Butterflies and more

Welcome on this site dedicated to butterflies. Built with a lot of patience these pages are showing a number of pictures, which I think are worthwhile to be displayed. It is not always easy to create a style and approach of your own, but it remains an extremely challenging hobby. The addiction to get a balanced composition at he right windless moment and correct lighting conditions, boosts the adrenalin and drives me to try over and over.

In addition our butterflies are vulnerable messengers of a nature under pressure... but they are as well witnesses of a mostly neglected beauty, which we often don't observe or which we see passing by in a couple of seconds.

A moment of reflection to look at these breathtaking insects is the purpose of this site. Enjoy it.. and watch a bit closer next time when you see these tiny creatures flying around: it's a worthwhile pause.

Kind regards.

Wim Melis

(*) Pyrgus is a genus in the skippers butterfly family, Hesperiidae, known as the grizzled skippers.


A cabinet of flying gems

a catalog of butterflies portraits

Here you will find a cabinet of the butterfly portraits. No picked-up specimens, but a systematic overview of the different species that I have already been able to photograph: a considerable number of European butterflies divided into families. Identification errors are always possible (especially with the difficult types, this is not that obvious), so please let me know if there are any inaccuracies. Thanks for this...

Tales and thoughts while wandering around...

some short storytelling blog

Here I put some pictures together in a short storyline. No identification tips or scientifically substantiated articles ... more of an experience or something that struck me when I took the photo.

Sometimes I also talk about other insects or flowers here. Especially in good weather (well, it may seem a bit contradictory) it is difficult to take beautiful pictures of the active butterflies. Flowers and other insects can then offer relief.

Other encounters in front of the lens

pictures of other animals and flowers

Besides butterflies, there are still a lot of small animals and flowers worth seeing. Sometimes they pop up, sometimes I get a nice tip. I am not (yet) systematically looking for it ... but what is not, may still come. All kinds of insects and orchids are on the menu here today.