Butterfly Kiss

I had an appointment with a land agent at my mother's today. He got held up so I amused myself in the garden with the camera. I had my long lens on shooting a greenfinch in the oak tree when a pair of butterflies flew straight into the back of my neck.

They fluttered together and alighted high up in a blackthorn hedge. I continued using my 400mm to photograph them even though the definition leaves a certain amount to be desired. I would have swapped to my macro lens if I could have got close.

The male was very persistent while the female nonchalantly fed. He tried to get underneath her and when that wouldn't work got behind her and tapped her wings near the eye spots with his feet and seemed to be tasting her pheromones with his proboscis.

I watched and photographed them for quite a while. In the end she flew off. His mission wasn't accomplished. Female butterflies can be very picky. :)