Still More Butterflies

While checking Eastern Bluebird boxes today, I bumped into several butterflies.  With all the wet weather lately, it's been easy to spot butterflies on damp roads.  I still haven't figured out how to approach them without scaring them off, but I managed to photograph a few, including the new-to-me emperors.

Eastern Comma

This is the first Great Spangled Fritillary I've seen this season.  Larvae feed on violets.  Adults feed on nectar (milkweeds, thistle, Joe-pye-weed).

Great Spangled Fritillary

The Emperors were new-to-me.   Both are associated with their larval food:  Hackberry leaves.  The Tawny is less common.  They overwinter in groups as caterpillars.  Adults feed on sap, carrion, rotting fruit - rarely nectar.

 

Tawny Emperor

Hackberry Emperor