251 Birds

Walking across campus the other day I came across these two lovebirds (loveleps?), locked in an embrace:

These are Eastern Tailed-Blues, about the size of your thumbnail.  They were oblivious to my presence (for obvious reasons), so I crept closer and got some nearly full frame shots.

Alas, the peaceful connubial scene was not to last long.  Conflict!

Not cool, bro.  This character came crashing in from above and suddenly we had a very tiny, roiling mess of butterflies.

At least this brief glimpse of the interloper’s upperwing demonstrates the reason for this species’ name.  The happy couple tried to ignore their third wheel, but he actually drove himself in between them and succeeded in forcing them apart with as much brute force as a tiny flying insect can muster.

After a brief tussle of flapping, flitting mayhem, the intruder was driven away and the pair went back to doing what Eastern Tailed-Blues do in merry mid-summer.

 

 

Tags: burlington, butterfly, eastern tailed-blue, other flying objects, university heights