Swallowtail

 It has been a while, that I really saw him again. This time it was n't just a glimpse. He took all the time to drink from the Nepeta flowers. I did n't know he likes those flowers. I only knew they love the Foeniculum (Fennel) and carrots. Anyway, he sat there for a long time, flew away several times, to come back again and again. 

That was a real treat for me, as I photographed and filmed this butterfly from caterpillar to cocoon and the coming out, back in 2007 

This is such a beauty, living mostly in the southern parts of Europe, but when summers are hot, they also migrate higher up north to the Netherlands.

Swallowtail back!

Today my sister came visiting and suddenly she said: Look, look! come quickly...!!!

There he/she was....The Swallowtail is back! he/she landed while fluttering around in my garden on the verbena. As quickly as I could I grabbed my camera and was able to get a glimpse of this beautiful butterfly.

In dutch the butterfly is named Koninginnepage so I always name her Queen!

Only when summers are very warm they fly up more north from the southern countries.

Back in 2006 The butterfly was here as well and I was able to photograph the whole process of transformation from egg to butterfly (click link here for the transformation series)

It is so amazing to see the whole process...and I am so delighted to see her back!

(Click images for sharper view)

Transformation

I made this film ten years ago, back in 2008
About the transformation of the Swallowtail butterfly.(Koninginnenpage)(Papilion Machaon)
The whole process from being a very small caterpillar, into spinning his cocoon, going into cocoon...
and then later on from cocoon to a beautiful butterfly.
Somehow I still am amazed at the whole process when I look at it again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA-wNC6ZwUg&t=66s

Queen is back

I was extremely surprised when I sat in my garden this morning,
suddenly seeing the Queen again!
As I always name this butterfly...because in dutch he is named Koninginnepage.
In English Swallowtail.
Three years ago when it also was tropical back in 2006...he visited my garden.
Normally in colder summers they stay in France, Belgium...not coming much higher north.
Back then I collected the caterpillars and later watched them go into cocoons.
A year later(2007), I waited to see the butterfly come out.
This whole project I named 'Save the Queen'.
if you are interested: click under labels (Save the Queen 3)
and Save the Queen 2
& Save the Queen 1
Now he is here again!
I do hope he comes back.
Its such a beauty.

queen 11

Queen 11 still in hiding.
faith perseveres.

queen 11

The last package did not yet unwrap today.
Been waiting for hours, to see this happen again,
don't want to miss this last chance.
looking all the time to a dead looking branch,
its looks almost the same as the dead branch where it sits on.

If you didn't know, you easily overlook and ignore the thing.
It even looks worthless, of unimportance...as a nothing thing.
hidden away for no one to see.
While on the inside...is living this beautiful, radiant, colorful, butterfly

I do know that it is inside...
but for the normal eye not yet to be seen.

Untill...suddenly!

Queen 11

The last queen, 11, decided to stay into his cocoon for today.
Probably not yet ready .
They exactly know when they are ready to go.

Helping them out, would cause a disaster...
because then they certainly gone die...
they need to work themselves out, all by itself.
Otherwise they don't develop strength,
and they stay weak and are unable to fly.

so another day of watching on my post tomorrow.

queen 9

Queen 8 had come out... before I was able to see...
much earlier this morning, than the others came out, so I was not cameraready.
You cannot tell when they plan to come,
they don't screem or yell, to announce birthing.
So its very easy to miss the exact moment.

Queen 10 planned to come, while queen 9 was birthing..so kind of twins again.
3 queens came out and 1 large white!
There is now only one green cocoon left.
Maybe tomorrow... he's coming?

on the wings

Queen number 6 and 7 are born today.
like a twin they came together at the same time.

Here one of them on the wings..in the wisteria (blue rain),
before he took off... high!

queen 4&5

Today queen 4 and 5 came out...
Unique pictures, of the fifth queen
to be seen from the first crack to open up...
going into freedom.

eyes

A closer view on her eyes!

queen3

Again I new birth today!
Now I did see her all the way through come out...
she popped out instantly
in seconds...
click images for better view


I did fix a very short mpg but how to get that in blogger?
I first have to find out 'the how to'

what happened to the bees?

What happened to the bees..who were searching for a home around my head?
On the web I found close by a bee-keeper!
He was interested in having the bees for a friend ...so there he came.
He asked me to spray the bees with water a little first..as to become quiet.
So I did..
and thought to myself that the rain wave which I used to chase them away
was not such a bad idea at all, but a bit premature...

He then managed perfectly all the bees in a beehive
meanwhile the bees.... severely buzzing and making noises all the time.
You could feel the heat-energy of flapping wings.
He said they spread a kind of scent, while buzzing..so they would recognize each other as a colony.
He waited a few hours till dark, so that the whole colony would get into the hive also...
than took them all for a ride!
byebye bees

so all the bees have a new home now!

2 more transparant cocoons

This morning I noticed that one of the green cocoons has become transparent.
Also one more of the grey browns have changed more orange.
click images..and then you can clearly see the wings shine through...
specially the green one shows it clearly.

so .... today or tomorrow...new birth expected.

playing leaf

up a tree...playing leaf..then flew off to the east.
The other one, yesterdays flew to the south.

full view

Here she is...full view..spread wings.
a bit wobbly yet on her legs.
going to the violets for a drink.
and then....ffffffffttt on the wings!

wild attack

While I was busy photographing this birth of butterfly...
Suddenly ...out of nowhere...
bzzzzzzz...buzzzz...bzzzzzzzzzz.
buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
buuuzzzzzz, buzzz, angry buzzzzzing...

and even louder buzzing
swarming around my head.... in my garden..
enormous...flight of.... what I later saw were bees, it could be wasps too.
at first I could not discern clearly.

I could not believe my eyes...
had to go inside, because they came flying all around me, way too close...!
they even flew inside the house.
Being a pincushion...was not on my agenda...
but they disturbed all my IMPORTANT photographing!
coincidence???
what a lousy mean... trick.
I sprayed some water, with my water wave..
for watering plants, but now for bees..to frighten them, so they would go some place else,
They even got more wild!!!!!
So I stopped the water wave.
and waited.

New Birth of Butterfly !!!!!

After a few hours....I had looked to the cocoons, nothing changed, just the same cocoons..
Then...
I only drank one cup of tea...
Came back... looked again...
It were only a few minutes...!
There he/she was!
Just getting settled with the wings,
pumping the wings up somehow with some fluid.
the empty shell leaving behind , you can see it a little lower.

a bright new butterfly of the Papilio Machaon!!!!!!!!!!!
She (or he) did it!, came out!
Came into perfect shape and form..out of such a narrow seclusion...
To me its a miracle...!
What a beauty!