I need some of those New England Asters too!! LOL
DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 70
jmorth..... Such a cute shot with the three on your Asters!! You need to enter that one in the next photo contest!
huge complement, thanks Sheila.
This poor thing has lost both its tails.....
Painted Lady on my dendranthema...
Can't wait to see what your numbers are like jm! My aster is blooming, but drats, its on the other side of the fence behind the zinnias. I've only been seeing cabbage whites and Monarchs. Yesterday I had two monarchs that would NOT leave the Tithonia.
Mrs. Ed - Your monarch/tithonia photo is beautiful. I may have to grow some tithonia next year. It is so bright and beautiful!
Debra
This message was edited Sep 15, 2009 3:34 PM
I had two BST and a GST emerge the first two days of our about 6 day rain. The temps dropped and it was light rain for days now. The GST flew off somewhere, but the two BST I sat on a vine under an arbor. They stayed there for two days so I moved them to a Frostweed that was blooming under a tree. One was gone after a day, but the other waited until today to fly away. Poor things they didn't know it was so bad out in the big world. Hope they get some sun shine today, hope we do too for that matter!
Glad you got the rain though Shelia! I kept thinking how much you all needed it down there. I haven't seen a GST in the yard all year. Saw one out and about in June and that's about it.
Shive, I've grown that plant before but that was before I was a butterfly and hummingbird nut. Then I think it was SusanLouise that said what a good plant it was for attracting both, that I put it in this year. It is most welcome again next year, I'm collecting seeds. It is a giant though. I'd say it is 7' tall here. That's actually a good thing since I can see it from my home office window and check out the action. The two monarchs are back there again today!
Here's the two from yesterday.
Great pics nanny and Mrs Ed.
Mrs Ed, the BF count is increasing daily of late. I'd say the Monarchs, Painted Ladies, and Sulphurs are most populous thus far. Cabbage Whites are next, followed by Pearl Cresent. Recorded first Buckeye today. Also, a Hairstreak on clover at foot level. I'm off to work but should be able to post some upon my return tonight.
Good deal.
I've been seeing the Eastern Tailed Blues when I go to the parks. Also the sulphurs. Lots of cabbage whites in the yard. Pearl Crescents everywhere in the parks too.
I saw more BF's today then I have seen all summer! Mostly sulphurs and cabbage whites and Painted Lady's...but did see this flit by!!
and a Monarch too!!
I saw this Checkerspot when I got home from work this afternoon.
Cabbage Whites - one at rest, and one in flight
Hairstreak (at foot level)
Monarch glory
2 Monarchs
Pearl Crescent
couple of Sulphurs
Silver Spotted Skipper
Buckeye
Monarch, Sulphur, and Bee
Beautiful pictures and a good variety jmorth! I've an occassional visitor who was busy nectaring and then depositing eggs on my passi.
Then a BST?
Wow! nice you guys. Still only monarchs and cabbage whites in the garden. BUT, the monarch numbers doubled to 4 yesterday (on the tithonia).
Lily....I am not sure but I think that you may have a dark form Tiger there and not a BST. There is no yellow above the blue on the lower wings. See what you think. http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/frames-0species.asp
All the pictures are get folks, I am so lazy and don't up load for days on end!
Sheila, you're correct! My butterfly posted above does look like the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. Thank you.
Giant bee -
...
Today I went to an area at the edge of San Antonio that usually has agalinis host plants this time of year. Very few of those because of drought, but at least there is some and some were blooming. And I did see a few unusually small buckeye butterflies flying around. The only one I got close enough to really ID for sure was definitely a Tropical Buckeye (or Dark Buckeye). But I didn't find any cats on the agalinis plants! Oh well, I'll come back some time...maybe I'll bring a camera this time. One White-striped Longtail Skipper was out there also!
jmorth, I think your Hairstreak is actually one of the Blues - maybe Eastern Tailed?
It must be Tiger ST season here. I'm seeing them everywhere. Oh, and I found my first ever cat on MY bay tree. I think he's a Spicebush but could be a Palamedes. Too small to be 100% sure.
And the top view of the Tiger ST. Still lots of Giant STs here. In fact, it was drizzling yesterday when I went out to pick some bay leaves (and found my new cat). As I approached the tree I wasn't really looking where I was going and there was a Giant ST resting on it. We both surprised each other I think! Also, there are lots of Zebra Longwings about but I can't seem to make them lay eggs. Doesn't help that my brother ran over two of my passion vines with the lawnmower...
Melanie
jmorth....I love your shot of the Painted Lady on the asters. Can't wait until mine start blooming, I have more this year than ever before and should be a nice show of blooms.
mellie, thanks for the clarification...I believe you're correct as my sourcebook remarks the hairstreaks spend a a lot of time high in the tops of oaks and come down to nectar for an hour or two early in the morn and again late in the afternoon; pic was midday. Under the ETB it says they feed on legumes like bush clover and this particular BF was mostly flitting from one clover to another at foot level.
SheilaFW, thanks for the complement. You wouldn't believe the trouble I had trying to upload that photo here at DG; it took a total of 8 times before it finally took.
Had all the usual BF's today with an added bonus: hummingbird. The aster BF magnet stands are bordered by self-seeding Nicotiana plants (that not only entice hummers but hummingbird moths at dusk), goldenrods, and very tall dahlias. HB appears to be confronting a bee.
This tall red Nicotiana attracts-
the Nicotiana in this pic is from a variety named 'Tinkerbell'
I was able to get another good PL today (well, yesterday now); this time on C. rubellum 'Mary Stoker"
nice nice nice!!