This is going to be a long post so go to the bathroom, grab a snack, a cold (or hot?) beverage, and put your feet up. My feet are killing me which means I had way too much fun today.
Let's start at the museum. Now, I know you guys are just dying to know what I look like and I don't usually like to put pictures of myself on the internet. I don't actually like my picture taken much at all. But we had this boy in the flight cage and he made this remark about butterflies landing on your nose. And I laughed and said I would be cool with that even though I secretly hate when they land on my face. Well, I guess the butterflies heard me because not five minutes after he left, a Monarch landed on my nose! My trainee took out her phone and snapped some pictures. So here's what I look like with a Monarch on my face, folks. Yes, it tickled and I felt the urge to blow my nose afterward. I wonder how the Monarch felt about the whole thing?
As you can also see, I had my field guide shirt on today. Education just by walking around! We had other educational things going on like roosting Zebra Longwings. It was cool enough this morning that they were still clumped together when we got there.
All those Orange-Barred Sulphurs I captured as caterpillars grew up! Here's a male on Ivy Geraniums.
This Gulf Frit was hanging oddly to the screen and he kicked the bucket not long after.
Not all Monarchs were attracted to my face. I wasn't even wearing strawberry lip balm or anything! Just sunscreen.
This is a Cloudless Sulphur. If you look to the right of the photo, there's an Orange-Barred Sulphur on the other geranium.
I found this caterpillar on Red Bay while searching for Spicebush cats. I'm going to have to send this one to BAMONA. I flipped through my book and can't find it.
This looks like a really worn out Long-Tailed Skipper with no tails.
We released a couple of Great Southern Whites today.
A Cassius Blue sat still AND opened its wings!
Also, I got to show my trainee how tiny some butterflies are.
This Spotted Oleander Moth wandered from the Oleander over to where I found it on the Cassia.
My trainee caught her first butterfly and it was a Red Admiral! Granted, I think we tag teamed it, but it ended up in her net.
So then I came home and I had to feed the Monarchs. They've gotten so big!
Still more Tussock Moths around.
Despite our neighbor issues, I decided to do some caterpillar hunting on my neighbor's property. I stuck to the front yard and didn't go near the house. I didn't find any caterpillars at their place, but I found some Sulphurs and a couple Long-Tailed Skippers at mine. What they did have though, was TONS of butterflies. Again folks, I cannot stress the importance of having a weedy spot. I saw way more species of butterfly in this little patch than I did in my "butterfly garden". Darnit! Here's a picture of what I was wandering in. Flowers were mostly Spanish Needles and Tassel Flower. Host plants included Virginia Pepper Grass and Cudweed.
And here are all the butterflies I saw in that patch. A Queen!
American Painted Lady. I actually saw three of these at one time.
Apparently, I found out where the Cloudless Sulphurs go to chill when they're not taunting me. Also, they love Tassel Flower.
Here's a Skipper. I'm not going to pretend I know which one.
And this Skipper, too.
Dainty Sulphur.
I thought I saw another Painted Lady, but it was a Buckeye!
And there was even a Monarch! (Not on my face this time.)
All those butterflies in that one little patch! I tell you folks, if you can let a little bit of your property grow tall enough for the weeds to bloom, do so. And it helps if they're in full sun, too. Or if you're just trying to spot more butterflies, look for an overgrown lot, park, meadow, etc.
