I usually only have 1 or 2 Tiger Swallowtails and Black Swallowtails at a time, but within the last week, I have 5 to 10 Tiger and 6 or 8 Black Swallowtails, plus all kinds of skippers, Painted Ladies, Monarchs, Gulf Fritillaries, Great Spangled Fritillaries, and sulfurs all over my butterfly bushes. I have 5 different colors of the butterfly bushes, but the ones they love the most are the white ones. I don't have a digital camera, or I would post a picture of them. I was wondering if any one else is having record numbers.
Are you having lots of butterflies?
I'm sad to report that this year the record number being set here is on the low end. I usually see many more than I have this summer. I suspect the weird weather patterns and so many tropical storm/hurricane disturbances. The biggie that I did have was a Black witch that wandered by. Not common to this area, but blown in by one of the Gulf storms. I am working on my butterfly garden, but it will be next summer before its in full swing. I'm hoping for more "normal" weather next year to settle things down. Maybe you got all of mine this year, as you are a bit northeast of me!
ginni
have hardly had any so far. They are finally starting to coome in and stay. I have a pair of Gulf Frits, Silver-spotted Skippers, and Long-tailed Skippers. Have other that come through but not staying
Yesterday I pulled a mess of vines off my fence that were tangled up in the neighbors ficus hedge (and stangling my chainlink fence)
You wouldn't believe the "swarm" of those Yellow & Blck "Zebra" butterflies that came and are still there. I must have stirred up something that they really like out there.
Wish I could take a photo and share, but they move too fast for me to catch.
I also have various others, the swallowtails (not enough to justify eating all my fennel and not coming back to let me enjoy their beauty) some orange and some yellow ones. But where are the Monarchs? I fed them, they should come back and visit with me.
Forgive me if I don't have their names down yet. I'm pretty new to B'flies. Getting the names remembered for the plants took me 3 years, so bear with me please.
I really do just love it that they are here and wish they weren't in such a hurry.
It is strange that I put in a butterfly garden this year, lots of plants and lots and lots of flowers. The B'flies that hang out are over by the ficus and the sweet tater vines.
I need to go look again and try some more photos.
Molly
:^)))
Those Monarchs... you just can't count on them to call you in the morning! ;>)
I suspect, Molly, that you'll see them again later. They do this migratory thing and you're on their path. We get tons of 'em around October, so you can start looking for them mid- to late-September. They're probably way up north right now. They'll head for Mexico for the winter.
I'm getting just a few swallowtails and some little cabbage butterflies, but no monarchs and not nearly the count we had last year.
I think it's in part because I didn't plant fennel or cabbage, and my butterfly bushes are pretty lame this year for some reason...next year I'll know better and remember to put in the fennel, parsley, and, oh, the hibiscus, too. I put in a bunch of milkweed but they don't even seem interested in that.
Also the hurricanes and storms last year wiped out quite a bit of the population, it seems.
Same thing for hummingbirds. A few coming to the feeders regularly, but last year it was a mad scene.
I just put out some over ripe peaches and a banana and replenished my water dishes. Maybe tomorrow I'll have some pics to post!
Thanks Diane, I shall keep a look out for them, hope they get here before the KYRU!!!!
Molly
:^)))
I live in southeast Alabama and my backyard is filled with butterflies and hummingbirds.
That's a great picture Mimidi! I sure am enjoying all the little fellows flying around all over creation. It helps this ungodly heat and humidity be a little more bearable to see the winged critters enjoying themselves.
Thanks. I have never enjoyed the butterflies and hummingbirds more than I have this year. I know what you mean about the ungodly heat and humidity. It has been unbearable down here. Got a rain last night and things were some better today.
Mimidi~ that is a beautiful shot of the Tiger on some beautiful Zinnias (I think those are Zinnias).
LGW~ I am glad to hear that Manchester is having lots of Butterflies this year. You probably have a wonderful butterfly garden to attract all that many. I went to High School in Manchester quite a number of years back. We lived out in the country near the WindTunnel at the Arnold Engineering Development Center. There were always scads of butterflies out there. Seems like there were lots of weeds in the fencerows and old fields that the butterflies loved. I have lots of butterfly plants but only one Butterfly bush (a white one) and I have never seen a butterfly upon it. Butterfly bushes don't grow well here.
Ed-Glad to hear from a former Manchester resident. I'm surprised butterfly bushes don't do well down in Sarasota, but I'm sure you have plenty of other flowers that attract them. What led to your move to Sarasota? and do you like living in Fla.?
I hated the winters in Tennessee. I always found them very depressing.
Yes. I have been living here over 40 years. Love it!! We have very little winter--In the last two years, we have only had one day of 32 degree weather and that only for a few hours. It does get warm in the summers though.