RESIDENTS AND VISITORS IN THE GARDEN

I had read about the butterflies in Texas and was quite disappointed when I moved here and barely saw one or two twice a week. But gradually it trickled in that I had to be more specific in my choice of plants to lure them into the garden.

And when I realized that everything went pretty fast. And still some visitors were totally random and accidentally.

I started to plant climbers to cover up the ugly green synthetic string which the Queen Palms was attached to their support with. (And to make the garden less strict and more personal). First I planted a Blue Passion Vine (Passiflora caerulea). When the climber started to grow this spring, the Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) was swirling around it. And I soon realized that the Blue Passion Vine was its caterpillar host. The leaves don’t look that attractive at the moment, but I can easily live with that to admire the butterflies and their caterpillars.

Around five weeks ago my husband talked me into buying a Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa). It was initially not a very healthy plant and bought very cheap on a nursery sale. And it sure doesn’t look much better after the Monarch Butterfly larva’s (Danaus plexippus) found it. But both the caterpillars and I am very happy.

I bought a small and sickly looking Cape Honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis) at Lowe’s on a sale. The plant grew big and with loads of flowers during a month or so. And suddenly the Hummingbirds was here. 

And the self-seeding Zinnias in quite garish colours are the all time winners. Frequently visited by most flying insects and the hummingbirds.

There is a lot of info about butterflies in Texas on this Butterflysite.

I am pretty sure that this is an Orange-barred Sulphur Butterfly (Phoebis philea). The spots on the wings are attached to each other while on the Southern Dogface Butterfly the spots are far apart.

Swallowtail larva eating on my butterflyweed.

The Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) At least its a Swallowtail. Not fully sure its not a Black Swallowtail.

Moth

Not the best picture but my, the Hummingbirds move pretty fast!

Here is the Gulf Fritillary caterpillar. Basking in my passionfruit climber.

Cape Honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis)

This is a grown up Monarch.

Blue Passion Vine (Passiflora caerulea) is the host plant for the Gulf Fritillary Butterfly caterpillar.

Greenest frog Ive ever seen.