Out this afternoon for a walk we were attentive to the Monarch butterflies around the place. There’s quite a few about. Most of the swan plants have been massacred and the remaining caterpillars looking a bit sick by now, but obviously some have made it into adulthood.
And then we saw a few of these.
I haven’t seen them before: they are about the same size as a Monarch but are a midnight blue colour, with the large luminous spots you see. Our camera is not quite good enough to make a decent job of the picture (it was taken from a wee way away), but at least you get the idea.
B₂ called it a Blue Moon Butterfly, which is as good a name as any. Does anyone know what it’s official name is?