A female monarch butterfly stopping by for a meal of nectar from the blue porterweed.
Nectar stop
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Monthly Archives: July 2022
Favorite
The blue porterweed is a favorite plant in the garden for the butterflies. It is an excellent plant to add to a butterfly garden as the nectar is sought out by a variety of butterfly species.
This plant has tripled in size and makes a great ground cover, and does really well in full sun. It flowers year round and has coarsely toothed leaves. The stems with the flowers grow pretty long, which gives the garden a great layered look with bursts of green and blue.
Caterpillars
There are three sections of a caterpillars body, of course, with the first being the hard head, which includes its mouth on the lower side. The caterpillar has two jaws, which move from side to side, and includes either teeth, or blades, to cut, eat, through the leaves. On quite a few occasions, if you stop and listen closely, you can hear the caterpillars munching on the leaves.
The caterpillars found in the garden today are of various different sizes and species. I am sure there are more that we just did not find.
In order for a caterpillar to grow, it molts, which I read can take a day or two for the entire process to be completed. It’s fascinating to watch, if you ever have the opportunity to do so. The molting process takes place on several occasions, as the caterpillar has to shed its skin, so it can continue to eat and grow to the desired length. When a caterpillar begins to molt, it will create a silk pad, while making sure its prolegs are firmly attached. I find it interesting that the caterpillar will swallow air to enlarge itself, before its cuticle splits along the thorax, so it can wiggle out of the old skin.
Missed
This gulf fritillary missed the maypop passionvine, instead laying its egg on the chicken wire surrounding, and supporting the plant.
Florida beauty
The zebra longwing, the Florida state butterfly, has been spending more time in our garden lately, all throughout the day, instead of just the morning hours. This butterfly, at least in my experience, does not scare very easily. They fly very near to get to their destination.
I find it interesting that butterflies are insects that like to be clean. If not kept clean, their antennae’s do not function correctly. Although it may differ slightly to the species, butterflies will use their forelegs to groom their antennae by lower it and then crossing their legs over it, while rubbing them down the shaft to the club.
