Hey Mike, don’t move!

There’s a butterfly on your hat. A Red-spotted Purple butterfly (Limenitis arthemis astyanax).

16 AUG 2019 | Occoquan Bay NWR | Red-spotted Purple butterfly

This comical butterfly-man union was observed during a photowalk with Michael Powell at Painted Turtle Pond, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Prince William County, Virginia USA.

16 AUG 2019 | Occoquan Bay NWR | Red-spotted Purple butterfly

The weather was extremely hot and humid. (Notice the Cumulus congestus clouds building in the background.) Both Mike and I were soaked with sweat as soon as we started our photowalk earlier the same day at another site. The butterfly was feeding upon mineral salts on Mike’s “Duck Dynasty” hat.

Copyright © 2019 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Red-spotted Purple butterflies

A Red-spotted Purple butterfly (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) was spotted during a photowalk along Deephole Point Road at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Prince William County, Virginia USA.

10 SEP 2017 | Occoquan Bay NWR | Red-spotted Purple butterfly

About a week later, another Red-spotted Purple was spotted during a walk around Mulligan Pond at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, Fairfax County, Virginia USA.

18 SEP 2017 | JMAWR | Red-spotted Purple butterfly

The appearance of Red-spotted Purple seems to be somewhat variable.

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.