By Deb Chute

Since April, my camera and I have been shooting the butterflies on theDavid Dunlap Observatory Parklands. We started with the small Blues in thespring and are moving into the Monarchs of July/August.

Since this is a new venture for me, I am learning as I go. Thanks to help from Jeffrey Glassberg’s book, Butterflies through Binoculars, The East, I have been able to identify 10 species and have photos to show five of them. Thank you also to Alan Macnaughton and Glenn Richardson of the Toronto Entomologists’ Association for confirming and commenting on my observations.

Identified so far are: Silvery Blue, Canadian Tiger Swallowtail, Northern Pearly-eye, a Hairstreak, Little Wood-Satyr, Common Wood-Nymph, Monarch, and, of course, Cabbage Whites and European Skippers and I think a White Admiral.

One hot day in mid-July, as I was hiking through the David Dunlap fields, I was treated to a view of what seemed like hundreds of dragonflies hovering over the field. It was truly amazing. A better camera than my little Cyber Shot could have caught the flashing of their wings crystal-like in the sun.

My camera and I will keep snapping. Next attempt could include Dragonflies. So far I have two pictures. One is a male Ebony Jewelwing and the other is a female 12-spotted Skimmer.

Anybody want to help?

Watch a Slideshow or click below to view the DDO Butterfly Video.