Two-tailed Swallowtail

It isn't often that I get a chance to take a picture of a
beautiful butterfly at close range.  But, it happened to me
this morning as my friend and I were taking out her
garbage cans.  We just happened to glance down at the
grass and there, all neatly folded up, was this butterfly.
Even with its wings pressed together we knew it was
going to be beautiful.

I thought about running back into her house and
grabbing my camera, but I was afraid by the time I
got back it would be gone.  So down the road we went
setting out the garbage cans.  To our surprise and to
the delight of her cat, it was still there when we came
back.  It was slowly opening its wings and the
markings were beautiful.

Jo Ann held off her curious cat while I ran and grabbed
my camera.  I'm not sure if the butterfly was injured
or if it was too cool and damp for it to fly and was just
waiting for the suns rays to warm it up, but it hadn't
moved and seemed to be having difficulty opening
its wings fully.  I was able to take several closeups.

Here its wings are barely beginning to separate:

Although it fluttered its wings briefly, they would
close back up.  We weren't sure what to do and
wondered if it would be alright.  Because of the cat's
interest in it, we locked her in the garage and then
went in the house hoping it would be ok.

A few minutes later we looked out the window and
to our dismay the sprinklers were coming on.  So
we grabbed a piece of newspaper and sprinted out
side and carefully coaxed the butterfly on to the paper
then moved it to a little flowering bush at the
edge of the sidewalk away from the sprinklers.

When we looked later, we couldn't see it.  Hopefully, it
was able to take flight.

In the early afternoon, as I left to come home and was
driving down the country dirt road I was delighted to see
the same butterfly or its relative fly up from the grasses
along the road side and flutter by in front on me.
I couldn't help but wonder if it was "our" butterfly.

Arriving back home, I did a little research and
found out it is a "Two Tailed Swallowtail " and
ranges in size between 3.5 and 5 inches.
Scientific name:  (Palilio Multicaudatus). It is found
in the foothills (where Jo Ann lives), valleys,
woodlands and gardens.

What a treat it was for us to observe this beautiful
butterfly up close and personal and see its intricate markings
and beautiful colors.