Total Shots taken	336
Number Acceptable for Future activity	54
Number of 5 star ratings (5* yield %)	13 (3.9 %)

Butterflies, butterflies, butterflies!  Mackinac Island has two butterfly gardens and I was determined to see at least one. Turns out that the butterfly garden is co-located with an insect museum, and the insect museum has a lizard! More fun!

The garden is lush with flowers, and makes a perfect backdrop for the butterflies. I was there with the specific intent to photograph them. Here are my 5* selections:

• Gather Together – The dishes with pieces of fruit attract clusters of butterflies. These brown, gold and beige butterflies with distinct eye spots seem very muted, but when they open their wings, you can see they are bright blue. These Blue Morpho butterflies were plentiful in the garden, and it wasn’t until I looked at the cluster that I realized that the brown butterflies, and those pretty blue ones flying all around, were one and the same! (and I knew they were plentiful because I was running around trying to get a photo of them!)
• Sometimes They Land On You – This woman noticed how entranced I was with the butterflies. So when this Gold Banded Forrester landed on her, she let me know, and stood quietly there while I snapped away.
• Butterflies and Flowers — The folks at Mackinac’s Original Butterfly Garden know how to do it right.  They get regular shipments of butterflies to hatch and let fly int he garden.  Here were some of my favorites:
  • Chestnut Tiger
  • Monarch
  • Isabella
  • Blue Morpho
• Touching the Lizard– ‘Nuff said, except that little lizard looks like he is enjoying himself!

It was wonderful to visit Mackinac Island, and to see the butterfly garden. Hope you enjoy these 5* selections.