Red-Spotted Purples

These curiously-named Red-Spotted Purple butterflies feed on Ninebark nectar in the hedgerow alongside my studio. Our native pollinators and their habitat are threatened. Insect populations are declining due to habitat loss, pesticide use and disease. 75% of flowering plants rely on pollinators to set seed and humans get one third of our food from flowering plants. In admiring their beautiful detail, I invite the viewer to consider the importance of these small creatures to our survival.