July 10 - what is blooming and drawing interest in your garden

8 years ago

Very little butterfly activity so far in my garden this year. Haven't seen one Monarch nor have I found any eggs. No Pipevine eggs nor sighting, no Black or Giant Swallowtail sighting or eggs. An American Lady or two and the one time visit of the Zebra Swallowtail and that's been it for butterfly sightings.

On the other hand, no milkweed insects to speak of so for the first time with my butterfly garden, the plants are looking good this far into the season. I'm usually looking for and slaying bugs galore by this time each year. I wonder if our uncommon long, cold winter killed off the eggs of these insects?

My biggest draw is the Verbena bonariensis. Bee's, the occasional American Lady and even the little hummingbirds feed from the small bloom heads. The blooms are always busy with something feeding from them. Butterfly bush comes in second right now. ~Mary

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KC Clark - Zone 2012-6a OH

8 years ago

This guy showed up yesterday and enjoyed my Sullivant's and swamp.

My buttonbushes have been popular with red admirals and unidentified small butterflies.

I have not seen any GSTs but I'm currently raising my second batch of the year.

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Comments (23)

kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
8 years ago
I am just north of Houston and I've seen so many butterflies...I have raised and released Monarchs and Gulf Frittilary butterflies. I have 4 GST chrysalides and have numerous caterpillars of the GF and Monarch type. I planted a butterfly and hummingbird garden and have seen lots of the previously mentioned as well as some skippers and blues. YAY!!

The passionvine is drawing in Gulf Fritillaries, the Tropical Milkweed has loads of Monarch eggs, and GST have laid eggs on the Naval orange and I expect more a little later this summer.
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docmom_gw
8 years ago
Mary, you aren't alone. I've got every host and nectar plant I can think of, but no activity. I have seen more bumble bees and honey bees, but not butterflies. I was grateful to have an opportunity to raise a batch of Monarchs last summer and said my goodbyes, in case I never have such a chance again. I was hoping to switch over to BST, but my parsley, fennel and rue have been bare. I'm very glad others are having productive seasons. Don't hesitate to share photos of the fun--thanks KC.

Martha
MissSherry
8 years ago
There aren't many butterflies in my garden presently - so far, this has been a slow butterfly year altogether. Milkweed, butterfly bush, lantana, pentas, stoke's asters, passionvines, Mexican sunflowers, four o'clocks, Salvia guaranitica, and S. amistad are all blooming now.

I see Verbena bonariensis blooming on roadsides here, Mary, and butterflies are usually on it. The other day I saw a variegated fritillary that wouldn't leave it alone. So, that's going to have to be the next plant for my roadside!

I've released one pipevine swallowtail today, and another is in the cage, waiting. I released a red-spotted purple today and one yesterday - I'm raising a LOT of RSPs, both on wild black cherry and willow. I think I've finally learned how to raise caterpillars on willow, without the willow going bad quickly. There are some very small, unusual looking cats on the willow I'm getting my leaves from. I may take a picture of them and see if somebody here can ID them. Willow hosts a lot of different types of caterpillars.

I also brought in a tiny red admiral and a couple of sleepy oranges to raise. I'm SO hoping the RA hasn't been parasitized!

Sherry
Liz
8 years ago

I had a very good year with red admirals. Released two and I am leaving the rest to fend for themselves on the nettles. There are probably 10 nests out there and the female is visiting every day.

i've seen one tattered question mark, one azure, one tiger swallowtail yesterday missing half a wing, and a couple of clouded sulphurs. Of course, there are always a million cabbage whites. I currently have two monarch chrysalides and I was thrilled today to see a female egg laying on my swamp milkweed. I went out and brought in five leaves with eggs. I will definitely not bring in everything I see, if she comes back. I don't have the energy or enough plants to feed a crowd. but I like to do my bit.

The action in terms of bees has been pretty lively. The agastache is constantly buzzing, and my new favorite plant is Cimicifuga racemosa in the photos. What a gem it is! Beautiful leaves, beautiful candlestick flowers, and a honeybee magnet like nothing else in my yard. It's growing in indirect light in a nice rich organic soil. I love it!
MissSherry
8 years ago
Oh, wow! I LOVE that plant! Cimicifuga racemosa is one I'll have to look up for next year's garden.

I forgot to mention some plants that were blooming - bee balm, Brazilian petunia, ironweed, and coneflowers.

I went out to the garden a little while ago (what prompted my memory about the other flowers) and found a last instar cloudless sulphur cat eating the partridge peas. I haven't even noticed any eggs or small caterpillars so far, so this beauty is a surprise. I hope it's not parasitized. I brought it in to make its chrysalis in a cage, where the chrysalis will be protected, although it may eat some more first. If a wasp comes out, I can squish it. I also found some early instar caterpillars. The partridge peas aren't blooming yet, but I did find a few buds.

Sherry
susanlynne48 (OKC7a)
8 years ago
Just starting to see more butterflies here. I think the torrential rains we had April thru June delayed the progression North. I have had lots of Black Swallowtails, American and a painted ladies. Saw my first Gulf Frit yesterday. My passion vine died out, tho.

Lots of Question Marks and Red Admirals. Saw my first Common Wood Nymph ever - what a beauty! I have baby Sootywings on the Chenopodium that I'll probably bring in tomorrow, and rescued my first of the season Manduca sexta today.

So it hasn't been a bad year here. No Monarchs or Giants, sigh...

Susan
Tom
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
It's been the best year ever for me in Central Florida. We haven't had a hard freeze in three years, I believe. This means that all of my semi-tropical plants are doing very well--especially the Hamelia Patens. They are exploding, and along with them come the many Zebra Longwings. Also the cassias keep growing and attracting sulfurs. Same for the passionvines, which bring the Fritillaries along with the Zebras.

I see Pipevines every day and perhaps an equal number of Giant Swallowtails. The Polydamas have returned in large numbers also. Lots of skippers.

On the other hand I am seeing few Monarchs now. They were abundant a month or so ago, but now I might see one a day. Their cats ate virtually all my milkweed. Hopefully I will be seeing adults soon.

Still don't see many tigers. Maybe once a week if I'm outside a lot. I never see Zebra Swallowtails or Red Spotted Purples in my yard. I do see a Spicebush every once and a while and some Palamedes a little more often.

I see some Black Swallowtails, but almost all of their cats seem to get eaten by wasps. I finally resorted to bringing in ten cats. I'm feeding them fennel every day. Hopefully they will be alright.
Duane
8 years ago

Lots of skippers, various dusky wings, American Painted Ladies, a few tiger swallowtails and spicebush swallowtails. I've got tons of milkweed, haven't seen a monarch yet. Gulf Frit left some eggs on my passion vine. Waiting for black swallowtails and pipevine swallowtails to find my pipevines and fennel. 7b - NE Atlanta...
Jeremy Millrood
8 years ago
we have milkweed, penta, verbena, lantana, firecracker shrub and a few others..everything came back this year even with the freeze over the winter..

there are still a ton of leaves on the milkweed, which I'm sure is due to the fact that we haven't had nearly as many monarchs, but I see at least a couple every day.

Monarchs and caterpillars.

I also saw this red spotted purple (not the greatest picture) and a zebra longwing or two.
Mary Leek
Original Author
8 years ago
I'm finally seeing a few butterflies (do you think it was my complaining? :-)). Watched a Cloudless Yellow Sulfur laying eggs on the Senna marilandica.

Also observed a lovely Tiger mosey through and a black butterfly testing leaves. I still don't see any eggs on the Pipevine so it might have been a Spicebush; it was too far away to tell. Maybe the butterfly season is just late here. It is running close to 100 degrees daily now and so hot out, I'm having to water every day so I'm outside more trying to keep things perked up. Maybe they were here earlier and I just never saw them.

Come on, mama Monarch, as I have lots of healthy green milkweed leaves for your babies! :-) They don't usually look this good this late in the season.

... these Blanket flowers I grow just for my own pleasure (they relish the heat). ... Mary
MissSherry
8 years ago
Beautiful pictures of some beautiful plants, Mary!

Sherry
susanlynne48 (OKC7a)
8 years ago
Which cultivar of Gaillardia is that, Mary? So gorgeous! Do they attract any beneficial?

Susan
Mary Leek
Original Author
8 years ago
Susan, it is Gallo Fire, a rather short, stocky version of Gaillardia, which holds up well in my area with our heavy summer downpours. Blooms right on thru fall, especially if dead headed. Provides a pretty, bright, garden flower during the heat of summer and just brings a smile to my face every time I look at it. Many types of bees feed on blanket flower here. Can't say I've seen butterflies on it but then, I've not seen many butterflies this year on anything. :-) Plant description also see .... Gallo Fire at Santa Rosa Gardens
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
8 years ago
Mary, do those blanket flowers set seed??
Mary Leek
Original Author
8 years ago
It says in the plant description that this plant can be propagated by division and that it is a particular variety called a interspecific hybrid.

This is my first year growing this particular variety. My guess is any seed produced would, if viable, revert to a more common blanket flower. In the past, I've grown the variety, Goblin, and because I deadhead regularly, I don't even know if that variety produced seed. Being away from home all last season, I lost all of my blanket flowers so am starting fresh this year with this one. It is even stockier than Goblin so I think will be very good for my area.

Mary
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
8 years ago
I'll look for it. It's very pretty. I have a new huge flower bed that I'm working to fill!!
Liz
8 years ago
I planted a lovely Gaillardia last week called Arizona Apricot. No red, just yellow shading to peach at the center. Very nice, and a little more subtle than the usual.
Liz
socks
8 years ago
Seen this morning:

And later after it warmed up.

I tried to ID and think it's a Gulf Fritillary. Probably old stuff to all you experienced butterfly watchers, but new to me! I've never paid much attention to butterflies except to do the painted lady caterpillar project with first graders.
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
8 years ago
It's a beautiful Gulf Fritillary! CONGRATS!
Mary Leek
Original Author
8 years ago
I think the Gulf Fritillary butterflies are some of the most beautiful. When they flit about, the silver on their underwings sparkle like diamonds. Great catch!

Mary
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
8 years ago

This is the first Gulf Fritillary I raised and released a couple of weeks ago!
docmom_gw
8 years ago
I was at my sister's house yesterday and was reminded of this thread when I saw her Cimifuga racemosa, so thought I'd share. She says it has been growing there for about ten years. There are several volunteer plants around the base that I might take off of her hands.