Eastern-tailed Blue, home

The butterflies are rapidly becoming fewer and farther between, and on a number of recent forays, the only lepidopterans I've spotted in the meadows have been Sulphurs, Cabbage Whites, and one or two Pearl Crescents. My guess is that most of the action has moved to the beach, where the migrants, the Monarchs in particular, are hopefully hanging around and fattening up on Seaside Goldenrod nectar. With any luck, I'll be able to free up some time in the not-too-distant future, travel to the shore, and see who's getting ready to move. That said, I did manage to spot, on a goldenrod in the Bell Cedar Swamp refuge meadow, a pretty blue butterfly. It wasn't too interested in posing, but I did manage to capture an image that showed off its one remaining pair of tails—when brand new, the Blue has two pairs—and the diagnostic orange spots along the edge of the hind wing. This is one of the first leps of the spring, and it has the honor of being one of the last to grace the almost-autumn sky.