The Empress and her Minions

[c.j.]

A few from her 'kingdom', yesterday morning…

Pics 1&2:Empress Antonia Butterfly Asterocampa antonia a 'true' butterfly and part of the 'Brush-footed' family. The adults drink from scat, mud, tree sap and particularly like overripe fruit!!!

Pic 3:The purple/pink wildflower is a Trailing Four O'Clock Allionia incarnata, hosting a Progressive Bee Fly Exoprosopa spp. sipping nectar. (I'm not sure about the id of the little fly on the flower.)

Pic 4: Another Progressive Bee Fly Exoprosopa spp. sipping nectar , this time from a Rambling Milkweed Sarcostemma hirtellum. Also, note the small yellow Aphid Mites on the stems of the plant.

Butterflies utilize milkweed as a food and for defensive puposes. Feeding on them makes them bitter tasting to predators.

All cropped
All handheld