I'm up to five butterfly species in my garden in the past month. Most obviously they like the native Butterfly weed but also various other plants. Echinacea appears to be another favorite. Now if I can get more photos.
So far the Japanese Beetle Trap is working fabulously. A few remain on the foliage but by and large I have trapped the bulk of my yard's population with about 100-125 currently in the trap. Yeah!
Cynthia, I like your blog alot; fantastic interest in nature, combined with your ironic sense of humor is a nice combo. Do you have any other kinds of milkweed? I have some Asclepias syriaca, Common Milkweed, which has a really nice, but heavy scent, and of course, is loved by Monarchs and others. I also have some Asclepias purpurascens, Purple Milkweed, which has little or no scent, but the flowers are a much darker reddish purple than Common Milkweed. Very pretty. Common Milkweed runs like crazy, but can be easily pulled, but Purple seems fairly self-contained. And Butterfly Weed is really tidy, and so beautiful. Butterflies also like Verbena stricta, Hoary Vervain, and its cousin Verbena hastata, Blue Vervain. Stricta likes drier sites and hastata works better with more moisture. I love your insect photos too. You must have a decent camera, or are probably more patient than I; I seem to be unable to catch anything while it's still. Thanks !
ReplyDeletePICTURES PLEASE!!!
ReplyDeleteI have something eating holes in all my plants...i had to resort to bug b gone...
any suggestions...these bugs really kill the plants quickly.
they seem to love the flowers most