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Wings

The lepidoptera-mania continues. Today’s catches include a clouded sulphur and an orange gulf fritillary.

ORANGE you glad I didn't say Monarch again?
SUNNY -- Cloudy sulphur butterfly makes a visit outside the office window.
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Mount Nebo

Once a resort to regain one’s health and flee the ills of city life, Mount Nebo today is a state park that offers grand views of western Arkansas and is still a place to rise above one’s day to day troubles. Part of the geologic rippling that is the Ouachita system, Mount Nebo is sandstone “bench” that stands 1,850 feet tall.

Mount Nebo is also lends its name to an annual chicken fry in nearby Dardanelle. It’s an unwritten rule of Arkansas politics that anyone running for office must include the Mount Nebo chicken fry on his or her campaign itinerary. (The other mandatory stop is the Gillette Coon Supper.) Those familiar with Charles Portis’ novel “True Grit,” will recognize Dardanelle in Yell County as Mattie Ross’ home.

WIDE -- A panoramic shot from Sunset Point on Mount Nebo.
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Gold and parachutes

A beautiful day and a vacation day! Too nice to stay inside, so of course the camera and I took a walk. In addition to more butterflies (see the previous post with the red-spotted purple) the light was just right for a couple of non-insect shots.

READY FOR DEPARTURE -- Parachutes ready to lift off with their seedy payload.
GOLD LEAF -- Fall color that's solid gold.

 

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Dark wings

A Canadian cold front gave us a drastic change in temperatures from Sunday’s record high of 88 to this morning’s freeze warning, complete with frost in the valley.  The migrating monarchs haven’t reappeared since the mercury went south, but was no deterrent to the red-spotted purple that was flitting around the trees this morning.

FEELING BLUE -- A red spotted purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) lights on a wild blackberry bush.
ON THE WING -- Red-spotted purple flies to his next stop.
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Monarch madness

After weeks of trying to catch a monarch in pixels, finally, finally they made it to the mountain. Maybe it was a strong headwind out of the south that prompted them to take a breather, but today the monarchs made use of the goldenrods for rest and nectar.

GOLDEN -- Migrating monarch makes a stop on the goldenrod.
PATIENCE PAYS -- Migrant monarchs make a fuel stop in the mountaintop goldenrods.
HANGING AROUND -- Resting in the sun.
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Dance of the fieries

This fall has truly been a treat. Perfect weather and lots of activity in the fall blooms. Hard to believe we’re in the last half of October.

DANCING -- Two fiery skippers appear to perform an airborne tango in the garden.
LIT -- Sun warms this fiery skipper.

WING -- A closeup of a pearl crescent wing.