Insects

The Short-tailed Swallowtail seems to be drawn to places inhospitable to most other butterflies. Both of the butterflies I took pictures of were at or near the peaks of tall barren windswept seaside hills. Not exactly sunny gardens of nectar filled flowers.

The book "Butterflies Through Binoculars, The East", shows that this butterfly is generally limited to northern Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador. In fact the photos in the book are from St. John's,NF. Among its preferred habitats is grassy sea cliffs. Its major food plants are Scotch Lovage and Cow Parsnip. I guess it would be right at home at Cape St. Francis, right at the north-eastern tip of the Avalon Penninsula.

Here are a couple of spring overwintering butterflies, out on the first day the temperature even approached double digits. The Mourning Cloak is quite ragged looking, but the Tortoiseshell looks fine. There was still some snow on the ground in places. The Coltsfoot had only been in bloom for a few days.