :)   A nice discovery God brought my way today. My plans had to change but God turned that for good. Take time and discover God's creation where you are.   

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 

Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)

Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)

Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)

Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)

Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)

Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)

I didn't expect to see this butterfly today. I was busy cleaning and taking garbage out. I saw 2 together at first and ran to get the camera. One of them flew off and this one with part of the hindwing missing I was able to photograph. It seemed to have no trouble flying though. I was reading about fixing damaged butterfly wings and I didn't know you could do that. Not sure if I'm ready to be a butterfly surgeon yet. lol Good to know damaged wings can be repaired just as God can repair us! Variegated Fritillary can be found in the Southern United States but migrates northward throughout most of the United States and into Canada. It ranges south to Argentina, the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles. The genus name Euptoieta comes from Greek and means easily scared. This one wasn't and a little easier to photograph than some I've chased before. Today was a nice day and a lovely day to find a butterfly. Take time to look around and discover God's creation where you are. 

 Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)

 Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)

 Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)

 Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)

 Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)

Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio troilus)

 Maybe you never saw this butterfly before. It's only found in the Eastern United States and Southern Ontario. Occasionally they may stray as far west as Colorado, north to North Dakota and as far south as Cuba. There are two subspecies and Papilio toilus ilioneus is said to be restricted to the Southern coastal plain including the Florida Peninsula. Males of the Spicebush Swallow tail (Papilio troilus) have a trademark blue-green half moon splotch on the hind wings while the females have a bright blue splotch. The males seemed to love the mimosa trees this year at our house but hard to capture good photos as high up as they were. Sometimes I would follow butterflies through the woods for a while but they were not still and flew away out of my sight usually. The larvae of the Spicebush Swallowtail feed on leaves of aromatic shrubs and trees. The Sassafras tree is one of those and I've noticed there are a good many in this area where I am in Alabama. Their name comes from the shrub Spicebush (Lindera Benzoin) which is another one of their favorite food. I'm not sure if there are any of those near where I am but there could be.  Remember this is a new world for me. I'm discovering a new world of God's creation. I hope you'll join me and discover His creation also.

Spicebush Swallowtail  Butterfly- male (Papilio troilus )

Spicebush Swallowtail  Butterfly - male (Papilio troilus)

Spicebush Swallowtail  Butterfly- male (Papilio troilus)

Spicebush Swallowtail  Butterfly (Papilio troilus)

Spicebush Swallowtail  Butterfly (Papilio troilus)

Spicebush Swallowtail  Butterfly (Papilio troilus)

Spicebush Swallowtail  Butterfly -female (Papilio troilus) 

Gulf fritillary or Passion Butterfly (Agraulis vanillae)

The Passion Butterfly is quite a beauty. So far I haven't seen them around as last year. It's been a little harder to catch butterflies still for pictures this year or not hiding in the woods. Some are out of my range with the camera I have and high in the trees. Different species of butterfly loved the red/orange zinnia we had last year. It was chosen more often than the pink ones. The Passion Butterfly can be found from Argentina to Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean also the Southern United States and in some of California. Chasing Butterflies is something I never thought I'd be doing but I'm loving the opportunity God gave me to capture their beauty. I'm discovering more about God's creation in my little world. I hope you'll take time and discover His creation as well.  

Gulf fritillary or Passion Butterfly (Agraulis vanillae) 

Gulf fritillary or Passion Butterfly (Agraulis vanillae) 

Gulf fritillary or Passion Butterfly (Agraulis vanillae) 

Gulf fritillary or Passion Butterfly (Agraulis vanillae) 

Gulf fritillary or Passion Butterfly (Agraulis vanillae) 

Gulf fritillary or Passion Butterfly (Agraulis vanillae)