cool!

Plant blue/purple porterweed and you’ll get more

Joey, is the porterweed a perennial in Comal County?

This week there's a lot of yellow ones in San Antonio; suggestions on ID appreciated.

This different one below looked yellow with a transparent green tint in middle of wings; I didn't notice the purplish fringe, maybe camera exaggerated the color.

Porterweed is considered an annual in San Antonio (according to 2 local reliable sources).

Crimson Patch??? Why haven't they been here yet? Wasn't my hospitality last fall and spring appreciated?

The crimson patch was a new one for me! Dan, the top little one looks like a fiery skipper. The bottom one with the big black spot appears to be a Southern Dogface. the middle two, with the white dots, appear to be Large Orange Suphur. But I'm no expert! Just using my guide, "Butterflies of South Texas" purchased in the check out lanes of HEB.

The Common mestra amymone hasn't been so common around here, but I did spot one this morning perching on a Texas teabush ...

It didn't hang around long enough to get an open wing shot, but you can see it on the link above.

Is anyone else seeing this one?

Yes, I’ve had several around my house. And a monarch visited today too.

I've only seen a couple of the common mestra this year. Last year I had tons of them--probably 100+, and it was the first year I noticed them.

Right now I'm seeing admirals, painted ladies, queens, fiery skippers, and various sulfurs. The tithonias are a big draw, though they have seen better days. Got the first light frost here Thursday morning that damaged them.

It has not been a big year for us. I am seeing lots of sulfers mostly right now and some fritillaries..

There were about 50 butterflies in the yard here on Thanksgiving Day! Mostly small ones like hair streaks and little yellows, but with a couple of Gulf frits and Pipevine swallowtails. Next day -- not so many. It was great to see the garden so alive -- even if for only a day.

Well, this was certainly an unusual Thanksgiving. Polianthes "Sensation" and "Yellow Baby" sent up huge flower stalks that didn't fade to white like they do in summer and Brazilian Sage made a strong unseasonal comeback smothered in blooms. All are covered with clouds of butterflies similar to Dan's top photo except they are a bright lemon yellow. Anyway my wife and I sure enjoy taking our morning coffee out on the veranda and watching it happen. Amarcrinums sending up new flower buds but that isn't so unusual here in South Texas.