Butterflies feeding on the ever popular Red Valerian
Although the smoky air has been often quite toxic, full of particulates, somehow the pollinators and other wildlife manage. A few painted...
Tattered Anise Swallowtail sipping on Red Valerian
Anise Swallowtails Papilio zelicaon have been flying through the garden for several months now, but they fly so quickly that I haven't...
Pollinators in the heat
As long as there are food sources, the pollinators will visit. Here a Summer Long-Horned Bee, possibly a Long-Horned Sunflower Bee...
Last Monarch Caterpillars of the Season
Look who's in their last instar, eating up before moving on to pupate. This plump caterpillar hatched from an egg that was laid on a...
Yup, monarch caterpillars are still here
Mama monarch keeps visiting and laying eggs, and another generation of monarch caterpillars is thriving on the potted milkweed. Our...
Lovely native butterflies
Oh, it's the best thing to observe little native butterflies visiting the native patch. It seems that there are more of them in the...
Gulf Fritillary Caterpillars on the Passionflower Vine
There are currently three Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae caterpillars on the Oaklandia Passionflower Passiflora parritae x...
Another Mama Monarch visit
We were honored again with a visit from a mama monarch yesterday. After resting on the Chiapas salvia for a while, she made her rounds of...
Gray Hairstreak visiting
It's always such a treat to spot native butterflies in the garden. Most of them are so small and blend in with the plants, that the only...
Monarch visiting today
What a wonderful surprise to discover this male monarch visiting our garden! We first noticed him sipping the nectar from several flower...
