End of HOT week Giant Swallowtail visits Garden at Chestnut HIll

This afternoon as the thermometer hits 93 and the heat index 100 this beautiful Butterfly the Giant Swallowtail visited the Chestnut Hill Gardens.  I sat in the shade with my 55-225mm lense and took image after image as it feasted on my Purple cone Flowers otherwise known asEchinacea purpurea
This Butterfly is not commonly seen where we live but perhaps the extended hot summer and weather has pushed it North a bit.  It has that very distinct bar of yellow across its back when open and that is the telltale sign of identifying it.  Most swallowtails like the Herb Rue which I used to have in my garden and will need to replace- Rue is a host for the eggs and catepillar.  The catepillar for this beautiful Butterfly is very ugly.  I actually have a hard time posting the image as I do not like caterpillars. ( bad experience as a kid . . .)  The butterfly's are all my images but the Caterpillar is a stock image not mine. So even on a beastly hot day- there is beauty in the garden if we only spend a few moments to look and enjoy!  Be well, stay cool and carry on.