Red admiral butterfly

[nanila]

The red admirals are enjoying the abundant crop of blackberries in Norfolk, UK, almost as much as the humans are.

Comments

[shirebound]

That's incredible 'camouflage'. What a beauty.

[nanila]

It is, isn't it! I was busily photographing them (and the small tortoishells and peacocks) on a neighbouring buddleia and I turned round and suddenly noticed that the blackberries were similarly laden with butterflies.

[davidgillon]

Seeing a pic of an actual red admiral was the prompt I needed to realise those weren't red admirals I was watching in my sister's garden last week. After poking the net, they seem to have been peacocks, though the eyespots were white rather than blue/yellow.

[nanila]

They might have been overwintering imagos. Their colours tend to fade.

[loligo]

Beautiful!

[nanila]

Agreed! :)

[redbird]

Thanks for showing us this,

[nanila]

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[ihavenoarms]

great photos

[nanila]

Thank you!

[cmcmck]

They really are beauties.

[nanila]

The blackberries are also excellent. 😁

[pauraque]

Great shot!

[nanila]

Thank you!

[semielliptical]

Wow, that's stunning!

[nanila]

It wasn't until I looked through the photos afterward that I realised how good the camouflage is!

[turlough]

What a fantastic photo! I've never noticed the texture of butterfly antennaes before. Also, I had no idea butterflies liked berries as well as flowers. Fascinating!

[nanila]

Thank you! Yes, macro photography sometimes highlights some very strange features. A butterfly's face in extreme closeup is rather menacing, for instance.

[yourlibrarian]

What a perfect location for the pic!

[nanila]

When I was finished taking photos, I joined the butterflies in gorging on blackberries. 😆