Today was perfect spring weather in southeast Michigan: sunny with clear blue skies and cooler temperatures so I enjoyed hiking a trail in the early morning at one of my favorite birding locations.
As I finished my hike, a flutter of yellow color caught the corner of my eye.
Not bulky enough to be a bird, I quickly turned to see a lovely yellow and black butterfly gracefully fluttering over the ground before it landed near the edge of a grassy field.
My first Canadian Tiger Swallowtail butterfly of the year!
It paused for a moment on the dirt before taking off into the nearby woods.
What a nice way to end my hike!
I haven’t seen a lot of butterflies this year, but hope that changes in June.
Seeing the butterfly had me wondering about their flight and why they’re called butterflies.
So, I researched online and found this wonderful segment from Vermont Public Radio, explaining how butterflies fly and a few theories on why they’re called butterflies.
