This 'lil one camped out on my Lakwa vines for the longest. (I also have some milkweed in bloom in the area). I'll post several pics. for I.D. Thank you, I'm excited, I've been longing for more butterflies to visit my garden this season.
Is this my very first Monarch in the garden?
Pic. #2
pic. #3 the ventral folded wings.
Also, another b.f. was spotted this morning. This one is slightly smaller than the last posted. It stopped on the door way to pose for me and flew off. ^_^
Another view of the second b.f. Many thanks in advance for your help to I.D. these butterflies.
Kim
Kim, the first one is either the American Lady or Painted Lady. I think the second one is one of those Hackberry Emperors but I wouldn't swear to it since I don't really get those here. I know they're really common in other parts of the country so hopefully someone else will come along and help us out.
Now that I think about it, both of those butterflies supposedly live in my area, and I have yet to see them!
Melanie
Melanie, thank you. I'm so happy they're here. Anytime a new b.f. is in the garden is treat for me. Thanks for your help.
Kim
You're welcome! Are you putting any butterfly brew out or rotting fruit? If I remember correctly, those butterflies - especially the Hackberry - prefer fruit.
Melanie
Nature is helping me out with butterflies brew. I've a blackgum tree in a shade corner of the house that drops those berries/fruits and they fermented. I've seen Red spotted purples puddlings there. So I guess other butterflies that like brewery can also benefit from that area at present. I do have a recipe that I've kept, just in case I need to make some later in the season. Thank you Melanie.
Kim
That is definately an Am Lady you have, great catch. http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/frames-2species.asp?sp1=Vanessa-virginiensis&sp2=Vanessa-cardui
Check out this comparison site.
I will go look at your other one, not certain on it yet.
edited to say I agree it looks like a Hackberry Emperor to me also. You can check it out on that same website under the bushfoots also.
This message was edited Jul 11, 2008 5:30 PM
Sheila, that's a great resource to compare b.f. side by side! I can see the difference. Am. Lady has two 'eye-like' spots on her hind wind, where as the Painted Lady has 5 spots. Thank you. I can use that as a future referrence for my visitors. Many thanks.
Kim
I use it all the time, but it doesn't have all the ones I would like it to have. Still the best photo comparison out there.