Celebrating the ordinary
The butterflies and I have made the news. Susan Smith-Durisek, who writes a weekly garden column for our local newspaper, recently asked for information about raising butterflies. Her well-written article was published this past weekend along with photos by Charles Bertram.
I appreciate Susan’s article and I hope it encourages more people to explore and learn about butterflies and native plants.
I like this native Kentucky vine and so do hummingbirds. Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) blooms profusely in early May and continues to have flowers through October. It’s a favorite hangout for various birds throughout the year.
I enjoy the booms and am happy to share them with the hummingbirds. Last weekend I was attempting to get this image with my small point-and-shoot digital camera. While focusing on the bloom, a hummingbird came within inches of my face. It was a fleeting moment and a memorable one.
I’m currently enjoying the bright red blooms of the cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis). It’s a different shade of red than the royal catchfly. And while the catchfly likes sunshine and tolerates dry conditions, the cardinal flower prefers shade and appreciates some moisture.
I first saw the cardinal flower years ago along river banks in the Missouri Ozarks. I’m glad it’s versatile enough to bloom in our backyard as well.
These are my favorite caterpillars and I like finding them in the backyard. The first sign is when I find a leaf on my native Kentucky spicebush (Lindera benzoin) cut and folded like this.
When I open the leaf, I usually see a small spicebush swallowtail caterpillar (Papilio troilus).
In a week or so, I often find a large leaf folded in half like this.
When I open the leaf, this is my special treat.
Isn’t it a cutie? Those are false eye spots and the head is actually hidden under what looks like a mouth, but isn’t. The face is supposed to look scary – especially to critters looking for a meal.
The folded leaf is created by a web spun by the caterpillar. It hides there in the daytime and comes out at night to eat.
Eventually, the caterpillar changes into a chrysalis and emerges as a spicebush swallowtail butterfly. These butterflies only lay their eggs on spicebush or sassafras (Sassafras albidum) plants.
Spicebush is one of my favorite native Kentucky shrubs. I appreciate the small yellow blooms that are one of the first signs of spring, and I like the delightful spicy smell of the leaves. And, it’s the host of my favorite caterpillar!
I am thoroughly enjoying the striking color and form of Royal catchfly (Silene regia). It’s a Kentucky native perennial that grows 2-4 ft. tall.
The blossoms are a brilliant red and stand out from a distance. They are also well deserving of a closer look. I want more of them in my garden next summer.