Quilting ~ Summer Olympics Challenge

 It's the Summer Olympics and our challenge was to make donation quilts using the colors in the Olympic rings. Did you know the colors represent all of the colors seen in all of the flags of the athletes countries. #SunshineQuilters #WrapASmile

My Yard ~ Red-spotted Purple's

2 Red-spotted Purple's eclosed this week a day apart. They were much smaller than I expected even when their wings were all pumped up plus much bluer in color which didn't photograph well.

My Yard ~ Polyphemus moth

 I found this Polyphemus moth very early on Thursday morning on the grass. He was working on getting his wings pumped up. It's about 6" across and 3 1/2" down and quite beautiful with the eye spots. My neighbors have 2 of its host tree, birch & maple. They only live about a week as a moth. It's in the silk moth family. This was a first for me to see. I wonder if there are any more around.

My Yard ~ Butterflies Galore

 Yesterday, I had the best butterfly day of the year here at my home & probably the best in the yard since I moved to PA.   It had rained the past few days so the butterflies were anxious to be out & about again as the sun was shining brightly. I saw 19 species of butterflies with about 6 clearwing moths which included both Hummingbird & Snowberry.

Painted Lady

Huron Sachem

Pearl Crescent

Eastern-tailed Blue

Zebulon

Monarch

Hummingbird Clearwing

Snowberry Clearwing

Fiery

Red-banded Hairstreak

Red Admiral

My Yard ~ Ruby throated hummingbirds returning

 Between the rain storms feeding Ruby throated hummingbird. My friend's rain gauge about a mile from here measured 4". I would agree with that from what I collected in a bucket on the back deck. Good rains both Thursday & Friday. The next RTH came about 24 hrs later. I am seeing multiples' of hummingbirds daily at this time.

My Yard ~ Red-spotted Purple

I had 5 Red-spotted Purple caterpillars on 2 small potted black cherry trees. When 3 got large enough to pupate, they either went on walkabout to make their chrysalis or were eaten so I saved 2 of them just about when they got really to pupate. One of them decided to pupate on the pot and not on the tree.

Red-spotted Purple caterpillar just prior to pupating.

Red-spotted Purple pupating.

Red-spotted Purple chrysalis 24 hrs later

 

My Yard ~ Cloudless Sulphur

 There was another "birth" in my yard today. The Cloudless Sulphur butterfly has eclosed from his chrysalis. That makes 7 species using the host plants I have planted here with 2 other species laying eggs today. I believe I have 14 host plants in my yard with 2 more very close by on another property.