Redefining the Beauty of Nature and Wildlife in Our Gardens
The White Peacock butterfly (Anartia jatrophae) is one of the more prolific members of my garden crew at this time of year. I guess because of the winter freeze they were a little slow to return, but have comeback with amazing numbers now. They are members of the Brushfooted Butterflies Family (Nymphalidae). Caterpillar hosts include [...]
If you know anything about my garden, Clay and Limestone, you already know that I adore rough and tumble wildflowers. Wildflowers that many have called roadside weeds. Wildflowers with no known pedigree. Species wildflowers that haven’t had the wild or good bred out of them. Native species that do exactly what they are supposed to do: [...]
It’s late summer and the topiary buffalo are still roaming in Bison Meadow. You have to walk the paths to find them grazing amidst the wildflowers that have been growing all summer. Last winter when I introduced you to this two acre prairie, all that you could see were the bison, Junipers that dotted the [...]
We all know that butterflies need nectar, but if we really want them to stay close to our wildlife gardens, we have to plant host plants for caterpillars. Most butterfly larva are specialists. That means that they will only eat one plant, or plants from just one family. Female butterflies are on a mission to [...]
As wildlife gardeners, we sometimes fall into the trap of focusing on the big and the beautiful, especially when it comes to butterflies. For example, the Swallowtail butterflies get lots of attention because they are so large that you can’t miss them. And they’re quite beautiful too, especially the Tiger Swallowtail with it’s iconic bold [...]
A while back I was enthralled watching a pair of Crescent Butterflies fluttering around, preparing to mate so I made a video slideshow with a “tongue-in-cheek” caption narrative of my photoshoot. The Pearl Crescent Butterfly (Phyciodes tharos) is in the Nymphalidae Family, Subfamily: Nymphalinae which are commonly known as the True Brushfoots. It is a [...]
I adore butterflies. Bumbles make me happy. But, my favorite of all the pollinators visiting or living in my garden are the Skippers. How could they fail to make you smile or delight you with their flitting about the garden as they try to attract a mate. Skippers are members of the Superfamily Hesperioidea. [...]
I received this question through the Ask Carole feature at Ecosystem Gardening, and it’s a great question because it helps us understand the life cycle of butterflies in our wildlife garden. Kris B from Ohio asks: I have three large black swallowtail caterpillars that look like they’re ready to lay eggs. Problem is, I. Don’t [...]
Have you ever seen butterflies visiting mud, dog poop, or even dead carcasses or urine and wondered whether they lost their (nectar-finding) senses? Don’t worry, they’re doing the right thing. They’re collecting necessary salts, amino acids, and other nutrients that nectar doesn’t provide. This process of collecting nutrients from damp surfaces is called puddling. Typically you’ll [...]
Native Common Blue Violets in my Missouri wildlife garden are considered an invasive, stubborn weed by most — including me. That is until recently I decided to have a new mindset… Violets are the host plant for the Great Spangled Fritillary, which is a common visitor to my butterfly garden. I realized that I’ve never [...]
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