First Butterflies Summer 2008

I saw a Black Swallowtail butterfly about a month ago. Last week I saw a Monarch and what was probably an Eastern Black Swallowtail at Ridley Creek State Park, where we were biking. Today I used Ricardo's ineffective camera to attempt snatching an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail who was nectaring on Verbena Bonariensis (the tall, lanky purple one) and Pink Milkweed (asclepias incarnata). I thought he might be a Canadian Tiger Swallowtail but the book says it has a thick black outline around the furry body, whereas the Eastern tiger has a thinner line. My E.Tiger was so pale, tattered and had hardly any blue patches, due to wear and tear.

Something has been eating the Spicebush (Lindera Benzoin) that I planted out front. If the Spicebush Swallowtails could just find it, we could have a decent hatchery. Only problem is, it doesn't grow too fast where I put it; it's a little shady there and surrounded by this towering Veronicastrum Virginicum that needs to be divided.

I grew the Verbena Bonariensis from Hardy Plant Society Seed two years ago and one of them survived the winter, many others are popping up all over, even in my pots in the backyard which gets minimal sun. This is a good butterfly nectar plant as is pink milkweed. Today's E. Tiger Swallowtail ignored the butterfly bush and nectared on the Verbena and the Milkweed.