Smokey Mountain Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly By The Chattooga River

Butterflies absorb moisture and nutrients from the ground made wet by the Chattooga River near Highlands, North Carolina.

This is a blue Pipevine Swallowtail which is somewhat common in the North Carolina mountains and rarely seen in the coastal areas.

The blue colors range from bright blue to a dusky green/gray blue.

A good example of how the Green Earth nourishes its own by providing what we need.

Love is in the Air on elle's Green Earth

Love was in the air at the state zoo this week and making pink littles seems to be this avians mindset.

Pink flamingos are pink due to the high content of beta carotene in their diets which include algae and small shrimp.

The parents also share nursing duties because, like pigeons, they both have the ability to produce a milk that is high in fat for their young.

Certain species of flamingos are considered threatened.