Author Topic: Butterfly garden (Read 9415 times)

boneaddict · « **on:** July 16, 2022, 07:58:36 AM »

Different kind of Monarchs than I usually like to post, but still fun. Photos are a bit distorted because I grabbed them off Facebook to post instead of uploading directly.

This has been a banner year for The Monarch butterfly. I think we have had at least a dozen different ones eclose at our place.

boneaddict · « **Reply #1 on:** July 16, 2022, 08:01:34 AM »

This shot took over 8 hours to get.

boneaddict · « **Reply #2 on:** July 16, 2022, 08:03:13 AM »

Here is a fresh male.

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boneaddict · « **Reply #3 on:** July 16, 2022, 08:09:03 AM »

This butterfly tends to be in the mountains. It was pretty cool to have one at our house. That day this one eclosed. The other two were old tattered warriors.

boneaddict · « **Reply #4 on:** July 16, 2022, 08:11:02 AM »

boneaddict · « **Reply #5 on:** July 16, 2022, 08:13:37 AM »

This one was cool because it was feeding on some Tropical milkweed we grew from seed in our greenhouse this spring just for this to happen.

Timberstalker · « **Reply #6 on:** July 16, 2022, 08:14:46 AM »

Awesome captures, Bone. Thanks for sharing.

JWBINX · « **Reply #7 on:** July 16, 2022, 08:16:57 AM »

Very nice bone, great photos!
Thanks

Ghost Hunter · « **Reply #8 on:** July 16, 2022, 08:26:18 AM »

Beautiful. Can you share where you get your seed. Had someone in OR shared seed with me but it didn't seem to take. Looking for anything I can plant for butterflies and hummingbirds in eastern WA.

Dan-o · « **Reply #9 on:** July 16, 2022, 08:35:09 AM »

Super cool.
Thanks for sharing.

boneaddict · « **Reply #10 on:** July 16, 2022, 08:46:07 AM »

Thank you!

The tropical seed I harvested off of plants I bought at Lowe’s about 3 years ago(Lowe’s hasn’t had them since). I overwintered them in the house as a house plant. I collected the seed pods after they dried right as they were popping. You can get them on eBay usually.

The swamp milkweed which is hardy (zone 5 at least), I bought several plants last year from The local true value this last spring and again harvested the seed. You can also find those fairly readily on eBay.

The showy milkweed or common milkweed, I harvested pods from plants along side the road. For such a tough plant, it took me a bit to get some established. Wait until the pods are dry and start to pop before harvesting any. Look for cotton fluff on the plants to know when it’s time. This years bloom is about 50% done, and green pods will start to form. They grow long taproots and I find growing them from seed was the most success. Remember these plants are poisionous to livestock. They won’t eat them out in the pasture, but if cut with hay, the animals will ingest them and can kill a cow.

Best nectaring plants I suppose is a butterfly bush (Buddeliea), coneflower (echinacea), phlox, bee balm, lantana, zinnias are good.

EmeraldBullet · « **Reply #11 on:** July 16, 2022, 12:30:37 PM »

Quote from: Ghost Hunter on July 16, 2022, 08:26:18 AM

Beautiful. Can you share where you get your seed. Had someone in OR shared seed with me but it didn't seem to take. Looking for anything I can plant for butterflies and hummingbirds in eastern WA.

They both like agastache (sp?) which is in the mint family and very easy to grow

Ghost Hunter · « **Reply #12 on:** July 16, 2022, 02:02:40 PM »

Sounds like the trick is to start in the greenhouse. Going to make another effort at getting the milkweed to grow. Livestock is fenced out so it's all good. I'll plant it where mowing isn't an issue. Give them something other than thistles, hounds tongue and others I'm fighting.

Alchase · « **Reply #13 on:** July 16, 2022, 03:30:09 PM »

This Swallow Tail was on my Butterfly Bush, just an iPhone photo though.

Magnum_Willys · « **Reply #14 on:** July 16, 2022, 06:24:05 PM »

Not sure what this one is but was hovering over my bullseye at 1016 yards.

boneaddict · « **Reply #15 on:** July 16, 2022, 07:32:23 PM »

I had a couple of those here a couple years ago Alchase. I sure riled up the experts that said they shouldn’t be here. They finally decided either I or a neighbor brought the caterpillars in on a crop from Lowe’s. I have a huge blow up of it in our guest bathroom.

nwwanderer · « **Reply #16 on:** July 17, 2022, 04:27:05 PM »

Thanks!!!

Alchase · « **Reply #17 on:** July 23, 2022, 04:39:49 PM »

Here are a couple from the last year in the Butter Fly House in Branson Missouri.

Alchase · « **Reply #18 on:** July 23, 2022, 04:44:14 PM »

And a couple more

Alchase · « **Reply #19 on:** July 23, 2022, 04:46:34 PM »

Last two, the last one is a moth from my house in OK.

Alchase · « **Reply #20 on:** July 23, 2022, 04:49:05 PM »

Quote from: boneaddict on July 16, 2022, 07:32:23 PM

I had a couple of those here a couple years ago Alchase. I sure riled up the experts that said they shouldn’t be here. They finally decided either I or a neighbor brought the caterpillars in on a crop from Lowe’s. I have a huge blow up of it in our guest bathroom.

They are incredible critters to photograph. Tons of detail that a good camera can pick up.

Jake Dogfish · « **Reply #21 on:** July 23, 2022, 06:30:26 PM »

Cool pics!

NOCK NOCK · « **Reply #22 on:** July 24, 2022, 03:17:55 PM »

Not Doug's quality, but still fun to shoot.

Alchase · « **Reply #23 on:** July 24, 2022, 05:49:15 PM »

boneaddict · « **Reply #24 on:** August 14, 2022, 07:41:50 AM »

We hatched out I'm guessing at least a dozen adult monarch from the Migration north. We were fortunate enough to witness a couple of them mating, and then deposit eggs on our milkweed for a final generation. We found at least 40 caterpillars scattered amongst our milkweed. Unfortunately my work schedule and high temps interfered with me getting any images of the adults. I assume many hatched and are headed south. What a successful year

Ghost Hunter · « **Reply #25 on:** August 14, 2022, 08:03:58 AM »

Quote from: boneaddict on August 14, 2022, 07:41:50 AM

We hatched out I'm guessing at least a dozen adult monarch from the Migration north. We were fortunate enough to witness a couple of them mating, and then deposit eggs on our milkweed for a final generation. We found at least 40 caterpillars scattered amongst our milkweed. Unfortunately my work schedule and high temps interfered with me getting any images of the adults. I assume many hatched and are headed south. What a successful year

That's awesome.

kellama2001 · « **Reply #26 on:** August 14, 2022, 08:06:03 AM »

Fantastic photos and very interesting backstory in getting them. As always your work is beyond impressive, thanks for sharing boneaddict!

boneaddict · « **Reply #27 on:** August 14, 2022, 08:27:55 AM »

THank you Kellama!

boneaddict · « **Reply #28 on:** September 14, 2022, 06:51:39 AM »

The Frit Migration came in about 2 weeks ago. We are fortunate to have about 100 of them at our place.

kellama2001 · « **Reply #29 on:** September 14, 2022, 07:03:18 AM »

Gorgeous!!

pianoman9701 · « **Reply #30 on:** September 14, 2022, 01:35:45 PM »

Cool pictures, Doug and others.

Alchase · « **Reply #31 on:** October 02, 2022, 01:06:43 PM »

The Monarchs are migrating through, hitting our Butterfly Bushes pretty hard. I did not get to close so I would not disturb them. They still have a long way to fly, LOL

Alchase · « **Reply #32 on:** October 02, 2022, 01:07:18 PM »

Alchase · « **Reply #33 on:** October 02, 2022, 01:07:53 PM »

Alchase · « **Reply #34 on:** October 02, 2022, 01:08:28 PM »

Alchase · « **Reply #35 on:** October 02, 2022, 01:09:12 PM »

Alchase · « **Reply #36 on:** October 02, 2022, 01:09:59 PM »

again

Alchase · « **Reply #37 on:** October 02, 2022, 01:11:21 PM »

last one I promise

pianoman9701 · « **Reply #38 on:** October 02, 2022, 02:48:44 PM »

Thanks for sharing, alchase and bone.

nwwanderer · « **Reply #39 on:** October 03, 2022, 04:11:47 AM »

Do not give up now, you are on a roll. Sun will be up soon, thanks

boneaddict · « **Reply #40 on:** October 03, 2022, 08:30:15 PM »

Thats cool Alchase. Mine disappeared about the end of August first of September. We had a sizeable Frit migration come in and now I have hundreds of yellow sulfurs. I caught a nice red admiral yesterday

Alchase · « **Reply #41 on:** October 04, 2022, 05:59:16 PM »

Quote from: boneaddict on October 03, 2022, 08:30:15 PM

Thats cool Alchase. Mine disappeared about the end of August first of September. We had a sizeable Frit migration come in and now I have hundreds of yellow sulfurs. I caught a nice red admiral yesterday

I still had a ton of Monarch today, they should be coming through for another week. Read a story form one of the butterfly experts today. He said "for everyone you see today in Oklahoma, there was 2000 10 years ago."

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Author Topic: Butterfly garden (Read 9415 times)

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