Love your pictures Konrad! I like butterflies too, I took some pics of caterpillars this summer. (Easier to compose, they don't move as fast LOL) Can't remember if I posted this here. These swallowtails ate all my dill - and grew at an alarming rate. If anyone wants to see a lot of swallowtails, plant members of the carrot family. These favoured dill over carrots in my garden.

Wow, those are some awesome pictures! I do love butterflies too, and this was a great year for them, at least in my garden anyway. Actually, I did see a smaller black butterfly a week or two ago, but couldn't id it, and didn't have my camera close by. Earlier this summer, we did have a thread going in the gallery with a few butterfly pictures.

Here is a link that might be useful: Visitor to the garden

Thank you so much for your kindness!
Also for the link Laurie!....I sure have missed this one, some good info there!

Gillian & Laurie
You sure got a terrific shot of that caterpillar!
Did you see go into pupa?

Laurie
You are sooo... lucky to see Monarch's!....those pics are sooo....NICE!
That green frog is sooo ......adorable, is there a name for this guy?...Is it a native frog?

I'm pretty sure, Monarch don't migrate as far north as Edmonton ... usually closer to USA boarder.
How far north of it do you live.

As kids in Switzerland, we used to go to the local gardener and looked for swallowtail caterpillars in the carrot patch, placed them in a box and fed them. I think we had butterflies in a month or so?.....I know, not really a smart thing to do!

I was actually disappointed with the overall Butterfly visit this year! Usually we get more swallow tails but I must have seen only 3 or 4.

This one was feeding on Evans Cherry,....too bad a damaged wing!..Must have been a older one or was in a battle with something??
I'm sometimes wondering, if these ones or others we see migrate?
Konrad

"You sure got a terrific shot of that caterpillar!
Did you see go into pupa?"

No, I didn't see it. I sure wish I had though. Thinking back about it, I probably should have put one of the biggest caterpillars in a jar so that we all could have seen it go into pupa. Next year, if they come back, I'll have to remember to do this.

I live a few miles north of Brandon, MB which is on the #1 highway. So I'm about an hour north of the US border. I did take a picture of another monarch about 5 years ago, but haven't seen any since then. Two years ago, I planted some milkweed, so I'm really hoping that the monarchs will be coming back here regularly.

As for the frog, I have no idea what kind he is, but I have seen them around before. He was so tiny and cute. I wonder if he was full grown or not, and if not, how big he can grow to? He was a wonderful photo subject anyway, as he paid absolutely no attention to me sticking the camera in his face!lol

Nice picture of the swallowtail. Too bad about the wing though. It truly is amazing that butterflies can withstand as much as they can, because they look sooooo fragile.

*sigh*, will have to wait a few months before we see any more of these flying beauties. :(

Thank you Laurie!
Do you know the species of milkweed you planted?

>> we all could have seen it go into pupa. Next year, if they come back, I'll have to remember to do this.

The only problem with this is....when bringing them into the house, temperature will change, [warmer]
and you are pushing the whole process ahead, which means the pupa can prematurely turn into a Butterfly
and when released, perhaps it will be too cold and will die.
Most pupa, [I think] around here anyway, will over winter outside and when temperature favour in spring it will open. Sometimes there is two life cycles per season, in the south for sure....I'm still learning!
Some people put the pupa into the fridge until spring.

Konrad

Did anyone else hear on CBC radio on Friday about the Monarch sitings in the UK? I guess they're all really excited about it. The fellow who saw one (and put it in his greenhouse to overwinter) figure a bunch of Monarchs got caught in the jet stream and a few of them actually made it across the atlantic ocean. Amazing. Apparently there were a few different sitings all within a few days of each other, and they figure it was just a freak incident.

Konrad's picture of the butterfly with the broken wing reminded me of it.
Toots

Wow, Monarchs in the UK! That would cause a big stir all right.

Konrad, I planted Asclepias 'Milk Maid'. It's a white flower and the scent reminds me of vanilla. If you would like some seed, you can email me.

Thank you all!
Toots
A co - worker was mentioning too, very interesting, more in the link.
Laurie
Thank you so much for your offer!
I'm sure, these plants will attract other butterflies too,....do you think so?
I will first see, if there are seeds here in town.
Konrad

Here is a link that might be useful: Monarch blown to U.K.

Very interesting article, Konrad. Thanks for posting that. The asclepias should attract other butterflies too. I'm pretty sure that I've seen a viceroy on it as well.

Konrad, thanks for the article. what a coincidence it landed in a professional's yard, eh? Or lucky is more appropriate, as he would be more likely to take note of it.
Toots

Got a picture of a Milbert's Tortoiseshell yesterday.

alpiner, you sure know your Butterflies!
I was about 99% sure that it was comma the other day because that was all I have seen last fall and figured these where the first ones to come out in spring.
Konrad
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What a beautiful photo Konrad! Love seeing all the bird and butterfly photos here!

Yesterday, I had seen a lovely large butterfly that had awakened from it's long winters sleep, unfortunately it was trapped within a locked outbuilding at one of those little tourist building sites and the poor thing was furiously dancing against the window. Funny, but all three of us had stood there watching and feeling sorry for the little fellow and knowing of his impending doom .... okay we've got soft hearts!

Terry

Thank you Terry!

This one from today, it looks like a Comma.

Konrad

This Canadian Tiger Swallowtail from today on Evans Cherry.

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Konrad

Calendar pics, Konrad. Absolutely beautiful! The clarity and detail is just tremendous. Keep 'em coming.

Shauna

The Canadian tiger swallowtail is a real beauty! Looks so lovely against the white blossoms, too. :^)

Thank you all!!

Yesterday I was lucky to get some shots of what I believe a
Atlantis Fritillary /Speyeria atlantis

Konrad

There are monarchs about, I saw one drifting by on the breeze yesterday evening, unfortunately my camera was down in the basement so by the time I got to it, the butterfly was long gone. They seem to like my neighbour's garden, she has an extensive variety of perennials of all shapes and sizes.

Thanks for posting your beautiful pictures everyone! I'm pretty new to gardening, and while I love seeing the butterflies come by I've never known what most of them are.