This is my entry for the #monomad challenge by @monochromes! You can read more about the contest and how to enter HERE!
My photos show a male Zabulon Skipper butterfly. The Zabulon Skipper is in the Hesperiidae family and could be considered either a moth or butterfly. They are generally referred to as butterflies and I prefer to see them as a butterfly as well.
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I captured photos of this one (or two) drinking nectar from some Lantana flowers which I have planted in my front garden and resting on a Hosta leaf. I say "or two" because there were two male Zabulon Skippers at the time I was photographing. They were flying at each other over the treasure trove of Lantana flowers out there. In the case of the Zabulon Skipper it is easy to determine male versus female as the female of this particular species is much darker.
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I love seeing Skipper butterflies although they aren't always the easiest to photograph. They are fast fliers and usually don't stay very long on a flower.
I think having two of them out there made my chances of getting a few decent photos of them a little better. I was also trying to be very still so they would stay on a flower long enough for me to get some shots off. I'm sure the beautiful and delicious (assuming) nectar of the Lantana flowers was, most likely, a bigger factor though! 😉
Thank you @brumest, @ewkaw and @monochromes for #monomad!!
All photos and text by me @deerjay. All rights reserved.
