The striking Viceroy Limenitis archippus, can be sighted in flight, here in Massachusetts, from around the end of May till the beginning of October.Birds are now searching out the overwintering, hibernating, bird droppings-like caterpillars in their neatly constructed leafy 'tents' of apples, cherry or willow leaves. Like the Red-spotted Admiral they cleverly create a hibernaculum by drawing out silk from their bodies and securing leaves to twigs or branches so that they cannot fall. The third … [Read more...] about Flower Hill Farm Butterflies of 2012 ~ Viceroy and Common Buckeye
Flower Hill Farm Butterflies of 2012 ~ Red-spotted Admiral
Later on in this merry month of April, here in Western Massachusetts, Red-spotted Admirals Limenitis arthemis, who survive the cold winter and foraging birds, will awaken from their overwintering third larva stage. Flower Hill Farm has many of the preferred larva host plants or trees. The sleeping caterpillars, mimicking bird droppings, may be hiding out in some of our Black Cherry, Yellow Birch, poplars, hawthorns and shadbushes. When they awaken, the caterpillars will munch … [Read more...] about Flower Hill Farm Butterflies of 2012 ~ Red-spotted Admiral
Flower Hill Farm Butterflies of 2012 ~ Red-spotted Admiral
Later on in this merry month of April, here in Western Massachusetts, Red-spotted Admirals Limenitis arthemis, who survive the cold winter and foraging birds, will awaken from their overwintering third larva stage. Flower Hill Farm has many of the preferred larva host plants or trees. The sleeping caterpillars, mimicking bird droppings, may be hiding out in some of our Black Cherry, Yellow Birch, poplars, hawthorns and shadbushes. When they awaken, the caterpillars will munch on leaves for a … [Read more...] about Flower Hill Farm Butterflies of 2012 ~ Red-spotted Admiral
Flower Hill Farm Butterflies of 2012 ~ Red Admiral
When I wrote about the Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta, in my first Flower Hill Farm Butterflies of 2011, I was bemoaning the fact that I had never seen this 'admirable' butterfly in my gardens. Well, from year to year, we never know how things might be. This past spring of 2012 I delighted in oodles of the brightly, patterned butterflies floating about like living ornaments, lit up by the sun, lighting and feeding all over the weeping crabapple just outside our little painting … [Read more...] about Flower Hill Farm Butterflies of 2012 ~ Red Admiral
Flower Hill Farm Butterflies of 2012 ~ Red Admiral
When I wrote about the Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta, in my first Flower Hill Farm Butterflies of 2011, I was bemoaning the fact that I had never seen this 'admirable' butterfly in my gardens. Well, from year to year, we never know how things might be. This past spring of 2012 I delighted in oodles of the brightly, patterned butterflies floating about like living ornaments, lit up by the sun, lighting and feeding all over the weeping crabapple just outside our little painting studio. Red … [Read more...] about Flower Hill Farm Butterflies of 2012 ~ Red Admiral
