♥ Mary Moore
Female Tiger Swallowtail (Explored)
With summer winding down, I would have to say I have been very fortunate with butterflies this year (check my photostream). To summarize what I've managed to photograph this year: numerous Tiger Swallowtails, both male and female (it's the state butterfly), Comma (lifer), Question Mark (lifer), Black Swallowtail, Red Spotted Purple Admiral, Great Spangled Fratillary, Snowberry Clearwing (lifer), Humminbird Clearwing (lifer), Cabbage Whites, Sulphurs, and two varieties of Skippers. In addition there were numerous exotics photographed inside "Wings of Fancy" at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD. Because they are not indigenous to the area, nor were they outside, I did not include them on this list.
Last October, when Hurricane Sandy blew through here, my butterfly bush was tipping severely. The local garden center told me to cut it back, prop it up and it should do fine. Well, as you can see, it has done more than fine as most of the butterflies in my photostream were feeding at that bush which is now over 6' tall. I will remember to cut it back next spring. As my friend Roberta said, "That's why they call it a butterfly bush".
So far, I have not seen any Buckeyes, Painted Ladies, or Monarchs, but summer isn't done yet, and there is a local garden where I just might find them.
Female Tiger Swallowtail (Explored)
With summer winding down, I would have to say I have been very fortunate with butterflies this year (check my photostream). To summarize what I've managed to photograph this year: numerous Tiger Swallowtails, both male and female (it's the state butterfly), Comma (lifer), Question Mark (lifer), Black Swallowtail, Red Spotted Purple Admiral, Great Spangled Fratillary, Snowberry Clearwing (lifer), Humminbird Clearwing (lifer), Cabbage Whites, Sulphurs, and two varieties of Skippers. In addition there were numerous exotics photographed inside "Wings of Fancy" at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD. Because they are not indigenous to the area, nor were they outside, I did not include them on this list.
Last October, when Hurricane Sandy blew through here, my butterfly bush was tipping severely. The local garden center told me to cut it back, prop it up and it should do fine. Well, as you can see, it has done more than fine as most of the butterflies in my photostream were feeding at that bush which is now over 6' tall. I will remember to cut it back next spring. As my friend Roberta said, "That's why they call it a butterfly bush".
So far, I have not seen any Buckeyes, Painted Ladies, or Monarchs, but summer isn't done yet, and there is a local garden where I just might find them.