Ash has gotten to me lately. I'm on Singulair and Loratidine. I like to go outside and watch the butterflies and bees on the plum tree these days! Mainly Red Admirals here now, but a few Juniper Hairstreaks also.

I was just telling my parents tonight how I'm keeping an eye on the Pellitory for when the Red Admirals show up. Mom has some pansies she wants to plant and she was like, "Can I put them in your raised beds?" So I had to inform her that: 1) I have Wooly Pipevine in there that's dormant but will be awakening soon, 2) There is Pellitory in there that I will be using for Red Admirals. So I was basically like, "Find your own garden!" Mind you, I live in my parents' house so it's technically all their garden. I'm pretty sure I have squatter's right by this point, though.

mellielong said:My dad is a woodturner and he wears a dust mask when he turns. He bought me one for when I garden. It's rated to filter out anything above 1 micron. I went to the doctor today and she's trying me on Advair. I took it years ago, but I guess I'll try it again!

Melanie, could you link to the dust mask please?

Ann, here's the link: http://www.dustbeegone.com/dus...

It says it's good to 3 microns but my Dad talked to her and if you wet it, it's good to 1 micron. But she can't advertise that because they didn't do official testing on it like that. The lady who invented it runs a saw mill but Dad is telling me she used to run a t-shirt screening business. She used her t-shirt fabric skills and connections to create the mask. Dad works with this lady a lot and he says she personally fitted him for his mask. They all use them and he's had his for at least four years.

Thank you Melanie!

Monarchs are on their way! Some of the sightings are in the greater San Antonio area, so I really need to get out and look around!
https://www.learner.org/jnorth...
And I put a couple links under the articles section, good news!

I saw a Duskywing yesterday, but I didn't get a photo. At first, it looked larger and I was hoping Red Admiral or Painted Lady. But I'm always happy to see a Duskywing. If you have Spanish Needles, you will have Duskywings. They're an almost year-round butterfly for me, depending on the weather. I hadn't seen one in a while so it was a good sighting.

This morning, those same Spanish Needles attracted this Skipper. Fiery or Whirlabout - just when I think I've got it right, BAMONA tells me I'm wrong. I'm just happy to have butterflies.



Dad is out helping my brother change the whole headlight thingie on his car (I mean, the whole corner piece) and I went outside to see if they would be in soon because Mom wants to order pizza. I got bored with car stuff, so I walked around to check out my host plants. It's too cold and getting dark out there for butterflies. I checked the Senna ligustrina since I've been finding Orange-Barred Sulphurs and I found one! This little guy is going to MOSI because for some reason, the Sulphurs are flying around there, but I can't find their caterpillars. Also, I'm feeling generous.



And I checked the well since it is a known hub of activity. I found two bagworms, one much larger than the other. You can see the head sticking out of the larger one.

I knew this wasn't going to be far off! First swallowtail sighting of 2016! Pipevine Swallowtail, all over my Carolina Jessamine!

Yippee, Linda. I'm still seeing a Sulphur here and there. I usually get tons of BSTs when they arrive. I have gobs of huge fennel, green and bronze, Parsley and Rue, which the Giants use as well.

I may go ahead and winter sow the Tropical milkweed this week. Won't be too much longer before the A. incarnata is up. Need to check the milkweed map at Journey North. All indications point to a good Monarch year....finally!

Got out today and cleaned up the Tomato/pepper bed and put down some more compost. The Tahoka Daisies are up, as well as a bunch of herbs I sowed. Herbs are good - butterflies love them. I bought a Mexican Plum last year and it is breaking bud. May be a few years before it sets blooms. Its always a bit tricky for it in Oklahoma, whether frost will nip them. But, its also a host for Tigers.

I wish the Boehmeria cylindrica (false nettle) would break dormancy earlier, but it is always late here.

Last year, when the large Privet bloomed (I know, obnoxious thug), the Red Admirals were all over it! I've never seen so many in one spot.

We had lots of Sleepy Oranges, too. My GD and I raised several on Senna bicapsularis, which reseeds like crazy. Its not hardy in Oklahoma. I used to have a lot of Partridge Pea, and it reseeded very nicely. Last year, I had none whatsoever show back up. No clue why.

We have tons of wild grapevines and hopefully we'll get several species of sphinx. We did get pink-spotted Hawk Moths and Tobacco Horn worms last year, but only one lonely little Virginia Creeper sphinx. My Goldflame honeysuckle may attract some Snowberry Clearwings, don't know yet.

I have Aristolochia clemetitus, quite a substantial patch, but I've only seen Pipevines one time in 10 years. I'm a tiny bit West of their normal range.

Here's hoping for a great butterfly year!

Susan

I just wanted to correct myself. I did see one of the tiger swallowtails a little while back, flying over my area. But I'd forgotten...I only saw it at a distance, so it didn't stick in my mind. So I guess that is the second swallowtail I've seen in 2016!

Dang, Linda! I'm super jealous! We cooled down a bit here and I'm not sure when I'll see a Swallowtail. We had Polydamas late into January and then I saw that one Black ST in Orlando Wetlands Park. But that's not really "normal". This has been such a weird year.

No MOSI pictures today because I'm sick and I couldn't go. Dad made me tea and breakfast and then I slept all day. I felt a little better after my nap. Now, Mom and I are going to watch the Oscars!

I got a brief sighting of a Zebra Swallowtail today. I did one of those double takes you know?

I've never seen a Zebra Swallowtail in person. But, I'm grow Pawpaw, well I started seeds two years ago and I have two stems about five or six inches tall... it might be awhile. What an exciting thought!

The Zebra Swallowtail is my favorite butterfly! I find that they usually don't stray too far from their host plants, though. I have to go hiking to see them. But that's just a good incentive to get out there and go hiking! So are my new Timberland boots I bought myself for Christmas.

I have declared it March! So let's continue here and hopefully traffic will be picking up soon for everyone: The thread "March 2016 Butterflies, Moths & Larva" in Gardening for Butterflies, Birds and Bees forum

We should all March right over.

Yes, follow the leader...and the butterflies!

Can I twirl my baton? Oh, please, please, please!

My Asclepias incarnata popped their little cotyledons up today. Yippee! See you in the March thread.....

Susan

You can be the drum major Susan.