Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: Other butterflies ...., 1 by beckygardener

beckygardener wrote:
Hi Everyone!
Decided to start a new thread for any butterflies not mentioned here lately. This is one of the Zebra Long-wings that have been hanging around my yard lately. Took 20 photos before I finally got a decent one. (There are usually 2 that hang together in my yard, but the other one got spooked by me and flew off!) Notice it on Lantana! My front yard gets a lot of butterfly visitors because of this lantana and the large porterweed! I highly recommend having BOTH of these plants in your yard somewhere if you want to attract butterflies for nectar.

I also had a Swallowtail going crazy all over my porterweed. I didn't recognize it. It was black with bands of yellow on the top of the wings and underneath there was lots of pretty red markings. Didn't know what it was, so got my book out and found it! It's called a Gold Rim Swallowtail. It wouldn't let me get a photo! (Too bashful this time!) But maybe the next time I see it, it will be more willing to be photographed. It's host plant is the Calico Flower vine! I don't see any of those vines anywhere around my neighborhood. But looks like another vine I need to add to my backyard fence. (Yeah right .... like I need to plant anymore vines! But what the heck ..... there's always room for one more! lol) The underside of this butterfly is really pretty!