A BUTTERFLY VISIT

A BUTTERFLY VISIT

August 18, 2012

 

This afternoon I was in the house, cleaning.   Dennis was in the kitchen and he summoned me, “Can you come here?”  I thought he probably needed help finding the stove again, you know how men can be sometimes………they just need a little assistance.  He surprised me.  He was in front of the stove.  He found it just fine.

He was watching a beautiful yellow and black butterfly outside the kitchen window above the sink.  (He found the sink too…..)  I’m kidding, he really is the cook in this house and he can make the best Italian beef in this world.  

He said I might want to grab the camera and take a picture of it for the blog.  Oh!  Sometimes he is way ahead of me and today was it.  I was so interested in the butterfly that I was not thinking of anything.  It danced between the plumes on the purple butterfly bush and was soon joined by a bee.  I tried to get a picture of the bee but it was shy and flew over to the hosta and crawled inside a white hosta bloom.

I thought a movie might be more fun for you to watch than just a picture of the fluttering creature.  Check this out:

              Madame Butterfly Movie

 

This was a special moment today.  The air was fresh and cool.  The birds were very chatty too.  The pond waterfall could be heard in the background.  I really have to thank D. for calling me quickly to the window today.  

We have visited the Butterfly Garden in St. Louis, MO.  It is a wonderful glass house where they fly around free.  They land on your head, your nose, and your shoulders, as you stroll in their garden.  I highly recommend a visit.  As you leave, the staff checks to make sure there are no hitchhikers on you as you go through the doors.  www.missouribotanicalgarden.org

With the common use of pesticides destroying our natural habitat, the Monarch is in danger.  They actually need four varieties of milk weed plants for their larva to feed.  I feel it is very important that we all try to do something to help nature when there is a need.  This summer, I began to create my own butterfly garden.  I have read some helpful articles in the gardening magazines as well as the internet about butterfly weigh stations.  These are small gardens planted with specific plants, in the sun, for traveling butterflies to feed and hatch.  There is an internet website dedicated to helping the monarch and it explains how to plan your own butterfly weigh station.  I hope you will visit.  It explains the plight of these beautiful creatures:  www.monarchwatch.org

 

Our yard is planted with many butterfly friendly species scattered here and there.

Our butterfly weigh station is in its infancy.  We have a coneflower, butterfly bush, and two rows of milkweed started from seed.  I have seen mature milkweed plants for sale at our local nursery.  One plant is around $15.00, so I am going to devote more time to growing the milkweed and try to be patient.  I have noticed a few wild milkweed nearby in the pasture and I let them grow this summer.  In the spring I will add a few more items to the garden.  I am definitely inspired after today.  I don’t know what variety this pretty, yellow friend is, but I am so glad I had the opportunity to watch it today.  Happy fluttering.