Monday, September 17, 2012

Visitors to the rotten fruit

After several classes in attracting butterlies to my yard where I was taught the importance of putting out fruit that was rotting I joined the other legions of people who do this.  The butterflies nectar on the rotting fruit.  Last week I was given a large supply of unsaleable peaches by a local produce stand.  Now I have 4 plates out for the butterflies.  Each day it's great to see how many butterflies can be at the fruit at any one time.  We have Red Admirals, Mourning Cloaks, American Ladies, Painted Ladies, Eastern Commas and Question Marks.  Last week I saw a Red-spotted Purple on the fruit.  Then last evening when I came I found another visitor.  This visitor wasn't one that I really wanted to see - a Praying Mantis.  Fortunately, it was eating a fly at the time and not a butterfly.  After getting a few photos I shooed it away.


Then this afternoon I noticed a butterfly that was similar in coloring to a Monarch but it just didn't look quite right.  Surprise, it was another new yard butterfly - a Viceroy!






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