We’ve had a bit of a cooler weather spell here lately, which has been wonderful for us Floridians. Today, with the warmer, cloudless blue skies, the monarchs have been in abundance. This female was not bothered at all by the countless photographs I took, or how close I became. She was hungry, feasting on the sweet nectar of the red penta, which is in abundance right now.
Seriosuly, does it get better than this? A monarch caterpillar conversing with a monarch butterfly on a giant milkweed. Nature is the best, butterfly gardens even better.
This morning, we had two monarch butterflies emerge and released into the front garden. Both of them were female, and both fluttered to a different destination among the plants to rest a little longer. One a few times.
Butterflies became such a significant part of my life, and my family’s many years ago. They always seem to appear, and fly extremely close, on the most important days making me smile, making me remember such a beautiful, loving family member.
I love hearing how butterflies have touched others people’s lives as well. It is remarkable how beautiful they are, the transformation they take on to become a butterfly, and how they represent more than that as well.
I am so happy I was able to help my friend’s vision turn into a reality this weekend. I was able to give her 12 butterflies that emerged in my butterfly house to release at her mother’s service. My heart is happy.
Here are a handful of photos of those butterflies enjoying some nectar, giving them fuel to fly high when released.
These two butterflies below emerged in the garden this morning.
At the right place, at the right time again, and this time I had my camera, BONUS! This female monarch butterfly emerged with such a perfection it was mesmerizing to watch, even if I have seen it hundreds of times before.
I really enjoyed watching this female elongate her proboscis once I placed her on a red penta. As I have stated before, the proboscis acts as the butterfly’s straw. The strong muscles in the butterfly’s head will stretch its first part of the esophagus to sip the nectar from the flower.
When the butterfly first emerges, the proboscis is in two parts. The butterfly will coil, and uncoil after it emerges until it fuses together.
Did you know there are muscles, nerves, and air tubes the length of the proboscis? When blood is forced into the proboscis it extends and the muscles help the butterfly move it when feeding. Tiny sensory pegs on the outside of the proboscis, one near the tip, both find and taste the nectar.
A male monarch butterfly stopping by a penta for some tasty nectar.
