I happened uponn this monarch butterfly feeding. Its too early for the 2021 migration, so this is likely a straggler from 2020. Stay tunned for more about catching, tagging, and raising Monarchs in late July thru October.
Tag Archives: butterfly gardening
How Many Caterpillars Do You See?
17 Aug
The parsley in the standing bed outside the play area is filled with feasting caterpillars. They arent Monarchs, look like swallowtails or painted ladies.
A Butterfly Is Born!
18 Jul
Welcome to the world a new Monarch butterfly. Captured from CV milkweed as a caterpillar, she emerged from her pupa (in a habitat container) in the play area this morning. I left the flap open, but she probably wont leave for another day or so; if you pass the play area, look for the habitat near the pole where the helmet hangs
What’s In Our Butterfly Garden
16 JunOver the past two years, CVEarthlab has acquired many butterfly host and nectar plants, in addition to our butterfly bushes. These include:
- Dill
- Dittany (Stone mint)
- Echinacea (purple coneflower)
- Goldenrod
- Hollow Joe-pye weed
- Milkweed (swamp)
- Smooth Aster (bluebird)
- Slender Goldentop
- Trumpet Honeysuckle
- Wild Bergamot (Bee balm)
- Yarrow
- Evening Primrose
- Coreopsis
- lavender
- Mountain mint
An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail checks out CVEarthlab.
Red Admiral
Cunila origanoides L. Britton (stonemint, frost mint, dittany)
16 JunJim Stasz @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
The common dittany, (Cunila origanoides L.), is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the mint family. The name means “like oregano” and from July to September/October, the plant shows purplish flowers. In late autumn or early winter, it can create “frost flowers” when the water pushes out of the roots and freezes in the form of tiny ice sculptures. In warmer weather, the flowers attract butterflies, skippers, bees and other insects.
Source list: USDA, NRCS. 2014. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 16 June 2014). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA; http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=j950; Plants for a Future database (http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Cunila+origanoides); The Green Farmacy Garden (http://thegreenfarmacygarden.com/page/2/) MDC Online (http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/dittany )
Solidago L. (Goldenrod)
14 Jun
Solidago, common name goldenrod, is a perennial plant that blooms with yellow flowers August through October. It can crossbreed with other plants, and today there are at least 130 species in the United States. Several butterflies eat goldenrod nectar, including Orange Sulphur, Gray Hairstreak, American Lady and Monarch.
Source list: http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=SOLID; http://butterflyprojectnyc.org/gardening/;
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/goldenrod
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