Painted ladies (Vanessa cardui), that is. Painted ladies are sometimes referred to as cosmopolitans because their range is nearly worldwide. They are not resident in New Jersey, but they often migrate to this region from the deserts of northern Mexico and the U.S. Southwest….
Monarch (Danaus plexippus). What are monarch butterflies doing in my garden. No, I don’t mean what right do they have to be in my garden. I mean, literally, what is it that they are doing. We all know monarchs are migratory. Adult monarchs from…
Great spangled fritillary (Speyeria cybele). Just look at this great spangled fritillary, the first I’ve seen in my garden. Wow. NABA-North Jersey Butterfly Club website reports that females emerge later than males and are usually larger and darker. Great spangled fritillaries average 3 inches,…
August dog days. I wish I could say I spent major August time sitting in the shade reading novels. But I didn’t. Various projects imposed themselves upon me, taking me away from the garden and my blog. Dreadful. It has not been the best…
