Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Butterflies On Radar AND on Mexican Sunflowers

                                           Painted Lady Butterfly


The Painted Lady Butterfly is one of the most widespread butterflies on Earth, it is on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. They sometimes migrate and when they do, they travel in large numbers. 


Last month the weather forecasters in Denver, Colorado saw something on radar that they assumed was a flock of birds and asked for the ornithologists to identify the species.  Instead, it was determined to be thousands of butterflies, a flight of Painted Ladies! (Most birds migrate at night anyway, the bird experts told them.)  You may read about the story here.
Now, that link I gave you shows a photo of a Painted Lady butterfly and says that it is often mistaken for a Monarch butterfly.  Say what?  Never!  Just look at them!
They are both beautiful butterflies but one is a Painted Lady and one is a Monarch.  Got it? Of course you do and you would never mistake them!  My mind will rest easy now...
Monarch Butterfly

We have really enjoyed our butterflies this summer...and since it was in the 80's today, we are still enjoying them.




Butterflies are always on MY radar! (Yes, I said it!)

Very grateful that the Mexican sunflowers that I planted from seed have done so well this year. The butterflies really love them. I can't blame them...I came home from work and looked up at the flower as I walked past and the orange petals against that blue sky...well, you know I had to go and take a picture so you could share in this joyful moment.






30 comments:

  1. It's sad that the butterflies have flown away. That's what I get for loving the fall colors I guess.

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    1. We still have our butterflies, it will be 80 today! It will cool down this week and that might be end of seeing them this year!

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  2. That picture of the sunflower seen from below is fabulous, Kay!
    I love butterflies, too, but unlike you, I am never able to take good pictures of them.

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    1. I was thrilled to look up and see that orange color against the blue sky, glad you like it too!

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  3. We still have a few hanging around, especially a friend's garden. Your sunflower is gorgeous!

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    1. Thanks! Let me know and I could send you some seeds! They might bloom from the seeds that I save but the flower is a TITHONIA if you want to look for seeds next year!

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  4. I do love beautiful butterflies, but I'm not able to recognise different breeds. It must have been a lot of butterflies to be mistaken for a flock of birds!

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    1. If you see a butterfly, just type in the description into a search engine and you will be able to identify it! That is what we do!

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  5. Nope don't think I would mistake them. The painted lady's wings look like stain glass.

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    1. Those hind wings are very distinctive. Besides, the Monarch FLIES very differently from a Painted Lady. Just have to observe, that's all!

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  6. How wonderful to still have beautiful butterflies to enjoy. I'm sure all of ours have managed to migrate south along with the hummingbirds. We've had unusually warm days for October but not enough to tempt them to stay!

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    1. Our butterflies really to love the Mexican sunflowers, they must be like candy to them!

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  7. I saw that on the news about the butterflies on the radar. Can you imagine how big that group was to show up like that?

    We hardly ever see butterflies around here anymore. It is just sad because I think they are such graceful, beautiful creatures.

    Love your pictures, Kay. Hope you have a great Thursday- xo Diana

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    1. Hey Diana! Butterflies on radar, that is really something to me!
      Take care!

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  8. Your photos make me smile, Kay! Butterflies are always on my radar! I should look for seeds for those Mexican sunflowers. So gorgeous against the blue!

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    1. The flower is TITHONIA. They were very easy to grow from seed. The leaves look very weedy but the flower MORE than makes up for it!

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  9. There used to be a gazillion Monarch butterflies around when I was a kid. It's rare to see one now. Very sad.

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    1. Monarch butterflies, we must make sure they don't go away forever!

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  10. I love your photo of the sunflower from underneath against the blue sky. It's 3D!

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    1. Thank you! I rarely like a photo that I take but that one shows you why I ran for the camera!

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  11. Wow, these are gorgeous images! We hardly ever see monarch butterflies anymore. It's very heartbreaking.

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    1. That is what Debra said too, very sad to think of losing monarchs.

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  12. Inspired set of photos. We get painted ladies here some summers when they fly over from mainland Europe in large numbers. This summer though has been dire for our butterflies- very cold and wet.

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    1. Guess what, I read that they fly from Africa in the MILLIONS! Yes, that is what it said! That must have been from years ago now, I bet not as much now.

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  13. Stunning! Fantastic shot of your orange Mexican sunflower against the sky, and I do love your pretty butterflies. Great post :)

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    1. Thanks, Patricia! Do you think you have ever seen a Painted Lady? They might have gotten that wrong and maybe you do have them in Australia!

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  14. Daniel and I were just saying yesterday how our garden seems to be a paradise for butterflies, bees and other bugs this year. And hummingbirds. Actually all kinds of birds. Your butterfly photos are gorgeous!! Those Mexican sunflowers are beautiful! I'll have to see if maybe we can grow some from seed next year. This year our zinnias grew really well from seed.

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    1. The Mexican sunflowers (or Tithonia) are perfect for the butterflies, I can't tell you how much they love them!
      We also have a butterfly and bird sanctuary at our place, I think we must be on some kind of wildlife map for them, and I bet you must be too!
      Lovely to see your comment here, dear Silke!

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