Flower Hill Farm BUTTERFLIES 2011 ~ Eastern Tiger Swallowtails ~ Part Two

Tiger Swallowtail butterfly sipping Miss Kim Lilac blooms

For Part Two of Eastern Tiger Swallowtails Papilio glaucus, we find the tiger-striped butterflies swimming in purples, yellows and greens instead of in the pink as seen in my last post. 

St. Valentine surely might smile over these Tiger Swallowtail lovers flying and swirling about high into the sky beneath the robust Rock Maples. 

A perfect female Tiger Swallowtail. Note the blue markings . . . which make me believe it female

Frolicking about in Fields

I believe this to be a male Tiger Swallowtail

Female Drinking Comfrey Nectar

Each May and the early part of June, when the Korean lilacs and wildflowers bloom, I delight in the appearance of Tiger Swallowtail butterflies. Their animated beauty add a touch of magic to the fields and shrubberies. The way their beautiful wings catch the light is mesmerizing . . . akin to stained glass windows. 

Tiger Swallowtails do not have an easy time here with all the birds, especially Catbirds, who are raising their young. Alas! It seems the striking Swallowtails often become a sumptuous supper for them. I often see the butterflies flitting about with tatter gowns and sadly find mosaics of wings on the ground. I know it is just the food chain, but I do so feel for these lovely creatures too and just wish they were not so tempting, for there is plenty of other food about. It sounds silly but I do try reasoning with the Catbirds . . . but they never yield. Of course there is no reason to my argument . . . except my love of the butterflies.

Sending some Sweethearts to Sweden for Katarina! 

Next time my butterfly review of 2011 will feature the Fritillaries. 

This Saturday, my monthly post on Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens will feature the Bobcat as the third beast in my Flower Hill Farm Bestiary. My encounter will be retold with a new and surprising ingredient. Hope you can check it out!

Flower Hill Farm BUTTERFLIES OF 2011 ~ Eastern Tiger Swallowtail ~ Three Years Blog Anniversary

Eastern Tiger Swallowtails Papilio glaucus in threes flitting above and about Miss Canada Lilac this past June. 

It seems most appropriate to mark my third blog anniversary with these endearing creatures. For years I had tried to capture Tiger Swallowtails flitting about in groups . . .  and finally, after waiting in just the right place, for just the right amount of time ~ voila! 

If you are lucky, you might find the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail caterpillars munching on the leaves of black cherry, pin cherry, ash, apple and magnolia . . . to name a few trees that might be growing in your gardens and landscape. The butterflies may be sighted in flight beginning the middle of April and through October from one of their two broods. Overwintering occurs here in the chrysalis stage. 

Back into now time . . . today and yesterday . . . three years pile up with sunrises and sunsets, waxing and waning moons, our gardens awake and falling into seasonal slumber, wildlife filling pages. 

February Full Moon 2012

This February is quite different from February of three years past. The winter landscape is remarkably different in my first post. 

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR KIND SUPPORT OVER THESE THREE YEARS! 

Flower Hill Farm BUTTERFLIES OF 2011 ~ American Painted Lady

American Painted Lady Vanessa virginiensis

The American Painted Lady or American Lady Vanessa virginiensis is another favorite butterfly of the family Brushfooted Butterflies Nymphalidae, donning large eyes. These painted beauties are most often sighted between late April and early October. They migrate south for the winter. 

If you look within the plants of Edelweiss or Pearly Everlasting in the summer you may find some of the caterpillars of the American Painted Lady. 

2011 was only the third year that I was able to capture one of these striking butterflies . . . so, it is rather a 'new acquaintance'. 

Sadly, I was not able to get this beauty to open its wings last year. 

I am including the photos below from my 2009 and 2010 gardens.

This American Painted Lady almost seems like a flower on this Verbena bonariensis. 

Painting in Progress

 Another 'new acquaintance' is this painting (Still in a pupa stage.) . . . that continues to grow as we come to know each other better.  You might remember it when it first began the end of November 2011 ~ A purple underpainting.

WORK IN PROGRESS

I was not able to paint most of December and January, but now I am happy to report that I am applying pigments to canvas again. Painting with vibrant colors helps keep joy alive, when outside all is white and gray with bits of dark evergreen . . . with exception to the sunrise and sunset skies. 

I have a good amount of work still left to do on this rather psychological painting. The trees are not really that close together . . . I have them placed a bit like bars . . . imprisoning the house and its occupants. The huge Rock Maples are both protectors and do appear to be somewhat threatening . . . foreboding . . . if you will. The tree's branches are intertwined . . . you can imagine the invisible roots that anchor them to the hillside are as well.

Here is a review of my favorite butterflies of 2011 so far. If you have not had the pleasure of meeting eye to eye ~ a Monarch, Eastern Black Swallowtail, a Buckeye or a American Painted Lady, I hope 2012 will be the year you make their acquaintance.  

Next time I will showcase Tiger Swallowtails. 

It is time again to fly towards Sweden and visit Katarina's Roses and Stuff . 

Much beauty and imagination awaits you there!

Flower Hill Farm BUTTERFLIES OF 2011 ~ Favorite Buckeye

I was lucky to get so close to this fresh and perfect  Common Buckeye as it sipped nectar from, of all plants, a hydrangea.

Buckeye Junonia coenia

It was a joyous June day this past summer when I captured my first ever Buckeye! 

These beauties do not overwinter here but fly south as our beloved Monarchs. I have read that they hold their own in comparison to the Monarchs in extravaganza, as they stream through Cape May in the Autumn. I have yet to see that fabulous display!

Host plants for the caterpillars are numerous. Be sure to let some plantain grow! They love stonecrop too . . .  of the Crassulaceae family. Got figwort or vervain?! Be sure to share your mallow and verbena. Then you might find these stunning eyes looking back at you in your garden. 

I love doing reviews of birds and butterflies in the winter, for it brings spring and summer back into our lives. 

 Each winter day is growing longer by minutes. I enjoy seeing the sun as it inches more towards the north . . .  nearly climbing over Walnut Hill now every morning, where it had been rising over the Mount Holyoke Range  on the winter solstice.   

We are having a mild winter here in New England. Eastern Black Swallowtails might be sleeping in their chrysalises somewhere out in that white landscape. The birds have not been very active in the crabapples yet . . . I do miss all the colorful Robins, Cedar and Bohemian Waxwings and even the Bluebirds are not as numerous as in previous years. There must be plenty of food for them all elsewhere. I do delight in seeing our resident Red-tailed hawk most mornings as he or she basks in the sun.

Up next for the butterfly reviews will be the American Painted Lady.