Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

We have a Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly that loves to nectar on the Lantana. I've read that their host plants are willows and deciduous trees. We certainly have some of those around but seldom see more than one Tiger Swallowtail at a time. I enjoy them because they are not flighty and stay eating or resting for longer periods of time than some other butterflies. They make my heart sing!

Spider vs. Butterfly

I found a Monarch Butterfly caught in a spider's web. My first instinct was to go rescue it. But then... I thought about it and wondered if that was the right thing to do. The spider caught this as food and he needs his lunch.

I looked closely at the spider. He already had something he was eating. The poor Monarch was struggling and fighting. I couldn't stand to watch so I went and released it from the web. I left that fly for the spider. It was already dead.

But I keep wondering. Was that the right thing to do? I know I shouldn't interfere with nature and the way it all works together. Somehow, I find that very hard when it is spider vs. butterfly.

Sitting in the Sun

This beautiful Swallowtail Butterfly was on the Lantana in the back yard. He was just sitting in the sun!

The Monarchs are Here

We started seeing a few Monarch Butterflies in our yard in the last few weeks and now they are everywhere. They are particularly fond of the Zinnias and Lantana and are eating nonstop at the flowers in the garden. We will have to take a drive to the Butterfly grove in Pismo soon. November and December are when the count is the highest but we go several times each year as it is only a few miles from us on Highway 1.

What amazing creatures they are to fly so far and to know just where to find their resting place for the winter.