Homestead

Autumnal Equinox

September 25, 2017 By Donna VanBuecken Leave a Comment

Have you noticed the days have been getting shorter? In fact, this past Friday at 3:02 p.m., we reached the autumnal equinox when the night was about as long as the day. This equality between night and day also happens during the spring equinox in late March. From now on (for 182 days) the days will continue to grow shorter until late December.

AUTUMN CHORES

The autumnal equinox also signals the time for landowners to begin preparing their yards for the coming winter. This year let’s try to keep as many leaves and twigs in our yards as we can. Many butterflies over-winter wrapped in leaves either as chrysalis or as caterpillars. Mulching the leaves, cuts them up. Removing them buries them in the local landfill.

Tiger Swallowtails, for example, overwinter. Their chrysalis look like a dried leaf and are typically attached to a tree or the stem of a plant in the garden.

Besides butterflies, there are many other insects that winter over in the fallen leaves and in and on twigs and stems. As the lawn and garden debris breaks down over the course of the winter season, they also provide much needed nourishment for the soil. If allowing the leaves and twigs to remain where they fall, is just not acceptable, try dumping the leaves around nearby trees to provide a mulch cover for their thirsty roots. You’ll be amazed how good this will make you feel, knowing you’ve helped maintain the home of an overwintering insect or simply nourishing the soil.

WINDY DAY SURPRISE

Two migrating species, the Monarch (*Danaus plexippus*) and Painted Lady (*Vanessa cardui*) butterflies getting some nectar on a very windy day, September 20, 2017. The Painted Lady is sitting just above the birdbath. Notice the *Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii* ‘Goldsturm’ in the photo. Neither butterfly was interested in this cultivar; only the native New England Aster (*Symphyotricum novae-angliae*). Nor were the many other insects anxiously buzzing around this garden area.

Red-Spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) on Virgin’s Bower (Clematis virginiana)

September 1, 2017 By Donna VanBuecken Leave a Comment

This rather tattered Red-Spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) butterfly was nectaring on a native clematis vine known as Virgin’s Bower (Clematis Virginiana). The clematis grows beautifully in a partially shaded fence on the west side of our swimming pool, and very adequately provides privacy in that corner. See also Virgin’s Bower (Clematis virginiana) Pollinator Magnet

While researching the Red-Spotted Purple, I learned that they are a woodland butterfly. In our yard they would like Black Cherry (Prunus srotina), Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa), Cockspur Hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli), American Basswood (Tilia americana) and White Birch (Betula pubescens) as their host plants. But in the neighborhood, they have their pick of Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica) and Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) as well. As adults they will nectar on small white flowers, hence this one’s timeout on the Virgin’s Bower.

When I first spotted this lovely creature, I thought it was a female black Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, but it did not have the distinctive tail of the swallowtail butterfly. The Red-Spotted Purple ranges from Alaska southeast of the Rockies into Central Texas, and east to New England and South to Florida.

Descriptions below were taken from University of Florida Entomology & Nematology. Click on the photos to enlarge.

In the sun, the upperside is iridescent blue on the outer part of the hindwing with a row of curved marginal white dashes.

The upper surface of the front wings are brownish-black with thin marginal white dashes and submarginal rows of oblong white and orange spots.

The underside is brownish-black with red-orange bars near the base of the forewing and red-orange spots near the base and submarginal, along with a submarginal row of red-orange spots.

Thanks Doug Tallamy for his assistance in identifying this beautiful creature.

Painted Turtle in Pool

August 16, 2017 By Donna VanBuecken Leave a Comment

I have had the privilege of caring for our inground pool and the critters that take respite in it for over 30 years. This is the first time I found a Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) in the skimmer. Cute! We transported him to our prairie behind the house. Hopefully he’ll make it home safely from there.

Colors of Summer

July 31, 2017 By Donna VanBuecken Leave a Comment

The past few days have been pleasant weather-wise, and without rain for a change. It gave me a chance to get out and take some photos of the colors of summer. Enjoy!

Note: Don’t forget to click on the photos to enlarge.