Laid and Waiting

Well, I didn’t win the latest billion dollar mega lottery (probably would have needed to buy tickets), but my partner did find these priceless lovelies in our backyard: California pipevine swallowtail butterfly eggs on a California pipevine seed pod, both endemic to the area. As I understand it, you won’t find these eggs on any other plant, because this is the only plant these caterpillars will feed on.

For several days this month, a female spent a lot of time moving carefully about our pipevine looking for what I imagine she felt were the best places to deposit her eggs.

I’m not suggesting that billions might not be fun or useful, but I don’t believe they’d make me any happier than seeing these butterfly eggs.

Sacramento, California, U.S.A., 2024.

Print # 1
Price $300
Max Size 8.4" X 18.7" (21.3 cm X 47.5 cm)

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