Critters Archives - Page 25 of 33 - Betty Hall Photography

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.

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.

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”).

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.

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.

Water feature

Two years ago we added a water feature to the backyard. It’s near our patio, where we spend considerable time in the summer. I never tire of the sight and sounds of the flowing water. We often refer to it as the “pond.” It’s home to five goldfish. We don’t feed them but they seem to find plenty to eat and they have grown from about one to four inches long. We’re glad their diet includes mosquito eggs.

The pond is used by birds year around and it’s especially popular during hot summer days. Doves often come for a drink, while robins, cardinals, and grackles frequently come to bathe.

It’s fun to watch them from the kitchen window as they use their wings to do a lot of splashing. This robin (Turdus migratorius) certainly seemed to enjoy its bath.

We see occasional dragon flies and damsel flies, and other insects visit now and then. The pond adds another dimension to the backyard and I like sharing it with our various critters.

Azure butterflies

I’m enjoying fast-flying, tiny blue butterflies in the backyard. I think they are Summer Azures (Celastrina neglecta). They could easily be the “sky-flakes” Robert Frost refers to in his poem, “Blue Butterfly Day.” I was glad to have the camera with me when one lit nearby. It was an extra special treat to see the blue markings of the upper wings.

It’s much more common for the Azures to perch with their wings closed, which shows a very different color and wing pattern.

I often see the Azures around the Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica), one of our native shrubs. This is the “Little Henry” variety which stays small.

This hardy shrub will grow in sun or shade. I recently learned that it is a host plant for the Azures. Knowing that it provides food for both caterpillars and adults leaves me appreciating it even more.