The American Copper butterflies are so colorful with their vibrant orange and black colors. I saw this American Copper at Fort Hill on the side of the trail. I almost missed it as when their wings are closed up they are a light grey with tiny black dots. It’s only when they open their wings that you can see the beautiful orange and black.
American Copper butterflies are small, only about 1″ with orange forewings and about 8 black dots and a black outer edge.
It was such a treat to see the beautiful Monarch butterflies flitting from flower to flower at Fort Hill. I had been waiting for them to come back from their long migration from Mexico.
The Monarch butterfly has often been called the most beautiful and majestic of butterflies and you can tell just by looking at its coloring and patterns. It feeds on Milkweed which Fort Hill has a lot to offer.
Have you seen a Monarch butterfly this year yet? Gorgeous, don’t you think?
I saw this pretty little Eastern Tailed Blue Butterfly while we were hiking at Fort Hill the other day. It is a small blue butterfly with a wingspan of 3/4-1″. Above it is blue with a darker border and underneath it is gray with black spots and a little orange patch.
So pretty and delicate, don’t you think? Have you ever seen one?
I took this photograph of this Painted Lady butterfly last September at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary when they were so prolific in this area. They were everywhere! I thought the side view was so cool. I even like that you can only see its camouflage colors.
There are still quite a few butterflies flying around here on Cape Cod. I saw this Clouded Sulfur butterfly at Fort Hill, feeding on a Knapweed wildflower. I also saw many Cabbage White butterflies, some Painted Lady butterflies and one Monarch butterfly. I thought the Monarchs had migrated down to Mexico a few weeks ago.
It must be the warm weather and that the wildflowers are still blooming that is keeping them all around.
Cape Cod daily articles on the wonderful Cape Cod places to hike, experience and photograph. A Cape Cod Outdoor Adventure Series.
