The MGS Forum
Gardening in mediterranean climates => Wildlife in the garden (birds, butterflies, and how to attract them) => Topic started by: Umbrian on August 20, 2012, 10:58:43 AM
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My Lantana attracts many butterflies - here are two - I hope :)
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:-[ Oh no the second one got left behind again :-[
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Nice.
The silvery one is holly blue butterfly (Celastrina argiolus). It occurs in mediterranean climates and in cooler damper ones. In the hotter and drier climates, it tends to favour slightly damp spots. I had one turn up in my garden a week or so ago, and it distinctly favoured an area of Aptenia/Lippia groundcover where the soil was indeed slightly damp (from irrigation).
The other one is a clouded yellow butterfly (Colias crocea). Common but cheerful.
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Thanks Alice and Mike - I am impressed that you could name them for me Mike even though they were feeding with wings closed! I waited ages to try to get an open winged photo but with no luck and, being only a very amateur photographer, was quite pleased with the detail I managed to get on these particular "snaps" :) I was fascinated by the feeding habit of the blue one - it gradually turned a complete circle on the flower it was feeding on in order to gain the last bit of nectar? pollen? (Sorry my terminology on such matters is woefully lacking :-[)
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Mike added some thoughts on photographing butterflies and moths to this thread, so helpful that I've split them off as a separate topic, Photographing butterflies and moths (http://www.mgsforum.org/smf/index.php?topic=980.0).
Thanks, Mike!
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Many thanks for your very useful photographing tips, Mike. And what an impressive butterfly/moth identifier you are!
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Despite the warning that this topic hasn't been posted on for at least 120 days I didn't want to start a new one.
After the wild, wet storms of the last couple of days the weather has calmed down and the sun is out in an, almost, clear blue sky. Our Echiums are in full bloom and this morning were the focus of a multitude of bees and several butterflies. I apologise for the rather average picture quality but the subject matter were not willing to co-operate by sitting still and my camera is of the basic 'point and squirt' variety.
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Lovely John.
Red admiral, large white (male) and painted lady - perhaps extra flitty and keen on feeding after sitting tight for a couple of days while the winds whirled.
It is nice to see a painted lady and red admiral feeding. So often 'my' ones are intent on patrolling their patches and show scant interest in nectaring. Under my breath I find myself telling them they must feed!
Paphos blues have come out in the last week or two, and one of my favourites - the orange tip.
One inevitably gets pleasure from seeing one's gardening labours resulting in lovely blossoms, but seeing butterflies (and moths) enjoying them too is a bonus, almost a vote of thanks from Mother Nature.