Flower Hill Farm Butterflies of 2012 ~ Swallowtails

The second installment of Butterflies of 2012 features three members of the Papilionidae family. 

Swallowtails regularly make their home in our gardens and fields and seeing their wings lit up like stained glass floating about the plants is always a delight.

Last year was very exciting for a rare sighting of a Giant Swallowtail, Papilio cresphontes here at Flower Hill Farm. Butterfly enthusiasts from all over Massachusetts were reporting first time ever sightings of the magnificent giants. Climate change will no doubt bring about more joyous encounters with these beauties to our northern gardens. Though a few sightings had been reported since 2009, last years sightings were record breaking.

The giant was difficult to photograph as it rarely stops fluttering.

It is surprising to see the Giant Swallowtail's brown and yellow coloring when the wings are wide open. At a glance a giant might be mistaken for a male Black Swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes or Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Papilio glaucus. Upon closer observation you can see the Giant Swallowtail is quite different in color and pattern. I had never seen one before and did not identify the giant immediately but knew it was different from any butterfly I had ever seen here at Flower Hill Farm. The Giant Swallowtail's larger size is very obvious, though size is not clearly illustrated in the photo above due to the Black Swallowtail and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail below being zoomed in on. 

A male Black Swallowtail from 2011.

A female Black Swallowtail from 2012. 

 Female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail from 2011 to show full pattern for comparison.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtails flit about the gardens in numbers especially when the lilacs are in bloom. Unfortunately for them, it is a peak feeding time for baby birds too. Luckily tigers are in abundance so birds are not a great threat, but it is hard to see them being persistently pursued by Catbirds and Chickadees. Often tiger wings are tattered, so to find a fresh and perfect butterfly is a lucky sighting in our gardens.

Folded wings offer other patterns and colors to help identify these three Swallowtail cousins.

A quiet second from fluttering for this gorgeous backlit Giant Swallowtail.

In twenty-twelve I had the joy of raising and releasing this Black Swallowtail into the gardens. I have raised hundreds of Monarch Butterflies over the years but this was only my second experience raising a Black Swallowtail.

Strikingly patterned Swallowtail butterflies grace our world throughout the summer months and add another dimension of enchantment to the gardens and fields. Of course, beyond human enjoyment, all butterflies are important pollinators, and being near the bottom of the food chain, they are, sadly, important food for birds.

By clicking on the words highlighted in red above you can learn more about these Swallowtails.

Now, in the middle of a snowstorm, I so look forward to another year of enjoying the gardens and butterflies.

In honor of my fourth anniversary of blogging, I have given the blog a facelift and added a search bar so that readers can now type in an item of interest and articles will appear at the top of the screen.

Early June Garden Fragrances Merge ~ A Potpourri of Pinks With Touches of White ~ Roses and Pink Lilacs

Quietly strolling through the early June gardens . . .  while a gentle breeze whispers and restores, numerous birds sing and dart here and there, Tree Swallows silently sweep the sky, dozens of butterflies flit about the shrubberies and layers of fragrances merge . . .  feels quite close to heavenly.  

Rosa Rugosa and Miss Canada Lilac are very compatible in color and scent and are truly the flora stars of this late spring rambling garden.

Rosa Rubrifloia 'Glauca', Rosa Rugosa 'Purple Pavement' in North Garden

Delicate Rosa Rubrifloia 

Rosa Rugosa 'Purple Pavement'

Delicious!

Rosa Rugosa 'Purple Pavement' in North Garden

Unknown old fashion rose in South Rock Garden 

Unknown white Rosa Rugosa in North Garden

Looking between Apple tree trunks up toward Middle Garden

'Miss Canada' Lilac, Beauty bush and Rosa Rugosa  ~ Lovely shades of pink as seen from the barn studio door.

Tiger Swallowtails were all over the florets of 'Miss Canada' Lilac just outside the barn studio windows.

Looking north and down from the upstairs apartment window Miss Canada Lilac and Beauty bush spread out nicely. 

Spirea 'Bridal Wreath' spills over between 'Miss Canada' Lilac and Beauty bush just outside barn studio at sunset.

A waterfall of white Spirea  'Bridal Wreath' 

I do get lost when walking out into our jungle-like gardens . . . camera around my neck, garden gloves and pruners in my pocket . . . hours go by without my noticing. I feel like a member of a wild community and there are many small eyes warily watching my movements. 

Ms. Bluebird is busy building her second nest, in the same nestbox (after I cleaned it out), in the middle garden! Yeah! The Baltimore Orioles, Phoebes and Tree Swallows are steadfastly caring for their young and countless other birds are too . . . in hidden places I have yet to discover. 

I am always discovering something new within this lush landscape and love how it merges with my softer sanguine self, to create an inner peace. For . . . have I mentioned . . .  our gardens are like a jungle? Yes, I have a few times at least. After long years of anxious angst, I have accepted . . .  that the gardens have a life of their own . . .  and I have yielded to it . . . mostly.

Weeding to any major extent is impossible without a full-time staff of three or four . . . with two part-time helpers we are able to keep things we care about alive and at least give them a head start on the invasives. I have come to enjoy the rather overflowing garden floor and luckily most of my plants and shrubs reach high above the carpet of bishop's weed, bedstraw and (right now) comfrey. The comfrey will be cut down once the flowers have passed (pollinators adore the generous nectar) and I will continue to add more natives that are robust enough to survive here. 

One thing that survives here with no trouble at all . . . is the pure magical quality of surprise and suspense.  

It's That Chime Again ~ Blossoms and Butterflies In The May Garden

Late Viburnums, Wisteria and Korean Lilacs take center stage.

Wisteria chimes dangle their tempting panicles of blooms.
If we could hear the flowers sing, I feel sure Wisteria would sound similar to a glass harp. 

The dwarf lilacs are now having their show and pollinators are enjoying their bounty of nectar. 

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papillo glaucus, sipping 'Fairytale' dwarf lilac. 

Early florescence above ~ today below.

American Lady (American Painted Lady) Vanessa virginiensis, - above and below - ecstatic for the elixir of 'Miss Kim' lilac. I usually do not see these migrating beauties until later in the summer. 

'Miss Kim' Lilac in the mist with a Magnolia (right) that never quits blooming. 

Early Lilacs and Viburnums have faded, while the later to bloom of both are coming into their own along with the Hawthorn trees in the distance. Viburnum plicatum in Upper South Garden is full blown right now. 

Viburnum plicatum fully opening in the light.

Another Doublefile Viburnum in North Garden looking over towards 'Fairytale' lilac . . . just beginning to bloom.

Now the Viburnum is wholly unfurled ~ 'Fairytale' lilac in background.

Lacey blooms creating lovely background for tree peony.

Later these Doublefile Viburnums will bear fruit that the birds go crazy for.
Here are a couple of old bluebird and tree swallow houses. I prefer this design to our new ones and will have them copied. Many years of fledgelings flew out into the world from these nest boxes.

Viburnum sargentii 'Onondaga' early stage of blooming . . .  before climbing hydrangea on Shag Bark Hickory in Upper South Garden.

Today looking over towards Middle Meadow Garden.

When the flowers first open they are an off-white color . . .

becoming more white with age.

I love and revere all the many trees and plants here at Flower Hill Farm . . . but OH, when wildlife call the gardens, fields and forest home I get very excited to discover who lives so nearby and REALLY happy to make new acquaintances. This TINY American Copper Lycaena phlaeas americana, looks very fresh and would sit still . . .  in the south field . . . long enough for me to capture a few portraits. What a precious vibrant butterfly!! 

I tend to avoid being in the gardens during the heat of the day, but that is exactly the best time to see butterflies, so, instead of going out with my garden spade and clippers in those hours . . .  I take my camera.