Pearl Crescent chrysalis & butterfly

It’s easy to get excited about big butterflies such as Monarchs and Swallowtails. It takes more effort to see and appreciate the  smaller ones, but I find them just as exciting.

My friend, Connie May, has a keen eye for small things, especially caterpillars, which she often gives to me to photograph and raise. She recently discovered a half-inch Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos) chrysalis while pulling weeds and gave it to me.

The next morning I saw orange and black wing markings showing through the previously opaque chrysalis, and suspected the butterfly would soon emerge.

Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos) chrysalis

With camera ready, I was watching when “poof” the magic happened and the butterfly appeared.

Pearl Crescent butterfly newly emerged from chrysalis

The wings gradually lengthened and after a minute the butterfly became still while the fully formed wings hardened.

Pearl Crescent butterfly and chrysalis

In a couple of hours, it was ready to fly.

Adult Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos) butterfly Crescents get their name from the markings near the bottom of the hind wings. At three-fourths inch wide, Pearl Crescents are one of our smaller butterflies. They are also one of the most common in North America.

A great way to encourage Crescents is to plant native asters. They are the only plants on which Pearl Crescents lay their eggs. As an added benefit, the beautiful aster blossoms are an excellent source of nectar for many fall butterflies.

I feel fortunate that Connie discovered the tiny chrysalis and gave it to me, and that I was able to see it emerge and set it free in the backyard. As to butterflies, large or small, I like them all.

Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillar

There are caterpillars on my milkweed but they aren’t Monarchs. Instead, I have Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars (Euchaetes egle).

Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars on common milkweed leaf

Some folks refer to them as ‘the yarn caterpillar.’ They do resemble tufts of yarn and are very soft to the touch.

Euchaetes egle caterpillarMilkweed Tussock moth eggs are usually laid generously on older Milkweeds while Monarchs generally lay only one or two eggs per plant and prefer younger, more tender leaves.

I’d be much more excited about Monarch caterpillars. However, I have plenty of mature Common Milkweed leaves and am glad to have a diversity of insects adding interest to the backyard.

Tropical Milkweed

Oh, happy day! Early last Thursday morning I checked the garden and was thrilled to discover a beautiful Monarch caterpillar (Danaus plexippus) on my annual Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica).

Danaus plexippus on Asclepias currassavica
Monarch caterpillar on Tropical Milkweed

This is the first time I’ve grown Tropical Milkweed, also known as Bloodflower,  and I’m delighted to know the Monarchs like it. It’s a tall slender plant and has been easy to fit among my other garden plants. It also has a beautiful blossom.

Asclepias currassivica blooms
Tropical Milkweed blooms

I’ve checked the North American Butterfly Association website and the more I read about this plant the more I’m impressed. It’s not native to the U.S. but is grown in a wide range, does not seem invasive, and attracts Monarchs. Sounds good to me. If you’ve grown Tropical Milkweed, I’d be glad to know your experience.

P.S. I realize this is short notice but I’ll be doing a presentation on Raising and Attracting Butterflies, at the Lexington Arboretum on Tuesday, July 19th, 10 a.m.- noon. I’d be glad to have you join us.

Update/Caution:  I had a scary experience after cutting Tropical Milkweed for some Monarch caterpillars.  Apparently I got some of the sap in my eyes, and by the next morning I could barely see.  Read the full saga. If you are working with any milkweed plants, be careful to keep the sap away from your eyes and wash your hands thoroughly when you’re done.

Butterflies and watermelon

I’m not seeing as many butterflies this year, so I decided to put out some watermelon to see what it would attract. Sure enough, I had three different visitors.

If you look closely at the small white markings on the underside of the wings of this Question Mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis), you can see where it gets its name. You may need to use your imagination! I’ve never seen this butterfly nectaring on flowers, but I have attracted it with over-ripe fruit before.

Polygonia interrogationis

Seeing this Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton) was a special treat. I saw one in the backyard for the first time last year, and this is the first I’ve seen this year.

Asterocampa clyton

The silhouette of the American Snout (Libytheana carinenta) makes it easy to identify, and makes its name rather obvious. What looks like a “snout” is actually elongated mouth parts (or “palps”).

Libytheana carinenta

The caterpillars of all three butterflies feed on Hackberry trees (Celtis occidentalis). We don’t have any Hackberries  in our yard, so I’m glad our neighbors do.

I’ve heard other people say they have seen fewer butterflies than usual around Lexington this year.  I’m curious what you’re seeing.

Garden tour and Scarlet Bee Balm

I’m happy to say the Wild Ones 2011 Kentucky Native Plant Tour went quite well. We had ominous weather reports the night before, but Sunday afternoon turned out to be a great time to be outdoors.  We had approximately 200 participants.

It’s quite gratifying to know so many people have an interest in native plants. It was also a great opportunity to let folks know about our local chapter of Wild Ones. This organization is a valuable resource for those wanting to know about using natives in their landscapes.

The showiest plant in my backyard this weekend was the Scarlet Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) which is now at peak bloom. This is a sentimental plant for me as I remember it from my grandmother’s garden. I love to crush and smell its aromatic leaves.  I also like to use it in bouquets.

Monarda didyma

Someone on the tour asked if butterflies used Bee Balm. I have recently seen Pipevine Swallowtails (Battus philenor) and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) on it. Here is a Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) visiting a Bee Balm blossom.

I enjoy sharing our backyard. If you were unable to attend the tour would like to see it, please let me know and we’ll arrange a time.

There were so many tour participants that I ran out of copies of the history of our garden and resource list. Click the previous link to download a pdf.

Plans are underway for another Kentucky Native Plant Garden Tour next year – showcasing three different gardens. If you have any ideas or feedback, I’d like very much to receive them. You can leave a comment on this blog, which will be visible to the public, or send me a private message.