This is a funereal duskywing aka the 7th duskywing, Erynnis funeralis, feeding on a dusty miller flower. These small dark butterflies actually are cute if not pretty; this is simply an unflattering photograph of one for your enjoyment. E. funeralis is common around here and has been flying in my garden for about a month, since the June gloom burned off the the weather turned warm and sunnier. Its larval food includes various leguminous pl
ants which I don't grow, so the caterpillars are likely in someone else's yard or a nearby untended lot.
2 comments:
At California Academy of Sciences they have an indoor rainforest habitat, with tons of live creatures including poison dart frogs and a plethora of free-flying butterflies from places like the Amazon, Madagascar and Borneo. When you exit, you pass through an air-lock type portal to ensure that no butterflies escape.
Not even the ugly ones! I've got to get up to SF and visit the Academy.
Post a Comment