butterflies-at-seep

Just loose bark? Look again. I counted 15 butterflies (all hackberry emperors (Asterocampa celtis) except for one question mark), which were apparently sipping seeping sap!

poison-ivy-flowers

Poison ivy (Toxicodendron sp.) is thriving. Read more: Butterfly forest.

question-mark-butterfly

Question mark (Polygonia interrogationis). Read more: Butterfly forest.

foliose-lichen

Fallen junipers support luxuriant growths of foliose (leaf-like) lichen.

moss

Moss and lichen on a juniper trunk.

red-admiral

Red admiral (Vanessa atalanta).

hackberry-emperor

Hackberry emperor (Asterocampa celtis). Read more: Butterfly forest.

question-mark-folded

See those tiny white marks? Somebody thought that looked like a question mark ... and so the butterfly was named.

question-mark-adult

An adult question mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis).

question-mark-caterpillar

This spiky caterpillar is, I believe, a question mark butterfly larva (Polygonia interrogationis). Read more: Butterfly forest.