Lorquin's admiral butterfly gathering nectar from
Pacific ninebark flowers
Black Lake Meadows
Olympia, WA
May 12, 2016
Lorquin's admiral butterflies can be seen in the Puget Sound region
during the late Spring and Summer months. The butterfly, whose
wingspan measures 2 - 2 5/8 inches, has a black upperside with
white median bands and orange-brown wingtips. The underside
is reddish-brown with white markings. Its range extends from
southern California to British Columbia.
The Pacific ninebark is a common native plant of the Puget Sound
lowlands. It blooms in late Spring with clusters of tiny
white flowers sitting like pom-poms at the end of its branches.
This Saturday, May 14, 2016, is the 21st Annual Prairie Appreciation
Day. This is a magnificent opportunity to visit Thurston County's
Glacial Heritage Preserve, as well as DNR's Mima Mounds. The event takes
from 10 AM to 3 PM. . You can get directions at the Prairie Appreciation Day
website. This is a great way to experience some of Western Washington's
remaining native prairie land and experience native plants, such
as paintbrush and balsamroot.