Flutterby

A friend of mine (Hi Jess!) got a new laptop, and she asked me for a picture she could use as her desktop wallpaper. Normally that's not an odd request, but this is one of those fancy new laptops with a wider-than-normal screen. So I had to look for a picture that could be cropped to the proper dimensions, and still maintain some interest. The little butterfly above is what I found that I thought looked best. I think this was about the fifth or sixth picture I sent to her, but as soon as I saw it, I knew this would be the favorite. Now she wants a new picture every week...

I believe it's a viceroy butterfly, but I'm not sure. They are known for the way they resemble monarch butterflies. I shot the photo at my parent's house last Sunday. Well, I looked it up, and I don't think it's a viceroy. I'll keep looking...

Aha! If you go here, you'll see that it's a Gulf fritillary, or something like that. I've been calling these by the wrong name all my life. (Probably because I'd have a hard time saying fritillary.)