The Joy of the Hunt

What can be more fun than tramping around the pucker brush, slopping through a marshy area, dodging tree limbs and swatting mosquitos? Why, doing all that while chasing butterflies and moths, of course.

I was out for a few hours in the heat of the day yesterday, at times on my belly to get a horizontal photo of a skipper, at other times swinging my camera overhead as a swallowtail swooped by. My feet were wet, my legs and arms scratched and the bugs were biting. I haven’t had such fun in ages. Why? What is the appeal? I think it has to do with living in the moment and the thrill of the chase.

I was in a woody area near a wetland. I mostly stuck to the edges and to sunny open areas within the woods. I would stand quietly watching, keeping my eyes soft, waiting for movement. I tried not to be distracted by the flies and mosquitoes either biting or flying by. Often falling leaves or floating seeds would catch my eye.

When I saw something interesting I would begin the stalk, edging forward, trying not to loose sight of it as I moved. This is the essential point. Moths in particular have a habit of becoming invisible as soon as they stop moving. More than once I would creep to the spot where I knew it landed only to loose it among the grass or on the tree trunk. When that happened I’d wave a hand slowly over the area where it had disappeared. Sometimes this would cause it to fly and I’d begin again, other times it was gone for good.

It can be frustrating and more often than not I couldn’t get the photo, but when I did the satisfaction made up for the misses. I can’t wait to go out again.

Thanks for looking,
Stay well, be curious, learn things.

Kate
June, 2023

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