Engagement photoshoot with Gareth and Kat at Sheridan College My thanks to classmates Gigi and Janine for joining me. It was a fun morning.

Elusive butterflies

A Monarch spreads its wings

The Black Swallowtail

 Clear Wing Hummingbird moth

Cabbage White

There's an enchanting little book called The Butterfly Isles by Patrick Barkham, about a man who sets out to "collect" all 61 species -- 59 natives, 2 migrants -- of butterfly that can be seen (or not seen) in Britain each year.
 It may sound rather geeky, but in fact Barkham makes it compelling. Some butterflies are on the verge of extinction, others are around only for a matter of days.
You really do get caught up in the hunt. And along the way you learn about the way butterflies behave (some are definitely not well bred), learn about their habitats and  meet a host of fascinating characters -- past and present -- along the way.
I was quite inspired to do likewise, albeit at a slower pace. So here's my collection so far of butterflies found in Ontario. Okay, I know it includes one moth but I rather like the shot and am intrigued by the idea of  a moth that likes to pretend that it's a bird.

Wish I knew what this one is

I'm actually finding it a nice challenge.Some of them, such as the Cabbage White, don't spread their wings when they rest. And others, such as the Clouded Sulphur, are all action and only deign to land several hundred feet away from the camera. A recent survey taken in the Niagara region found that there are 29 common butterflies in that region and another 25 that are uncommon/rare.
So it's gonna take a while ...

Red Admiral