Butterflies of Summer

It’s been a mixed bag around here bug-wise. The weather has been a roller coaster. The bumblebees have forgiven a great deal because I planted flowers they adore. The wasps are hunting. But you stopped for butterflies, right?

I have a fair bit of common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), so monarchs tend to claim the patch. I am trying to grow poke milkweed (Asclepias exaltata), but the rabbits find it a delicious treat if I’m not on top of the repellant game. So, yes, there are monarchs.

We also have many mature trees in the neighborhood, including some tulip trees, birch, a few last ash, and so forth. This means eastern tiger swallowtails swing by to hang out and nectar on whatever appeals. It is quite charming to see these huge mellow butterflies effortlessly float through the backyard. They seem to like having their picture taken.

The red admirals bip in and out for nectar. I like their bumbling flight and general cheerfulness. They tend to sit on your shoulder just to say hello for a quick second before wandering off. Clearly a little purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) goes a long way to attract butterflies.

Click on this one to enlarge to see its punctuation.

One of my favorites, though, is the question mark. This cute little woodland critter calls hackberry and elm a larval host, among other trees. It also hibernates in the crevices of the bark, so they can be the first butterflies on the scene in spring. Although they are a tree sap/carrion/feces eater, they will occasionally nectar on flowers. The distinguishing mark between a question mark and a comma is the silvery bit on the hind wing in the shape of the requisite punctuation. As a writer, how can I not love a butterfly named question mark?