Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Wish I Were a Butterfly Medic








I found this butterfly on the ground, trying desperately to fly. I left it alone, initially, thinking perhaps it had just come out of its chrysalis and its wings were wet.

But no. It had a folded forewing, which meant it couldn't fly. It crawled onto my hand and we had a little conversation. I tried to unfold it, gently, and it held still while I attempted to do so. While I could unfold it, it wouldn't stay unfolded--I think perhaps this deformity was caused by a virus that deforms these beauties in the chrysalis.

I tried to feed him (black dot on wing means a male), but he wasn't interested in the sugar water. I placed him on a flower, and when I came back, he was nowhere to be found. Yay, I thought.

Alas, I found him a few days later, deceased. RIP, little beauty. I'm sorry I couldn't save you...

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