After a slow start, the backyard has been full of butterflies. One of the flashiest is the Monarch. The zinnias draw the Monarchs in to fill up on the nectar. They land on the flat surface of the disk and drink from the individual ray florets surrounding the center. While they are occupied they will often allow close-up viewing for photographs and video.
Another flower they love is Asclepias curassavica commonly known as ‘Silky Gold’ Milkweed. This flower and its leaves are a host plant for the monarch caterpillar.
This milkweed floret is part of Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge.
The caterpillars are poisonous to birds and other wildlife after eating the milkweed. The milkweed contains toxic cardenolides which keep some predators, but not all, away.
A week or two ago when I cut back a rose bush I uncovered a monarch chyrsalis on my siding.
Soon I found the newly hatched caterpillar clinging to the wall.
He dropped down to a mint plant and finished drying his wings. After a few hours he took his first flight to the upper branches of a pine tree.
A day or two later I spotted another chrysalis on the underside of a concrete lion statue I have on my patio. I’ll keep a close watch and see if I can witness the miracle as one emerges from the chrysalis.
MINDING MY P'S WITH Q 
I don’t think I have ever, in all my life, seen a chrysalis in the “real world”. That is really neat! I didn’t know they were green either. Thanks for sharing that
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What’s even more interesting is right befere they hatch the chrysalis turns black. I don’t know if you can see the casing of it in the photograph, but it appears to be clear after the butterfly emerges. Thanks so much for stopping by!
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I saw that it was much darker! Very neat.
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Oh how pretty your garden is! The monarchs seem to think so too 🙂
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I really enjoy gardening…zinnias are a favorite and they’ve done well this year. The butterflies are abundant now after a slow start. Thanks so much.
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Where I live in the northeast, I’ve seen more zinnias in gardens than ever before. This must be their year 🙂
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I think you are right…I live in NJ…usually I have a lot of mildew and leaf distress on the bottom of the plants by this time of year. So far, not too much of that. They really grew tall too…a couple taller than I am, and I am average in height.
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Amazing. I wonder what the Old Farmer’s Almanac would say about that 🙂
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I love the way you love butterflies, Kathy. The pictures of the butterfly’s journey from chrysalis to the fly stage was amazing – as you said, truly a miracle and one that can make us believe that – God is in his heaven and all will be right with the world.
Susie
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That is exactly how I believe too Susie. Thanks so much for stopping by today!
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That is extreme excitement in slow motion! Thanks for sharing it with us.
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Thanks Anne! Just another reason I don’t blog as much…always out in the yard trying to find some new adventure.
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You planted well to have such fun visitors in your garden.
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The butterflies bring me a lot of joy. Thanks!
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I have seen very few butterflies this year – I need to plant milkweed for next year. Lovely shots.
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I have a common milkweed, and the golden, and the monarchs don’t seem to be picky about which one to lay eggs on…both types have had caterpillars.
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The video of the monarch on the zinnia was amazing – could feel the vibrancy
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Thanks!
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You have a beautiful garden Kathy and I love your video.
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Thanks Arlene, I love watching the butterflies and in the summer you can often find me in the garden with a camera in hand trying to capture them on film.
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