Most of October was pretty darn good :-).
Showing posts with label butterflies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label butterflies. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Monday, October 27, 2025
Real Quick
Hug A Sheep Day was chilly, but very fun and I have pictures and stories to share from that, but they are on my phone, so an extra step to share, but not to worry...I will get that done, hopefully tomorrow. In the meantime, here is a quick post to update everyone on the swallowtail caterpillar in the garden.
Last week I found a swallowtail caterpillar still eating away on some leftover carrot tops out in my messy garden. I'm glad the garden was messy because, by accident, there was still some food for a late to the party caterpillar.
We had two medium freezes and a hard freeze last week and I worried about what was going to happen, so I built a makeshift greenhouse using some picket fence pieces and clear plastic and on the coldest nights I draped a cotton sheet over the top, tucking it in the edges to hold as much heat in as I could.
It worked!
Each morning I walk out and check on it and this morning he/she was in a good spot for a photo so I grabbed my big camera. Cell phone cameras are nice, but no comparison to a good DSLR. I not only prefer those pictures, but they are also easier to get inspired to post a quick blog.
Monarch caterpillars can not make it through the winter, but swallowtail caterpillars can overwinter if they make it into a chrysalis. I'm not sure if I would need to try to move it into the garage or something, but if we make it that far, I'll do a little more research.
In the meantime, we'll all do our best and be grateful there to have made it this far. Those carrots have got to be confused for sure!
Speaking of messy gardens, it's best to leave them messy all winter! The birds will eat all sorts of leftover seeds and any insects they find there and there are insect of all sorts living in the mess and eggs that would hatch next spring if they are given a chance. Embrace the mess and leave your leaves, too!
Friday, October 3, 2025
August
I know this is really late, but as the month progressed, I knew what was coming and I just couldn't bring myself to go through pictures and videos. I decided to put it off until the end of September and just get all the heartbreak done on one day.
Even though life was still pretty good in August...
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Blooms, Butterflies, Bugs And Bats
The best news I have is how many butterflies I've seen this summer. I have had years where I could count on one hand the number of monarchs and swallowtails I've seen. A few years now where I could probably count them on two hands. This year I've lost count!
I've seen monarchs (sometimes as many as four) almost every day for a month or so and I'm finding multiple caterpillars out on the milkweed plants. I haven't seen a chrysalis yet, but maybe if I put that in writing I'll see one on my way to the house this evening ;-).
Not only are the monarch visits up, I've had more swallowtails than I've ever had here. Stella used to get pretty ones on the butterfly bushes at her house, but I'd never seen a zebra down here and I've seen two this summer.
We've also had many, many smaller butterflies of all shapes and sizes, several hummingbird moths and more hummingbirds than normal as well. I put in some salvias this year and they love those big blue blooms.
The bats have been happy this summer too. We've been overrun by mosquitos, so the bats have been busy.
Today has had just a hint of fall in the air so maybe the end of this horrible summer is in sight. In the meantime, here's a new fun and easy puzzle for you.
Speaking of puzzles, I'd LOVE to know who works all the puzzles at 300 pieces :-D. If you don't want to use your name online, shoot me an email if you'd like to raise your hand.
Friday, August 1, 2025
Garden Visitor
While I'm partial to butterflies of all sorts and sizes, I have a special fondness for hummingbird moths. I heard the distinctive buzzing as I walked around the back of the Wool House dye garden and was able to locate this snowberry clearwing moth working on some zinnias.
Bees, butterflies and actual hummingbirds love zinnias. I do too :-).
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
A Morning Tour
Monday, June 30, 2025
Milkweed, Not Just For Butterflies
If you ever get the chance to stand in a patch of blooming milkweed, do it! When it's really blooming, I can smell it from all the way across the yard as I walk up the driveway.
Here's a new puzzle for you if you are looking for a cool "inside job".
Wednesday, July 3, 2024
June
There is a big chunk of June that really requires several blog posts to get everyone back up to speed...including myself :-o.
Wednesday, August 2, 2023
July
July was hot and humid, but we got plenty (and then some) of rain so the grass grew and nothing turned soul crushingly brown and crispy. I already know it's going to be hot. I can live with the extra humidity if it's from rain. I'd prefer it didn't flood the barn, but we can deal with that.
The B Garden has been a real treat this summer. We've had several monarch appearances already (usually not until August) and have seen several caterpillars! I'm not sure if this is just going to be a good monarch year all over (finger and toes crossed) or if we've just added enough habitat that our farm has made their map.
Our year supply of hay and straw is in the barn. The Tour de Fleece was fun and productive. I pulled the big girl camera out and enjoyed taking some nice pictures. Archie only nearly fell off a couple of things this month, Possum has fully embraced the air conditioner life, and Bea has learned what a "pup cup" from Dairy Queen is.
Onward into August!
Saturday, July 1, 2023
Sunday, June 25, 2023
B-eautiful
I was worried the B Garden was going to be a bust this year after Blossom and friends basically mowed it to the ground...twice...back in the early spring. Thankfully it survived and is really beautiful right now. I did a video tour this morning. Besides being here, that's really the best way to see everything. Well, almost everything. Here are a few pictures of some things that I missed.
I think this same butterfly has been here for almost two weeks. It's not a monarch, but still quite pretty. I've wondered if she's laying eggs on the milkweed as I'm pretty sure that's what I'm seeing and I'm even more sure that I haven't seen a monarch yet.
We added a second purple martin house last month. No one has moved in, but at least they know there is more room to expand. They have been very busy this summer.
Here is a link to the video tour. For some reason it won't let me embed it here directly like normal. It's worth a watch :-).
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
A New Butterfly
I've never before been able to spot a chrysalis out in the "wilds", but I have found two this year! Both have been on the milkweed in the raised beds, but I'm suspicious there was one in the B Garden as well as I found a newly hatched butterfly out there one morning a week or so ago.
This chrysalis was on a rapidly browning leaf and as I watched the leaves around it drop to the ground I decided to pluck this one and put it somewhere safe until it was ready to hatch. They have to hatch in the air so they can dry their wings as they expand. Opening on the ground it would not have survived.
My original plan was to move it back to the raised bed just before it opened, but as I carried it out there I saw a bunch of birds and decided to keep it on the Wool House porch, about 40' from where it was laid. That worked out okay for the butterfly as no predators grabbed it and good for me because I was able to watch and take a time lapse video.
Welcome to the world, little girl. You can tell it's a girl by the thicker black lines and the lack of two black dots on her lower wings.
I have picked up the other chrysalis and attached it the the drying rack on the porch as well. The old milkweed is fading fast. Next year I'm going to "mow" it after it blooms so it sends up new growth before the late summer butterflies arrive.
Friday, August 26, 2022
Crawling Under A Leaf
I've seen way more monarch caterpillars this year than last...but I'm still not sure they are making it to the chrysalis stage. I've yet to find a chrysalis in real life. This is not just for this year, but ever, so maybe they are just really good at hiding them. I hope.
I've toyed with collecting them and putting the porch nursery back in service. I kept all my supplies. Watching the caterpillars grow and change was really fun...but it was a lot of work keeping fresh food picked for them. Providing habitat was my go forward plan, but if they aren't actually surviving, then it's still not a great plan.
While I'm stewing on what to do, here are some fun pictures from a couple of days ago. The greens are turning brown rapidly, but there are a few younger plants that can hopefully keep everyone fed.
Thursday, August 18, 2022
Late Summer Blooms
The B Garden is in a yellow phase right now, but the zinneas and a volunteer cosmos are keeping things colorful. I'm starting to see a few monarchs and and few swallowtails. I haven't seen any caterpillar activity, but maybe soon.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the caterpillars this year. I feel like most of them, maybe all of them, were predated last summer. I'm thinking about putting the nursery back in play this year. I'd rather they lived a natural life, but if they don't make it to maturity, that's not helping anything :-/.
While we think on things, here's a fun new puzzle :-).
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