Swallowtail population grows

I could have plucked this Black Swallowtail off the Milkweed.

It didn't move as we admired its colors before getting back to weeding and watering at Baytown Nature Center's butterfly garden.

We suspect it was orienting itself after emerging from its pupa.

After expanding its wings, a new butterfly may rest for an hour or more before its wings harden enough to support flight, according to Butterflies of Houston & Southeast Texas

I snapped these pics with my iPhone.

Look down the stem to see the empty pupal case.

Just an empty shell.

Self-propelled flowers: swallowtail and skipper

Here are a couple more butterfly beauties spotted this season.

I love the showy Black Swallowtails.

This swallowtail took off to frolic above the flowers with a flutter buddy.

While trying to ID this specimen, I got bogged down in the differences among the Common Checkered Skipper, White Checkered Skipper and Tropical Checkered Skipper. I think this is a common, although it deserves a more uncommon name.