Gulf fritillary, the og

I adventured into Roxy's Square earlier today and noticed a butterfly was caught in a spider web that I have been observing for a few weeks. I got a decent shot with my iphone which I am sharing mostly bc Roxy girl is in the background looking cute. I have always enjoyed iphone point and shoot photography but I do not find it nearly as satisfying as manipulating settings and feeling it when you get it right. I am developing this skill which is a super fun blend of art, science, tech, intuition, and luck.

I seized the moment and got my Nikon and didn't really wind up with any that I am super impressed with but I will share anyway. This butterfly is a gulf fritillary and it moves super frenetically so it is especially difficult to shoot...apparently alive or dead. Even in the stuck shape it was in on the spider web, it's light-as-a-feather body was flapping around so much in the windy summer breeze. Any tips for shooting fast moving and frenetic subjects like butterflies?

She is the most common butterfly in my yard bc her host plant, passiflora incarnata, was the OG original transplant in 2019 when I first decided to call Roxy's Square home. I managed to get a decent shot of her flower today. Her common name is purple passion flower or purple passion vine. She prefers and flowers best in full sun but will tolerate shady environments as well. Her flowers are about the size of my palm, fantastically intricate, and also have a faint sweet fragrance.

Roxy loves when I hang out with her in her square. She has a dirt pit in front of my plumbago where I have given up on planting anything bc she insists it is her happy dirty girl spot. I have been patiently training this plumbago up a post but it wants to be more like a shrub than a vine. I enjoy the pale blue|purple color of the flowers and it seems pretty drought tolerant. There is a nonnative and a native type but they are both great Florida friendly options to consider!

Anyway, I hope I didn't weird you out with my dead butterfly feature. Until next time inspiration strikes...cheers!