Youngest daughter gave me this cool bird feeder for Mother's Day. If any bird or critter heavier than a Cardinal lands on one of the perches the outer part slides down closing off the feeding holes. Really works too, now I have it filled with black oil sunflower seeds and the smaller birds have a feast. Today the Gulf Fritillary whose chrysalis has been hanging from one of the perches finally hatched so I can fill the feeder again. This one changes it's hanging direction frequently. One day it's hanging straight down, the next sticking out from the perch and then there is this direction. Chrysalis on the move ( photo / image / picture from toni's Garden ) Found it hatched out and drying off this morning. New Gulf Fritillary this morning 7-04 ( photo / image / picture from toni's Garden ) Chrysalis after the newest addition to my garden flew off to find nectar and probably lay more eggs. After the Fritillary flew off ( photo / image / picture from toni's Garden ) Different view ( photo / image / picture from toni's Garden ) Now there are 4 Gulf Fritillary butterflies flitting around the garden feeding and laying eggs. I want more, more, more. I have 7 Passionflower vines all starts from the original two so the front and back gardens ought to be filled with the orange beauties all summer long.
That's super Toni! I have still only seen a few Frits around. One was laying eggs on the Passion Flower vine the other day. So... there's hope that I'll have some later on.
Because of the mild winter we had, I saw my first Fritillary in the garden back in February. Other than Petunias I had bought and the Dianthus that had bloomed all winter there wasn't much for her/him to sip on, not sure what happened to it. Being a loner there wasn't another one to mate with so no eggs were laid that early and the Passionflower Vine had not broken dormancy that early so there was nothing for the caterpillars to eat anyway.
Really interesting and different looking from the Monarchs...thanks for posting it. Great pictures too...
I don't know how I missed your post Toni but I'm green with envy. I've seen very few butterflies of any type here in Scotland this year. The dreadful spring we had seems to have affected them badly. I'm so pleased that you have some of those lovely Gulf Fritillaries around and let's hope many more follow to lay their eggs on your plants.
The butterflies have been very sparse around here too this year. I have seen a few more caterpillars over the last week or two. So hopefully they'll be some around in early to mid Fall. I miss them. :'(
I missed this post somehow Toni. I always love following the adventure of the butterflies in your garden.