About SweetButterfly Bliss

My love for butterflies grew exponentially after my daughter was born in 2016, as they gave a new meaning to my family. Our excitement grew as they started visiting our gardens, which then turned into raising some in our butterfly house. Stop on by and subscribe, as I share many photos of the species that have begun to call our gardens home.

Newly emerged

You ask, why should you plant a butterfly garden? Oh my goodness, the reasons are endless. I could probably come up with a quick 20 reasons without giving it much thought.

I will highlight one – seeing new life in the garden. Why, you ask? Because you watch the butterflies laying eggs, then the caterpillars  eat and grow, eat and grow before they disappear. Sometimes I can find their chrysalis, while other times cannot.

So, when I walk out into the garden and see a butterfly drying its wings, it brings me so much happiness, especially when I did not know a chrysalis was nearby.

Here are two monarch butterflies that emerged in my Southwest Florida garden this week.

Polydamas galore

The polydamas, “gold rim” swallowtail butterflies have had a phenomenal year in the butterfly garden so far this year.

There were a few days I didn’t have an opportunity to walk through the garden and by the third day, wow. My birthwort plant is crawling with a couple dozen polydamas caterpillars feasting away on its host plant.

It’s fun to watch these guys grow. When they are smaller they stay together in a pack, but eventually spread out as they get bigger.

Butterlfies appear  . . .

Butterflies appear when angels are near.

It never fails there is always a butterfly that emerges on a big day for my daughter. Today we had two.

Nature at its finest.

We had two butterflies emerge today, an orange barred sulphur (81) and a monarch butterfly (639). 

Fly free . . .

We have had a great amount of rain yesterday and today and my garden is looking beautiful!

I had four butterflies emerge this morning in iur butterfly house, 3 monarch butterflies (now totaling 637 released) and one orange barred sulphur butterfly (now totaling 80 released).

The clouds finally parted, the rain stopped, and three of the four have been released.

Oh that smell

The only plant that remained in my front yard as we began to make over the front space for my butterfly garden was the jasmine tree. This tree blooms a few times a year and when it does the aroma is intoxicating. As soon as you walk out the front door the sweet smell attacks your senses in such a beautiful way.

A wonderful perk, the butterflies seem to enjoy the jasmine nectar as well. This great southern white butterfly spent a great deal of time drinking to its hearts content. It was not bothered by me standing nearby at all.