Flower Hill Farm BUTTERFLIES Of 2011 ~ Favorite Monarchs

The much beloved and admired Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus begins this series of my favorite butterflies from the gardens of 2011. I so look forward to their return each summer and delight in finding their tiny etched eggs on milkweed plants. It is more exciting when I see the female actually fastening her eggs. 

I should truly love to be a butterfly . . . a Monarch emerging in late summer, so I could fly to Mexico. 

Ah . . .  to have the courage of a butterfly! I should wish for sunny warm days to fly freely.

Here are a few of my favorite images and encounters with Monarch butterflies over last summer and fall. I have written extensively about their marvel of a metamorphosis here, here, here, here, here and here. 

This is the first in a parade of butterflies from 2011. 

It is time to visit Katarina for other fanciful flights of imagination and delight.

A Few Wildflowers From Summer and Fall 2011

Native Wild Blueberry and Bombus (Bumble Bee)

Erigeron annuus Eastern daisy fleabane ~ ?

Mystery Most Common ~  Fleabane ?

Geranium maculatum, Wild Geranium 

Tradescantia virginiana, Virginia Spiderwort

Amsonia tabernaemontana (Eastern bluestar)

Thermopsis villosa (Carolina bushpea)

Field of Dancus pusillus (American wild carrot) and Daucus carota (Queen Anne's Lace)

Eastern Black Swallowtail Caterpillar eating Wild Carrot

Verbascum chaixii ? and Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca

Little Skippers on Milkweed

Echinacea purpurea Purple Coneflower and Aphrodite Fritillary 

                       Eupatorium Maculatum (Joe-Pye weed) and Rudbeckia Herbstonne

Goldenrod and Monarch butterfly with mystery bug

Vernonia gigantea, Tall Ironweed

Fritillary sipping Ironweed

Monarchs on New England Asters

Here are a few of my favorite photographs of some of the wildflowers (and wild flying creatures) in my gardens over this summer and fall. 

Thank you Gail for inspiring all of my wildflower posts over this year and for all of your great work towards preserving native plants . . . through your own gardens and the brilliant articles on your blog, 

as well as, your contributions to the fabulous Beautiful Wildlife Gardens blog.

You are an inspiration to many and a gracious champion for native plants and wildlife. Congratulations on another year of informative posts for your creation 'Wildflower Wednesday.'

If you, dear treasured readers, would like to see other wildflower posts inspired by Gail, please visit 'Wildflower Wednesday' and her wonderful, wild and greatly native garden Clay and Limestone.  

Wild and Native New England Asters Attract Wildlife

Change fills earth and sky

cold fronts float full above hills 

pails of moisture fall

flora and fauna

season palette rendering

bright movement flows thick

Within the gardens

magical animation 

flurry of flutter

feasting frenzy flux

asters sway within the breeze

Monarch sustenance 

Bold orange accents 

floating over southern field 

southward migration

Wild asters glow

honey light amber flowing

fleeting autumn days

It is 'Wildflower Wednesday' over at Gail's Clay and Limestone.  

This is also a contribution for Katarina's Blooming Friday for Monarchs LOVE asters!

It has been so amazing in the gardens with all the Monarch butterflies. I have never seen so many on one plant in my gardens. I am certain there were well over one hundred each day this week all about the gardens on the sunny days. Many if not most of these featured butterflies I believe emerged here at Flower Hill Farm, for they are so fresh and I know too well how tattered their wings become in no time. I still have two chrysalises that will emerge in a few days. 

This is a monarch way station too and so I guess I can never know for sure which are just migrating through here or may have lived here as caterpillars. In any case it is a joy to be with them. The butterflies are more concentrated right now on two clumps of asters right behind the farmhouse. Other Monarchs are more scattered about the south field. This experience refocuses the image I had years ago when visiting the over wintering sites in Mexico, where I saw thousands streaming down a mountain side and watched in amazement as the bright orange stream turned right in front of me and floated off down a narrow dirt road. I was so close to them and that made it more magical than even seeing many thousands hanging from the far away trees higher up in the boreal forest. 

I wish you all could have been here with me to share this enchanting encounter. I am glad I have these images to share.