Zinnia Bug Power

Every year I plant zinnias for Blinky. We love the vibrant colors and the assortment of butterflies and moth they attract.

There are patches all over our yard. But the one I get to enjoy most is in my compost. (Where do you plant the bajillionth seedling pack when you've run out of space everywhere else?) Today, I spotted these beauties:

 

 

  

 

In the first three photos, I believe these are monarchs because they lack the black markings on the hindwings of the Viceroy and the white spots of the Queen. But you decide here. The final picture is of a daytime moth. I am working on identifying it. (If you look really closely, you'll see a pesky little caterpillar, hence all the holes in my leaves.)

 

Other species visit the zinnias at night. I've seen hummingbird moths and a few others I haven't yet been able to identify. I'm working on that too.

 

Hope you guys have a great holiday weekend!

Pot Lid Butterfly Feeder

As a Master Gardener, I am trained to look at discarded items with an eye to repurpose them. A few months ago, I swapped out my old teflon-coated pots for stainless steel ones, but kept the perfectly good lids in case I ever needed them. After watching a short-story commerical about decluttering your life, where they specifically instructed the viewers to toss those old pot lids that do not match the new pots, I was at a crossroad. But, a recent conversation about a butterfly garden gave me an idea!

I used the lids to make a butterfly feeder:

Butterflies need shallow watering trays from which to drink. Even bird baths are too deep. Now I just need to find the right spot in one of my flower beds, where we can enjoy watching our flying friends.