Tom,

At least you're seeing butterflies and hummingbirds. While they are slowly increasing in numbers, mostly monarchs, the variety of butterflies is still very slim. And, I'm having hummer withdrawal....I'm used to seeing several by now but it's not time for them here in SW Florida. I just need to adjust to having them in the fall and winter and just be patient (not one of my better virtues).

I don't know how either butterflies or hummers could resist your lovely gardens.

No more hummer plants? Yeah...right :)

Rhonda

Since hummers use many butterfly nectar plants, you'll still be providing for them should some show up, Tom.

This year has been much better for hummers than last year, when I only had one male that showed up here and there. There are now at least two males, maybe more, and a female finally showed up - she's being courted regularly. The other day, two males got in a fight over my porch feeder while I was on the porch doing something with the caterpillars. They spun downward together until they reached the ground, I looked over at them, and one was on top of the other one, beak to beak, holding the 'loser' down. It looked like he had won a wrestling pin, amazing!

Sherry

Saw a beautiful tiger yesterday. I think she was a female, but I haven't learned how to tell them apart. Also saw one that I think was a palemedes; it could have been a spicebush, however. It didn't stick around long enough for me to get a good look.

Didn't see one hummingbird yesterday.

I'm in Miami FL, and I haven't seen a hummingbird yet. I saw one last year near summer time, by mistake I think, cause we didn't see it again. I plant for both, but only have butterflies. I recently panted a passionvine that I thought was the maypop, but I've been told it could be the P. Incense. The Zebra Longwings are going crazy over it. Most days I have at least 30 of them there, with more around my yard. I have plants planted throughout my back yard, all over. The Zebras are ignoring the Corky vine for the new vine. The Gulf Fritillary is on the Edulis, which has fruit on it. I've never tried the passion fruit before. I wish I could see the hummingbirds in my yard, I've seen them at Fairchilds. Maybe because we have cats, they might not come.

Incense makes such beautiful flowers!

Sherry

Tom,

Congrats on the tiger and
palamedes and/orspicebush...I hope to see more variety soon.

They do make beautiful flowers. I thought the Lady Margaret was beautiful, but this one is just gorgeous. My mother is picking the runners, and putting it back on the trellis, so the plant looks huge, very big and full. Does the spicebush grow in zone 10b? I just planted about 20 different seeds I got, hopefully I'll have a lot more plants for them.

Tom, never really saw more than 1-2 hummers in like 20 years in so Florida but in Arizona saw 5-10 DAILY. The hummers and the bees swarmed my red powder puff bush. If i laid down by the pool, they would come and try to drink my nail polish!

Congrats, I would love to have hummingbirds in my yard!!!!!

Congrats, Tom! These little birds are so much fun to observe. You provide such a diverse number of blooming plants for them, it's nice to hear they're showing up for the feast.

Mary