Blue butterflies, red ants, rabbits and cows

Fascinating story!

"In a rare conservation success, a beautiful butterfly species that was headed for extinction has been brought back from the brink, thanks to careful biological observations of the insect’s life cycle. The mysterious disappearance of the Large Blue Butterfly across most of northern Europe was originally put down to its popularity among insect collectors [Telegraph]. Then biologist Jeremy Thomas spent six summers in the 1970s studying the very last colony of large blue butterflies in the United Kingdom, and determined that the butterflies were dependent on one species of red ant for their survival–and those ants were losing their habitat."

full story:
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/06/16/a-near-extinct-blue-butterfly-flourishes-again-thanks-to-a-red-ant/

Lunch break snapshots in spring

The rain has ceased and this is what I photographed on my lunch break today, in a forest near my office.



The above is the rare, trailing arbutus -- such a small flower that a casual passerby would surely miss it. I knelt down and inhaled its faint fragrance -- the first time in my life that I have ever had this opportunity.

Kat and Her camera

Kat's got fiery skippers and hairstreaks on Her blog tonight. Amazing, how beautiful these speedy little butterflies can be. Check it out, folks -- wrap up your weekend with something beautiful.