When February arrives, I am tired of winter. Tired of the cold, dreary, gray days and tired of being stuck indoors (mostly because I can't stand to be cold, not because of any severe weather). This is when I need an escape. Enter a trip to warmer climates. Yay! Here I sit in my office chair with the remnants of a fading tan and memories of …
Backyard Wildlife
Gardening with wildlife and creating wildlife habitat in your backyard or garden can bring you a lot of joy. I love to watch the birds, butterflies, frogs, lizards, bees, and small mammals visit my garden, even if it means I sometimes lose a few plants. These articles talk about how to create backyard habitat, what plants can help wildlife in your garden, and even talks about some of the critters you might see in your garden.
Early Spring Flowers for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies
This early spring sky is filled with butterflies! I am seeing so many eastern tiger swallowtail butterflies (Papilio glaucus) feeding on colorful spring flowers that it has really brightened my days. Eastern tiger swallowtails are quite large - with a wingspan of 3 to 5.5 inches and with their bright yellow wings with blue spots, they put …
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Are Monarchs the only Butterflies That Migrate (in North America)?
The orange and black colors of monarch butterflies are well-known and we keep an eye out for them each year. It is common knowledge that these butterflies migrate from their nesting grounds in Mexico into the northern United States and back each year. Did you know other butterflies migrate as well? The most prominent display of migratory …
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Cute Green Porch Visitors: Green Tree Frogs
After a week of fall temperatures (one week BEFORE fall), we are back in the heat and humidity of a typical summer day even though we are now officially in the fall season. On a particularly humid night, I opened the back door of my house to see these two little cuties hanging out. They were sitting on a chair directly underneath the porch …
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All About Dragonflies: Nature’s Beautiful but Deadly Insect Predators
With a flash of color and blur of movement, dragonflies zip through the air, often catching another insect in mid-flight. Their amazing flying abilities, those large eyes, and fragile wings have always fascinated me. These amazing insects are often brightly colored, though some are more colored to blend in with their surroundings. This …
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Gulf Fritillary Butterfly Chrysalis
With our purple passionflower vine planted on the trellis at the front of our house, we get to see many hungry caterpillars first fill their bellies and then find a comfy place to create their chrysalises. What Does a Gulf Fritillary Chrysalis Look Like? These chrysalises are strange-looking. They are twisty, kind of bumpy, and …