Monday, June 10, 2013

So THIS Is Why It Is Called Butterfly Weed!


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The butterflies FLOCK to this butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberosa! After watching about two dozen butterflies of all different types dance around some wild butterfly weed growing--conveniently enough--in one of my new gardens on the land I get it!
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Butterflies LOVE this butterfly weed. We also have the common butterfly weed and I grow the swamp milkweed in my current garden but none of those butterfly weeds sees as much action as these clumps out in the wild.
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Just look at them all! Swallowtails (Zebra, Yellow, Black), and frittilaries love this butterfly weed.
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All types of butterflies played quite well together. They did not have to jockey for position as these four clumps of butterfly weed get so much sun they are quite full and ready for butterflies to land on it.
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Frittilaries kind of blend in with the colors of the butterfly weed. They were most in abundance.
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I did not film these guys dancing around the butterfly weed but I tell you it was magical. If you'd like to see a film of them dancing check Skeeter's post found here.

I leave you with this picture of all the butterflies I could photograph at one time. There are at least one dozen butterflies pictured. Can you find them all?

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And lastly here I am just on the other side of the butterfly weed--driving my husband's tractor. What fun--there's nothing better than a garden full of butterflies and a tractor....

in the garden....
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

11 comments:

  1. Nothing better for animals than the natural food source. We as gardeners may like the hybrids best but the butterflies certainly know what is best for them. Wonderful photos of natures flying jewels. Love the photo of you having fun tooting around on the tractor. I can see that chores will be a little easier with this tractor.

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  2. Love that orange butterfly weed! I have no idea if mine is attracting butterflies or not as it will not stop raining long enough for me to be able to sit in the Semi-Formal Garden. I have two patches of it now and it is about time for me to transplant a bit closer to the house for me to enjoy out the windows on those rainy days...Great Pic of Farmer Tina on the tractor! Love it.... Hey, I found my first Seed Tick on me yesterday. could not help but think of you and the land with a smile :-)

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  3. That's fantastic! What a treasure trove of nature you and Roger have discovered! The lucky critters to have you as their steward. gail

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  4. Butterfly Weed in bud... waiting patiently for the butterflies. We rarely get any butterflies here so when we do, it's a big deal. Love the tractor. :)

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  5. How beautiful!! I need some of those butterflies!!

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  6. Hi Tina...what wonderful pictures. I love Butterfly Weed! Mine is just starting to bloom...come on butterflies!!!

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  7. I so agree, nothing better than all those butterflies and a country tractor ride. I just planted three butterfly weed plants and hope they attract the flyers. The wild butterfly weed at the Niagara Gorge, I never see the butterflies on it. Strange too. Love your photos. The butterflies were too busy to be scared away.

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  8. Very nice multiple butterfly shots... I'm not getting good multiples yet... Give me a week or two...
    You still need to plant some yellow butterfly weeds... And... I wonder where to get seed for the red asclepias tuberosa...

    Are those plants naturals? (there when you got there) Are you propagating?

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  9. Awesome on the butterflies.
    Look at you go on the tractor.

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  10. Beautiful photos of the butterflies! And lucky you to have all that Butterfly weed already on your new property. It's slow to get established, so this must have been growing quite awhile.

    You look good on a tractor, Tina!

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  11. How lucky to have all those different butterflies on that beautiful flower.

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