When my Dad and I visited the RHS gardens at Wisley last week we were hoping to see their annual display of butterflies. Unfortunately the queue to get into the glasshouse was well over an hour long so we decided to look at other, less crowded areas instead. Faced with a day off today I decided to go back and try my luck again, arriving early to beat the crowds. Despite being one of the first into the glasshouse it took about twenty minutes before I was able to take a single photo as my camera instantly misted up in the humid conditions. All good things come to those who wait though and eventually I was away, chasing the butterflies. There were over 25 exotic varieties of butterfly fluttering around the glasshouse but it was complete potluck which ones deigned to pause long enough to be photographed. After about 90 minutes I’d taken about 120 photos and I was beginning to wilt in the 30° heat so I left these beautiful creatures to their fluttering and went off in search of lunch and a little less humidity!

Oh these are glorious sexysmooth34 · 2012-02-24: 17:59

Beautiful :) patpys · 2012-02-24: 18:01

Oh my gosh. These are incredible butterfly macros, Helen....some of the very best I've seen on PB!!! All crystal clear images, all great perspective.....you are really showing off your fantastic skills in this post! Love the shimmery iridescent quality of the one in #3!! lookagain · 2012-02-24: 18:09

Lovely set! No. 6 is my favorite! ingca · 2012-02-24: 18:17

My husband and I have a competition each year on who can take the most pictures of insects and butterflies. We only have a standard lens , but we know how it is to try to catch them and take that so wanted photo. Wonderful shots, sounds like it was great . Congratulations on such excellence . phenomenon2c · 2012-02-24: 18:55

Helen, these are absolutely beautiful. Such color and detail. You did a masterful job. #2 is out of this world!!! danrav · 2012-02-24: 18:57

great shots!! i will never know how you guys get so close to these things!! jennyLit · 2012-02-24: 19:17

Amazing close-ups... mrmeliska · 2012-02-24: 19:30

WoW, some fabulous captures; I'm so jealous!!! urmysunshine · 2012-02-24: 20:09

So tiny but so beautiful Great DOF, textures, colors Congrats helys · 2012-02-24: 20:44

Just marvelous"..these are super maharba · 2012-02-24: 21:16

I keep silent to receive the beauty josy63 · 2012-02-24: 23:25

this set is extraordinarily beautiful!!! love is so beautiful! :)) KatysPassionata · 2012-02-25: 00:04

Oh these are sooooo beautiful - your patience was well rewarded and so were we. cariad · 2012-02-25: 04:18

Your personal sacrifice is well appreciated... all that huimdity and heat was worth it, these are absolutely gorgeous... I love the amount of detail you got in the last shot... beautiful! Annbramwell · 2012-02-25: 06:18

Fantastic macro set, esp. the 2nd! Wasichseh · 2012-02-26: 15:01

Extraordinaire prise !! vous excellez dans la macro Hélen !! Les morphos, mon mari en a vu en liberté en Guyane Française ; les enfants les attrapaient avec des paquets de cigarettes de couleur bleue, cela les attirait !! maudlaurens · 2012-02-27: 12:01

Tagged: butterfly wisley garden insect macro