Butterflies are free! I think that’s a song or a movie, but that’s what came to mind when I saw these photos that Sharon Bodenus from Upper Peninsula Photography, captured in her driveway recently. She said they are Papilio Machaon Butterflies and mentioned how beautiful they are, adding that she thought they were drinking water from the driveway.

Sharon said she wanted them out of the driveway for fear they would get run over, so she gently helped them to move along in the video she made. Thankfully, before she did, she was able to capture these photos and video to share with us all.

I love it! Decades ago, while cruising the
Keweenaw, up at Lake Bailey...there were a PILE of
these butterflies...on a place where someone poured
some pop....it looked like the most beautiful
bouquet! Phenomenal Sharon, and thank you for
moving them!

They are much smaller than the similar looking tiger swallowtails. Glad she included the video to give perspective.

We've seen huge groups of butterflies drinking water from sand along the Jordan River in Antrim County, so it must be fairly common.