hackberry emperor

Yesterday's fantasies of a rare butterfly became today's image of a hackberry emperor. If I feel cheated that puts me in good company. These butterflies are literally called cheaters. They mostly eat decaying organic material. When they do visit flowers, they hover and are very careful not to touch them with any part except their tongue. They don't collect and spread the pollen, and in that way cheat the flowers. in any case, it was fun to see them swarming.