Pictures from our garden.

[RiffRandell]

Here's a butterfly (I think it's an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail) on our lantana and a bumble on our butterfly bush. Most of our plants and shrubs attract bird/bees/butterflies....lantana, 2 butterfly bushes, lavender, bee balm, rose creek abelia and salvia.

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[In_The_Wind]

1. Great photos!

[RiffRandell]

2. Thanks!

We've been getting several different kinds of butterflies. I'm looking up some pictures now to identify them.

[Scuba]

3. Nice shots, thanks for posting.

Don't forget milkweed!

http://www.monarch-butterfly.com/monarch-conservation.html

Monarch butterflies only lay their eggs on milkweed, and caterpillars only eat milkweed.

[RiffRandell]

4. Thanks!

After doing some research, I think the butterfly is an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and not a monarch. Tell me what you think; I'm going to edit my post. Here's a link:

http://www.gardenswithwings.com/butterfly/Eastern%20Tiger%20Swallowtail/index.html

I forgot about milkweed. Do you think it's too late in the season to plant? We have about 4 huge lantana plants that are a variety of colors....my pink one didn't bloom this year as it's not getting enough sun but I'm going to wait until spring to move it.

[Scuba]

5. Probably too late unless you are in the South. Way too late here in Wisconsin.

I'm no expert on butterflies, but have a little knowledge about what brings them around! Milkweed is essential for Monarchs.

[csziggy]

11. You could plant milkweed now - it may not bloom until next year

But since the final generation of monarch butterflies lay eggs on the milkweed plants in the late winter and early spring, having the plants in place will give the caterpillars from those eggs what they need to eat.

Monarch produce four generations a year - the final one overwinters to migrate and lay eggs to start the new year: http://www.monarch-butterfly.com/

[livetohike]

6. Beautiful! Great photography

and thanks for posting these .

[RiffRandell]

8. Thanks!

They were taken with my new phone---Samsung Galaxy S4. I'm really happy with how they came out!

[livetohike]

10. I finally got an iPhone4 two months ago and think the camera is better than my digital camera

Yours takes great shots .

[bigwillq]

7. Nice pics!

[RiffRandell]

9. Thanks!

I love my garden!

[csziggy]

12. I love the lantanas for how they attract butterflies and hummingbirds!

We've been seeing Tiger Swallowtails (both the yellow and the black phases), Zebra Swallowtails, Zebra Longwings, and Gulf Fritillaries as well as ones that are smaller and harder to ID. I even saw a Giant Swallowtail the other day - huge and impressive!

I should get some pics, but I'd have to leave the camera outside. As hot and humid as it is, the camera fogs up and I'm worried about condensation affecting the electronics.

The one thing that disappoints me about the hybrid lantana I planted is that they don't develop berries. But that means they don't get spread and lantana can be very invasive around here.

[RiffRandell]

13. I've been seeing the black ones too.

2 of my lantana didn't bloom this year...I think a "bad" bug is getting it. I don't use any chemicals on my plants so I'm going to look at them more today and I usually contact the extension center at UGA with questions. They are super about helping me.

[csziggy]

14. Here we have more than one kind of black swallowtail

Not just the black phase female Eastern Tiger Swallowtails. There are:

Spicebush Swallowtails:


Black Swallowtails:
Male


Female:



I have a row of lantana - one end is doing great, the other end looks really peaked. Before it started raining every day, I thought the peaked ones were in soil that drained faster so I watered them more often. No difference, even with all the rain we've had. My new theory is that they are planted too close to the volunteer willow tree since willows can "steal" moisture and nutrients, but maybe it's something else. I've never heard of lantana having pests, but with so many new things being introduced, maybe something has learned to like lantanas.

My sickly lantanas have curled leaves and are just not flourishing, while the others have open, normal leaves and are growing nicely. All my lantana are Bandana Lantana hybrids, if that makes a difference. I'm in North Florida so our climate can't be that different in the summer, if you're in Georgia. Let me know if you learn anything from UGA.

[Bertha Venation]

15. especially the bee - those are some really nice pictures

Thanks for posting them. I'mma send them to Mrs. V. She shoots pictures like this.

[RiffRandell]

16. Thanks Bertha!

I am by no means a good photographer; I credit my phone.

I just love sitting on my patio and enjoying them...we have really built a nice habitat.

How's Mrs. V feeling? Better, I hope.

[Bertha Venation]

17. Aw, Riff, thank you for asking

She is much better. Thank you.

[opiate69]

18. nice!