Butterflies visiting the garden

It's so wonderful to see the Navajo fleabane flourishing again in spite of insufficient winter and spring rains.

It's even better when pollinators visit the plant.

Here is a Common hairstreak Strymon melinus visiting a blossom on the Navajo fleabane.

Navajo fleabane blossom

We only occasionally see Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta butterflies in our garden, so I am always overjoyed when they visit. Here is one perched on a stalk of Himalayan blackberry buds. The blackberry hedge isn't native, but acts as fence and privacy screen between us and neighbors on one side of the property.

Interesting that the Red Admiral has its proboscis out and seems to be extracting nectar from the bud.