The Sex Lives of Butterflies

Following on from my last blogpost about learning how the Bees get their pollen from the Lupin Flowers, I came across this scene of two butterflies trying to mate. Not that I'm a pervert or anything.

Butterflies fly extremely fast and all over the place. To get these images I had to put my camera on continuous burst mode. These shots aren't in the order they were taken, the male would fly in and out and in and out, and around, up down in a matter of milliseconds. However I put them in order to show a sequence only.

Incoming.....

The male is now 'presenting' himself to the female! I thought this was the other way around, but on googling it appears I was wrong. Isn't Google great! One can even learn about the sex lives of Butterflies there!

This is as near as they got mating for the day - thank goodness. Don't know whether I could have stood the heat!

They then flew off in a butterfly dance together and I walked on to leave them to it! According to Google, had I stuck around, I might have seen them in the act. I'll remember that for next time!

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

The world is full of exhibitionists.   But when you come across it right outside your bedroom door in broad daylight, what does one do?  Shut doors?  Close curtains?  Get out the hose?  Scream?  Ring the police?

I did what most people probably wouldn't think of.  I got out my camera! 

Years ago I came across a book on various positions for humans.  But I reckon this one takes the cake!  However, as usual, the females are doing all the work!

 

The females have to flap their wings like crazy to try and balance, contort themselves, while the male has it pretty good!  I was in no way scared of being stung as their 'stingers' were rather busy.

Her hind leg helps balance as well, but her wings are still going at top speed!

She's like a helicopter!  Straight down view.  Oh yes - they knew I was there too, but they weren't too worried!  They were too 'busy'!

 

Female still holding on for dear life! I have just read that the male dies after sex.  Kinda sucks really doesn't it, if you're a male?

Glad I'm not a wasp though.  The photos were taken on my BBQ cover and just after I took this one, they flew off together, still connected.

So not only do I have a mouse problem here, See this blogpost by my friend, and a rabbit problem which I wrote about in this blogpost, but I also have a wasp problem.  Seem like things really breed in a big way down in the South Island!