All of which makes butterflies very happy! Our local park is running its annual "Wings Of Fancy" exhibition at the moment, where you can walk around a greenhouse while assorted winged creatures flutter about and you can almost hear the very hungry caterpillars munching through their green leaves. Outside in the gardens it's roughly the same story, with moth-attracting plants to encourage the beating of gossamer wings.
It's all very lovely, even if butterflies are basically creepy-crawlies with nice plumage. That's why something like this is popular whereas a "mosquito house" wouldn't capture the tourist dollar. It also wasn't the most sensible thing to go into a greenhouse on a day when temperatures hit 39C outside - Hannah loved it but Pete and I, as true British gentlemen, sweated through the whole thing. Luckily my fears of being the owner of the two-year-old who crushed/ate the prize livestock were unfounded.
Another great thing about butterflies and caterpillars is that they sit still to be photographed, unlike the aforementioned child. I took along my big serious camera to take advantage, only to be shown up by everyone else there having bigger and more serious cameras. There's a lot of love for butterflies in these parts. Still, I bet I sound more like David Attenborough than any of them.
Some like it hot. But not that hot.
He wasn't a little caterpillar anymore.
And another (actual size).
Butterfly peeping.
There's one, enjoying a nice nectar snack.
This is Dryas Iulia, of course.
Classic black-and-white.
Temperatures are rising.
I know one of those.
Another happily-posing butterfly.
Wings like angels.
Feeling some lens envy.
Outside in the ornamental gardens. If Pete couldn't touch the butterflies he was going to grab a fish.
My little rays of sunshine.
Pupa and butterfly.
