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
