Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 51, 1 by mellielong

mellielong wrote:
Oh, I meant to say that the silver butterfly does indeed look like a Gray Hairstreak. And apparently his defenses are working on Marsue! Hairstreaks like to sit with their heads pointed down and their butts up in the air. The red spot and the "tails" make birds and other predators think that is the butterfly's head and they will try to attack that part. It gives the butterfly a chance to get away - maybe missing a chunk of wing, but still alive!

We had a cold front come through last night and this morning it was 59 degrees! That meant the butterflies at the museum were very still when I arrived this morning. The flight cage is like a screened in porch inside a larger screened in porch (where we have turtles and fish). Anyway, the butterflies are always escaping the flight cage and getting out into the larger enclosure. So I get out there with the net and bring them back in. This morning, there was a Zebra Longwing sitting on the ground, and I just leaned over and picked him up. It's nice to have slow butterflies for once.

Speaking of Zebra Longwings, they happen to be one of the butterflies that will roost together at night. So I had to take a picture when I saw these guys lined up in a row this morning. It's like someone hung them out to dry on a clothesline!