Back on August 8th, I wrote about photographing a Red Admiral Butterfly and a Pearl Crescent Butterfly at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma (Butterflies at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge).
Today I’m excited to share photos of two more butterfly species I captured during separate outings to Sequoyah this year – the Common Checkered Skipper on April 11th and the Common Buckeye on July 12th.
Common Checkered-Skipper: Adult wingspans are 0.75-1.25 inches. Their coloring is faded white with tan-colored bands and a black or brown edge on the hindwing. From above, they have a distinctive black and white checkered pattern These busy little butterflies can be seen darting around on sunny days as they sip nectar from flowers.
The Common Buckeye is slightly larger, with a wingspan of 1.5 to 2.5 inches. The eye-spots on its wings resemble those of a buck deer, giving it its name. Its wings feature black and white rings outlining three to four prominent eyespots with middles in blue, magenta, orange, and green shades. Buckeyes are a common sight in fields and meadows across much of the United States.
On each visit to Sequoyah, I was able to capture photographs showing the beautiful wing patterns of these butterfly species. I feel so fortunate to have these butterfly ambassadors in front of my camera!
Let me know in the comments if you have a favorite butterfly or critter you enjoy observing in nature. I always love hearing from you. Looking forward to the next wildlife adventure!
Steve Creek, Wildlife Photographer
Equipment Used:
- Camera: Canon EOS R5
- Lens: Canon RF 100-500 mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Technical Details: Common Buckeye
- Location: Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge (Oklahoma)
- Date and Time Taken: July 12, 2023 (07:33 A. M.)
- Program Mode: Manual
- Aperture: f8
- Shutter speed: 1/800
- ISO: 5000 (Auto)
- Exp. Comp.: +0.7
- Focal Length: 500 mm
Lovely, Steve.