On the Road with the Birds | Natures Details: Butterflies and Milkweed
We’re visiting @mountainjewel!
Each time we visit my daughter and her partner, @mountainjewel we are filled with awe by the wildlife and fauna. Over the past three years they have worked diligently to sculpt and create a beautiful homestead. I know I may be a bit biased but over the next few posts I’ll share a brief glimpse into their fruit, flowers and future home! I think you’ll agree! Today however, I want to share a personal favorite!
Butterflies and Milkweed
The first thing I love to do when we arrive (after the normal hugs and kisses, lol) is to grab my camera and stroll around the property with my daughter. I’m always surprised and amazed to see the volume of butterflies living on their land. I would love to share with you!
Meet the Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly!
Isn’t it beautiful? The best part? I can get so close to these guys! I swear they’re posing for me! This butterfly loves the Paw Paw tree and its fruit. Paw Paw trees are grown all over the homestead. The White Swallowtail is native to mid-and eastern United States and Canada. Notice those long tails and zebra-like stripes! Simply beautiful!
They love the flowers, especially the Milkweed! The Milkweed flower, Asclepias syriaca ois a butterfly magnet. The caterpillar will lay its eggs on the leaves of the plant and as the eggs hatch they eat the leaves of the milkweed plant for nourishment. The adults will feed on nectar or minerals from damp earth. Did you know this plant is the most important food source for the esteemed Monarch butterfly?
Nature's intricate detail never ceases to amaze me
As we looked further, we spied yet another!
The Fritillary Butterfly!
I was able to capture photos 3” away from this little fellow. Obviously no fears or worries about me!
And another…
There are many species of the Fritillary Butterfly. I tried to research about this Fritillary but I was unable to confidently pinpoint which species we have. Evidently there are many butterflies in these diverse genera. The term Fritillary refers to the checkerboard markings on the wings. If you are an expert in this area I would love to hear what species we have!
The milkweed is popular, sometimes worth fighting over. Even for this little guy, battle weary but still hungry!
You can see why I love this! Butterflies! One of our valuable pollinators! Not only are they beautiful, they provide a useful service to keep our flowers, fruits, vegetables and trees healthy! Oh, by the way there is still one butterfly I haven’t captured this week, I hope to before I leave. Of course I’ll be sure to share. Thanks for stopping by! Have a fabulous weekend!
And as always, blessings to you all!
Wow just Beautiful!! That first butterfly, the zebra, is absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for sharing these photos with us! I had no idea that @mountainjewel was your daughter! I learn a lot from her posts in the @naturalmedicine group! They have built such a beautiful homestead. Awesome! 😃😎
Thank you @crosheille! Yes, she is my daughter and she has taught me much as well! Their homestead is growing each day. We were helping them build their home! Hard work for sure. It was so much fun to wander around her land and see all of the beautiful butterflies and flowers, not to mention the food! Love the zebra butterfly, they really enjoyed having their pictures taken, lol
Wow this is so awesome! I love the bond you all have. How wonderful to be building a home together. I can see from the pictures how beautiful it is out there. This was so touching to read :)
I love butterflies and milkweed, too. Some places are not so friendly with growing what many states consider a noxious weed, but it's the Monarch's favorite and that's enough reason for me....
We mostly have 'West Coast' butterflys but the Monarch is common to us all.
You know, when my daughter first told me this beautiful flower was milkweed I couldn't believe it. I too always thought of milkweed as an invaisive! How wrong I am, I guess we really do need this plant to feed the monarch butterfly. Lessons learned every day! :)
What a beautiful garden your daughter has, no wonder there are so many butterflies! Lovely post and photography @birdsinparadise!
Thank you @lizelle, yes the butterflies are plentiful! Lots of flowers to keep them fed! It was fun to photograph them :) So glad you enjoyed them!
Butterflies are stunning, you are lucky they sit still for you ours tend to fly off quickly making it difficult to get up close.
Gorgeous garden attracting life found in #powerhousecreatives
I know! I think they were so busy eating they didn't notice me. At one point I was about 3" away from the Fritillary butterfly and it didn't budge, lol Truly a special spot! Thanks @joanstewart, so glad you enjoyed it!
I know, I think they were too busy eating to notice me, lol I really felt lucky to get these pictures, but the are quite plentiful, flying all of the time. There was a beautiful blue butterfly which I didn't capture, perhaps next time! Glad you enjoyed @joanstewart!
gorgeous photographs. I'm sure it's a very special place.
Thank you @owasco! Truly a beautiful space, so green and alive! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Oh my goodness!!! Absolutely marvelous photos and gorgeous butterflies my Dear! I never see any of those here. Mostly we have Monarchs and the Red Admiral. I just took photo of Admiral today and couple of weeks ago, but they are not so tame as yours. It must be the milk weed, lol and cone flowers. I know the bees and butterflies get almost like drunk from those here too, but that will be not util July. Everything is delayed here :(
I look forward to see more photos from the garden! Enjoy every minute Sweetie 🌸😍🌸
lol, yes I think it was the flowers Lena! They didn't seem to even notice me! No Monarchs here, I can't wait to see your pictures. They're simply beautiful and so elegant aren't they? It was indeed a treat! So glad you enjoyed them :)
Oh yes, those flowers are like a drug for them , lol. My please Dear Troy, I hope you are having wonderful time 🌸💖🌸
Beautiful pictures!! I hope you had a great visit with your daughter.
You mentioned the Monarch and I just heard on a show yesterday that they are close to extinction on the West Coast. Last year, the count was under 30,000 and that is the number cited too low for recovery. I hope in this case, the scientists are wrong.
I know, I knew they were in steep decline! So sad, this is why my daughter plants Milkweed. Most feel it is an invasive but with a flower like that and feeding the bees and butterflies, I would definitely plant it! Truly beautiful. If we each do our part to encourage feeding these beautiful creatures perhaps they won't become extinct :) Thank you @mariannewest, so glad to have you stop by today
Excellent images and info.
Namaste, JaiChai
Thank you @jaichai, so glad you enjoyed! :) Blessings to you as well!
They are such gorgeous creatures! It amazes me but also saddens me that such beautiful things are also so delicate and fragile. But it gives much meaning to this earth as well. As much as we need to take care while handling a butterfly, we should do the same with our planet, mother nature and all creatures.
I know, we all should do as much as we can to preserve these precious creatures. Milkweed, which some believe to be an invasive is the food they love and need. This is why my daughter planted these flowers. They're beautiful too, and the butterflies are everywhere :) Glad you enjoyed @foxyspirit :)
That's good to know! I will see about planting some myself. We need these animals, bugs and all to keep everything in balance!
Butterflies are so beautiful, I love when the Monarchs head south for their migration and fill San Antonio with their beauty.
Wow, have you actually been to San Antonio when the arrive? I have heard it is amazing. Truly a beautiful creature! What a treat!
Every day since 1966. It's a beautiful sight when they fly through. 🦋
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