Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 17, 1 by debnes_dfw_tx

debnes_dfw_tx wrote:
Continued from: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/766456/

Looks like many signs of fall are showing lately here in North TX. We still have a lot of butterflies in the garden, and more due to come through directly. I use many different things to tell fall is coming, but the main teller is among the birds I get in my backyard. Yes, along with the butterflies, birdwatching is a serious thing to me. In spring I shift to major butterfly mode, but after they've all migrated or hibernated in fall, a new bunch of friends show up and some leave for the outskirts.
Robins have been MIA for almost a week now, and the hawks are beginning to visit at least once a day. Besides that, I have seen a wee yellow birdy I only see in September on it's way from Northwestern US to Mexico and South America. The ones worth sharing will be posted in the Bird Watching forum here at DG. Here is a post I started last night:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/767618/
In a butterfly garden there are thousands of insect species, and not killing them with pesticide leaves a lot of winter food for certain birds. Some of the most adorable birds you will ever see spend winter here in North TX. I have already begun adding to the list what I see here and provide habitat for every year.

Back to the subject of butterflies>
I have really been enjoying all your pics and stories!! Some of you in the far south, will just be picking up steam about now, and I can't wait to see all that.. Especially Becky, and all of you there in Florida should be getting much more activity. I can't wait to watch and take a back seat to all of your fun and serious work conserving butterflies. I should be here almost as much, with or without pics to show. If anyone would like to reach me by phone, just dmail me and I will gladly give you my phone number, or you can give me yours and I will call. I am listed under "Ability Lock Service, Fort Worth TX 76148" :-S

Of all the butterflies last week, (which were awesome).. One in particular stands out. I never really knew how beautiful the Brazilian Skipper was, until I saw these coming out of the rolled up canna leaves and chrysalids. Not just an ordinary brown butterfly to me now. They have won me over! I am now plotting where to put the cannas for next spring now, hehe! Probably in the back somewhere, because I expect they will get a little (or a lot) chewed up. :-D