Sunday, March 28, 2010

Western Tiger Swallowtail on 'Bowles Mauve' Erysimum

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Gorgeous! I haven't seen a butterfly yet on our property- just an abundance of ladybugs and bees. Just a matter of time I hope.....

Christine said...

Carri and HappyM - Thank you!

I have noticed quite a few bees here as well, Carri.

The ladybug population seems to be getting off to a slow start, however. I have had only a few sightings to date.

Both seem odd to me since ladybugs were abundant here last year and I have heard we are in the midst of a bee population crisis.

Perhaps the apparent ladybug shortage is due to only intermittent warm weather. I can't wait for Spring to really arrive, not just tease us as it has so far!

Unknown said...

Maybe I stole your ladybugs?! I hope not! We released over 3000 of them last year for my daughters' birthday party (the kids LOVED it). Normally the ladybugs are gone within a day or so, but I think we actually had some that stuck around and moved into our lot!

Christine said...

3,000! Remarkable. What a lovely idea for a birthday party. I bought some at OSH once to share with my students when I was teaching preschool. It amazed me how the most active students could sit so transfixed for so long.

Ron McDonald said...

It must be the weather. I had tons of ladybugs last year and just a few so far this season. My clover and vetch are full of bees though,so many I can hear them wHen I walk out the back door.