My Yard ~ Butterflies

This year has been a strange butterfly year with wet.cool weather at the end of June into the July and so the numbers of butterflies have been low.  Hopefully that will change as we get to the end of August and into September & October. 

Silver-spotted skippers

Summer Azure

Common Buckeye

Clouded Sulphur

Variegated Fritillary

Variegated Fritillary

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

 

Lancaster County Butterflies ~ Holtwood Nature Perserve

 I was shocked to go back and find the main field with butterfly weed and other wildflowers has been mostly cut to the ground in prime season for the butterflies. I was told by a Nature Conservancy volunteer, they planted them by mistake instead of the grasses they received a grant to plant so are the staff are cutting everything now so they can replant in Oct. Very sad not to wait another 4-6 weeks.  Below are some of the butterflies from the day.  I missed missing any Zebra swallowtails but happy to see mating Sleepy Orange.

Mating Sleepy Orange

Great Spangled Fritillary

Summer Azure

Orange Sulphur

American Lady

 Eastern-tailed Blue 

Monarch Caterpillar

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Clouded Sulphur

Great Spangled Fritillary

Pearl Crescent

Clouded Sulphur

Common Buckeye

Beth's Patch ~ What a Start to Labor Day Weekend

It's been an exciting start to the Labor Day weekend. I was outside at about 6:45 AM, only to see birds streaming north over the yard by the hundreds. What a cool spectacle! Some birds stopped by for a brief break in my cherry tree, the back yard or the neighbor's magic elm tree. Flocks of American Redstarts, Northern Parulas, Cedar Waxwings and so much more were on the wing. Didn't even get over to Higbee Beach.

View of the Moon from the backyard

American Redstart Warbler

The magic continued throughout the day with the FOY Long-tailed Skipper and Common-checkered Skipper's arriving. There were an additional 20 species of butterflies seen. Also seen hunting butterflies, moths and caterpillars were a group of Common Yellowthroat. (birds - not so happy about that part). About 6 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and 2 Hummingbird Moths finished out the day.

Long-tailed Skipper

Long-tailed Skipper

Common-checkered Skipper

Mating Cloudless Skippers

Monarch

Variegated Fritillary

 

American Snout

American Lady

Summer Azure

Black Swallowtail

Painted Lady

Zabulon Skipper

Cloudless Sulphur's on Coral Porterweed

Goshen CMBO ~ Butterflies

Summer Azure

Red-banded Hairstreak

Southern Cloudywing

Swarthy Skipper

Aaron's Skipper

Wordless Wednesday ~ Summer Azure ~ Cape May Point State Park

My gardens -- Butterflies are starting...

This year we have many dragonflies in the yard but few butterflies.  We put out rotted fruit faithfully trying to attract butterflies that nectar on fruit.  It's a barren year with no takers on the fruit except for the Gray Catbirds who love it.  The gardens are doing wonderful due to all of the rain we've had this year. Two of my lantana plants out in front garden has come back for the past 3 years and is just amazing.  In addition we planted a good number of of Dallas Red Lantana that is so vibrant.  There are several great colors of Cosmos and Silvia that should help bring in butterflies.  Here are some the butterflies from today.

Common Buckeye on Dallas Red Lantana

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on  Tall Verbena

Silver-spotted Skipper on Tall Verbena

Summer Azure on Tall Verbena

Sachem on Yellow Blanket Flower