Friday, July 19, 2013

Palamedes Swallowtail Butterfly feasting on nectar of Bull Thistle Flower. {Bull Thistle Plant in Yard - Part 1}

Last year summer one wild plant grew near  our patio door admist  Mint plants, It was tiny with five six leaves, I didn't think much and  left it in the ground, it survived harsh winter and by spring it started to grow taller with beautiful  thorny leaves. Google search based on the  leaf description yielded me result of  Bull Thistle Plant. (Cirsium vulgare) In the month of May it started showing signs of bloom and by first week of June beautiful purple thistle flowers started blooming all over the plant. On July 4th  one beautiful Palamedes Swallowtail Butterfly came in search of nectar,  it stayed around flowers for few minutes and that gave me good chance to capture images through Patio glass door. Butterfly images are taken around  11.15 a.m., it was very bright sunny day, glass door acted as a nice filter. I am glad to share these images with you. I will have one more post coming up with American Gold finch images taken while enjoying Bull Thistle seeds. They take several rounds to eat thistle seeds and today one female finch started collected white silky texture material from seeds to use in her nest. Now Thistle bloom is ending, plant is drying and collapsing. Today I removed two dried stems. I am glad that I left this Bull Thistle plant to grow, it was great joy to see it growing and frequented by Gold finches, butterflies, bees and insects.













Simple flower arrangement with Bull Thistle flowers.





Bumble Bee sipping nectar from Bull Thistle Flower.




Dried Bull Thistle flower head.







Palamedes Swallowtail Butterfly

Bull Thistle plant is full of spines.





Opened dried Thistle flower head with  silky fiber.


Female American gold  Finch  picking up Bull Thistle seeds.

10 comments:

Hari Chandana said...

beautiful captures !!

sm said...

beautiful photos
have to see them once again before leaving

Ankita said...

Awesome shots!!! I hate it when pple catch butterflies and kill them
:(

Usha said...

Hari chandana, Thanks for stopping by, glad to know that you liked these butterfly images.

Usha said...

sm, Thanks. Do come back and see them again..I will soon post next part with American Goldfinch images..Now bloom is over, Few finches are still coming to finish remaining seeds.

Usha said...

AS, Welcome to my blog, Thanks for taking few moments to admire these images... I agree, catching and killing butterflies is not good act...just watch and enjoy while they fly around.

Linda said...

What beautiful photos!! :)

Usha said...

Linda, Welcome to my blog, glad to know you loved these butterfly images. Thanks for stopping by.

Khoty Mathur said...

Such clear images of the butterfly. Great shots, Usha.

Usha said...

KayEm, Good to see you here, I am glad you loved these butterfly shots. Thanks for stopping by.