Twenty caterpillars, already!!!
"There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly." ~ Richard Buckminster FullerMy brother is here... it is a busy and too short time of being together, laughing, working, planting... and yes, buying another Japanese maple tree. Just before he arrived I was looking over the flower beds marveling that just weeks before, except for the parsley and fennel and the evergreens, these beds were simply mulch where plants once grew. And then, remarkably, they began to return.. slowly at first but then almost changing each day. A few will not return and I don't know why... a few, I am still holding out hope for. The milkweed are slow to emerge and then grow more rapidly. I was watching them inch up towards the sky, each day a little more. Then I saw some leaves with holes and ragged edges and I thought... "My, these look really ratty... and still they are so short." A closer look showed why... and when I checked all the milkweed it was the same.... little one-half inch long green, yellow, black and white striped caterpillars. I haven't seen any returning Monarch butterflies, but they have slipped in and laid the eggs and so the cycle of life begins.
By the way, of the six black swallowtail chrysalides that overwintered in the sunroom... one emerged on a cold and rainy day, a little too early.... another emerged on time, dried and flew off. Four have not changed, but still a couple of weeks remain in their time frame. I haven't seen these butterflies around either, but I see that the fennel already has a lot of tiny eggs on it. This year I have planted more fennel behind our fence, near the preserve. I want to have a yard that is awash and a flutter with butterflies so thick you can hardly take a step without seeing one. Sigh. Perhaps.
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Nature's Notes
11 comments:
That is so cool. I planted milkweed here but on the west coast we don't have much hope of any monarchs.
I think you will have the yard you want, you have done everything right! Hope you are having lots of fun with your brother!
I know you are enjoying your brother's visit! I have seen caterpillars too.
I remember how gorgeous your photos were of these guys last year, can't wait for more. our butterflies are here already, spotted 5 different species so far and the mama gulf friterary is laying her eggs on the passion plant. glad your brother is there, and you got another gorgeous red tree
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Your photo creates a lot of mystery. Having just seen an old movie version of Alice Through the Looking Glass, I keep thinking of the Catepillar.
He took a couple of big bites out of that plant.
Enjoy your time with your brother. http://looseleafnotes.com
thanks for your prayers, I have known him and his wife since I was 15 which makes it 50 plus years. The tulips were sitting in the perfect spot. someone sat the pot of them on the table in the atrium hall and the sun was shining on the like a glash light
That's wonderful. I need to have some milkweek growing in my yard.
Oh what a wonderful surprise...we don't even have any milkweed here yet. I have only seen a few cabbage whites around and it has been so cold an rainy...Michelle
when I researched Gulf Fritillary last year, it said it is rare for them to go north of San Francisco, but they do occasionally. they might come to your passion plant if they are up there. it is the host plant for them, but I have seen the Red Admiral and the Swallowtail hovering over it. the passion vine grows with a passion and I think that is where it got its name. we have battled it for years, planted it on a fence about 20 years ago and it comes up all over the yard, it runs under ground. you did good to put it far away. also once we saw a humming bird on it. all the butterflies like the flower, it stinks really bad, that beautiful purple flower.
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