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| 1.12 pm |
Ephemeral is the Word 4 Wednesday, a meme hosted by Donna at Garden Walk Garden Talk Blog. The definition for Ephemeral is "having a short life cycle or existence, not lasting".
Turnera ulmifolia (Yellow Alder) flowers open in the morning. Such beautiful blooms, so rich in nectar but it is only for a few hours. By mid-day the flowers would be closed. At the Rooftop Secret Garden of 1-Utama lives some Tawny Coaster butterflies that feed on the nectar from these flowers.
This flower was just about to close when I chance upon a lone tawny coaster butterly flipping its wings and darting about from flower to flower, leaf to leaf, plant to plant.
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| 1.26 pm |
This butterfly was not dancing in courtship, neither was it searching for nectar. I knew that the moment will soon come. So I sat by the planter box and waited under the hot sun, observing this butterfly flipping and darting for some time.
“Ovipositing Tawny Coaster Butterfly on Turnera ulmifolia", a copyrighted post, was written for My Nice Garden blog by Autumn Belle @ http://www.mynicegarden.com/ on Nov 2nd, 2011.
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| 1.29 pm |
“Life is full of beauty. Notice it.
Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces.
Smell the rain, and feel the wind.
Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.”
..... Ashley Smith
The life of this flower is short. So is the life of the butterfly. Both having an ephemeral existence.
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| 1.44 pm |
“Only a life lived for others is a life worth while.”
..... Albert Einstein
Watching this butterfly laying the first egg was an unforgetable experience for me. Here I was sitting beside this ovipositing butterfly at the rooftop garden 7 floors above a shopping complex. It was like witnessing the birth of a baby! At the same time, I was touched. This is a feeling I can't find words to describe.
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| 2.07 pm |
Shortly after 2:07pm, she was finished and she flew off, never to see her newborns again. And these babies will never get to see or know their mom. If I asked what will happen to those babies, my late father would always reply, "The Almighty will take care of them". That's the beauty of nature.
Now, the next time you see a caterpillar in your garden hungrily devouring your beloved plants and vegetables, will you let them eat on to grow up and become the beautiful butterflies they are meant to be? ..... and to pollinate the flowers that'll change into the fruits and seeds that'll reproduce and feed many lifes on Earth? or .....
Footnote: Photographs taken in May 2011.
This is also my entry for Fertilizer Friday hosted by Glenda at Tootsie Time here.
Lovely, as your pictures always are!
ReplyDeleteWonderful capture of the moment of laying eggs. Beautiful butterfly.
ReplyDeleteWow! You mean you knew it was about to lay eggs? You waited almost an hour!!! How did you know? Did it show signs of labour pain??? :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful captures!
What a patient and knowledgeable photographer you are. Great capture of this ephemeral moment.
ReplyDeleteLotusleaf, Nell Jean, One, Tufa Girl. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOne, I was lucky to encounter this. How I guess it was about to lay eggs:
a) It did not dash away and disappear when I was nearby. It seemed to something more important to do that cannot wait, hence was oblivious to my presence.
b) It was more interested in the leaves, not the flowers.
Another observation: Unlike the lime butterflies which lay eggs one by one on the underside of different leaves, the tawny coaster butterfly lay eggs all on the underside of a single leaf.
Podziwiam Twoją cierpliwość. Pokazałaś nam początek nowego motylkowego życia. Piękne zdjęcia. Pozdrawiam
ReplyDeleteThat is a sweet sentiment of your father. I remember my dad giving similiar advice when my cat was run over by a car when I was little.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful butterfly photos!
Those are great photos ... lovely butterflies...
ReplyDeleteKG: Karin
What a lovely post for ephemeral! I hope to someday see that sight...amazing.
ReplyDeleteYou are so observant, patient and knowledgeable. What a great capture. I never saw a butterfly lay eggs. Beautiful images too. Thank you for joining in on ephemeral.
ReplyDeleteThis is a rare moment of nature that you witnessed and captured. Not a lot of people get to see a butterfly lay its eggs. Thanks for sharing this experience with us.
ReplyDeleteThis was wonderful! I've never seen a butterfly lay eggs, and so this was quite intriguing. I had never thought before, either, that they never see their children. So much to think about here.
ReplyDeletehmmm...makes me wonder what I might have missed as I have observed butterflies...beautiful pictures!
ReplyDeleteI loved the photos of the butterfly laying eggs - beautiful animal and a beautiful natural process. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThese are excellent shots Autumn Belle, especially the one caught in the act of laying eggs, how so outstandingly fast. I know these butterflies do that in very fleeting moments, and you captured them, very well composed even! I've seen a lot of them laying single eggs but not yet like this. I salute! haha!
ReplyDeleteFloating beauties lasting for a week. Precious moments for you to capture the laying of eggs, perfect shot with patience. Live and let live, dear caterpillars.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful post and stunning photos! Really enjoyed this.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a special thing to have witnessed! Lovely photos, and lovely sentiments. A few chewed up leaves is a small price to pay for such beauty.
ReplyDeletewow...how beautiful...loved reading your post and you captured butterfly laying eggs...amazing.
ReplyDeletenice shots! indeed waiting under the sun was so worth it...thanks for sharing the beautiful candid moment.
ReplyDeleteWow, you are amazing to capture this! So cool. Great to find your blog via Tootsie Time.
ReplyDeleteVeronica
Tassels Twigs and Tastebuds
What a beautiful moment and beautiful captures! You were very patient, and in the right place at the right time. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots! Larry
ReplyDeleteAn amazing capture of a sight very many of us don't get to see. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAmazing photos! I admire your patience; thank you for sharing this wonderful experience. :)
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a butterfly lay eggs and to capture this ephemeral moment is amazing as were all the pics here...yes I let the caterpillars munch away knowing I will be visited again by their alter ego the butterfly who I so welcome in my garden...
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I have to commend you on the beauty of your blog and on the incredibly stunning photography.
ReplyDeleteThen I feel compelled to share my sadness over the fact that gorgeous blooms like Turnera ulmifolia have such very short life spans. It seems such a shameful waist!
Nature isn’t usually so callas with its treasures but why is it with this?
You are very patient person. But it was very worth it with such gorgeous photos!
ReplyDeleteThanks to your patience we got to share in this event that most never see. Awesome photos that really capture the meaning of ephemeral.
ReplyDeletePhotos and quotes all so beautiful ... a lovely post!
ReplyDeletePretty butterflies they are...
ReplyDeleteIncredible shots!!!! How amazing to have been there and then to have captured that!
ReplyDeletealoha
ReplyDeletebeautiful captures, i enjoyed reading about these butterflies and their magic moment
Hello :)
ReplyDelete... also I love nature and everything connected with it.
I thank you so much for linking in this week. It is an honor to host Friday's Flaunt and meet new friends and visit the regulars (who are like old friends) who share. I am always excited to tour each post and see the different flowers/ projects and garden art that everyone flaunts. It is a pleasure to tour and see all the gorgeous blooms...and I appreciate each and every link and comment! I have shared your post today with my facebook page for Tootsie Time. I hope you will link in again soon!
ReplyDelete(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
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(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.