Rayetta's Butterflies - Behavioral Notes

When a butterfly new to the Cow Barn - Butterfly Documentation System (CB-BDS) is detected, that butterfly is almost always nervous and flighty. Yet, if that butterfly sticks around, chances are it will calm down eventually. Two phenomena may be occurring simultaneously, calming the new butterfly down so that I may take its picture. First, the new butterfly perceives how nice the habitat is, including me, the Lovely Druidess Rayetta. Second, more of that same kind of butterfly arrive at the CB, making the CB seem like, the place to be. So all that kind of new butterfly are calm and happy as opposed to nervous and flighty. Examples illustrating this pattern are, the twain emperors, question mark, silvery checkerspot, and this one, the silver-spotted skipper.

This one, the silvery-spotted skipper, has been around in the singular for a couple of weeks. At this nonce though, there are at least three of them at the CB. Now they have perceived what a nice habitat they are enjoying, including me, the LDR, plus they have established a civil society of silver-spotted skippers. Calm, happy butterflies enjoying a civil society with rules, like to have their pictures taken. So even with the slower camera minus those annoying focal length extenders, or whatever Crumby spells them, I may easily take their pictures.

However. Consider the goatweed leafwings. While the goatweed leafwings are certainly calm and happy, enjoying the habitat. They are entirely uncooperative, pictorially. They are aggravating.

So there I am at the banana feeder. A goatweed leafwing is socked tick-like on the banana. Ever closer the LDR closes in. At last the slower camera lens touches the goatweed leafwing. What's the matter with this butterfly? Is it stuck to the banana? I, the LDR, wish to take a picture of your colorful upper wings. Spread out! So I poke this inert goatweed leafwing with my finger. Open up, the LDR commands it. The goatweed leafwing shifts position, slightly. So I poke it again. Same response. So I poke it again. Off the goatweed leafwing goes, the orange flash to quick for the slower camera.

Yikes! There's a disturbance at this very nonce emanating from the dusty hallways. Stop that disturbance! I, the LDR, command you to stop that at once. You disturbers, present yourselves to me immediately! Well, hello Lometa. Don't you look darling. Did you get that pretty little frock in Maine?

Tee-he-he. Yepper. Lomo got it fer me. Lookee here Rayetta, a package has come fer ye. Crumby tried to take it away frum me. But I helt on fer dear life. Whut is it Rayetta? It don't rattle when I shake it.