Uijongbu City Park

Well, I don't know if that's the official name or not, but it aptly describes this nice place I discovered today. I went to downtown Uijongbu to do some shopping and on my way found a sign/map for this trail behind several municipal buildings. After I completed my shopping, I decided to check it out. Quite a nice park area. Some of it wild and some of it developed.

Amongst the flower beds I found some butterflies. First I found Polygoniac arcum which I had first found about 3 weeks ago on the "green mile."




Then I courted a swallowtail for a good long while and managed some decent shots when it was all over. (Shooting butterflies can be a challenge anyway, but with the winds from the front edge of Tropical Depression Wukong blowing this way and that...well, you can use a lot of memory on your camera's card....) Regardless, here are a couple of shots of Papilio xanthus, reminding me very much of Eastern Tiger Swallowtail back in the states. (They are "cousins" of the same genus.)





I then took the "path less traveled" (probably because it heads straight up hill!) into the woods and caught fleeting glimpses of big, black, floppy swallowtails. I finally came upon one that was content to stay in one area and I started shooting. My camera promptly told me that it was about out of battery. I didn't want to stop to change and risk loosing the shot, so I just kept clicking. Fortunately, they held out until after I had successfully pixelated this woodland nymph. Check out this striking Papilio macilentus.





One good thing about the wind, I'm sure I never would have got this next shot without it, revealing two large "eyespots" on the hindwings.




There is also a lot of art/statuary in certain areas of the park. I'm not sure what to make of this one, but I don't think any good can come of it, Mr. Frodo....(There is the matching right foot on the other side of the path.)



There is also a bandshell and basketball courts as well as some general purpose grassy area across the street from the entrance to the trail. It was refreshing to see some green space in the land of concrete.



Finally, upon returning to post, I remembered to walk by my office and capture this spider that I have been watching grow, eat and live outside of my office for the past couple of weeks. She's grown quite a bit, I would estimate an easy 2.5" from end to end of her legs.



Well, thanks again for joining me on another few moments of adventure. Once again, I have the aching knees and you have the pictures.