Absolutely fabulous! Your pictures are better than the ones in my butterfly calendar! I never even noticed the spots on the bodies until now. Thanks for sharing.

Isn't it wonderful getting more sun? I've had lots of treework done (mostly Norway maples and thinning), and my lot has gone from mostly shade to partial shade. I want more sun! I have a plan with my tree guy to take down the last huge Norway maple in my yard as soon as the snow melts (we have about 2 feet right now). I can't wait to get rid of that thing and grow more stuff. :-D I grow bronze fennel and it doesn't produce the bulb. That is "Florence fennel" and it's a cultivar of Foeniculum vulgare that has an enlarged bulb. It is similar to celery but has a mild sweet licorice taste. I cook them with brussel sprouts and carrots, or other winter veggies. It sounds like the pesticide applicator is targeting the woody plants. Hopefully he won't hit the host plants. Next time you see the sprayer, I would go over and ask him about the herbicide. Probably Triclopyr or 2-4-d. I think they kill broad leaf plants but not grasses?

Nell, Sassafras trees are not native in Oklahoma. When I was taking the scenic route through NC through the mountains, we stopped in the little mountain community of Highlands. I bought a Sassafras walking stick as a souvenir to take home to my son who was house sitting while we were gone. I bought two t-shirts: one for me and one for him that had the following words on them: "Hike Naked. It adds color to your cheeks". I get a lot of double take looks when I wear it. (hehehe) But we do have Hackberry trees everywhere, and they are butterfly magnets. I have seen the Spicebush butterfly here on my property from time to time. Not sure what they find here for their habitat plant(s) of choice, but they do come here to my place. Not sure if they are listed as a common butterfly in Oklahoma though. I was thrilled! Haven't spotted one yet this year. This is the first year that there haven't been any yellow Sulfurs, however. They are usually here in clouds, filling the air, so to speak. Last year they were spectacular! Those late freezes may have something to do with it. During the warm spell before the freezes there were butterflies out and about, bees and all. Then those three freezes hit in late March and early April and that may have killed them out. Don't know. I sure hope they return. I love those little yellows. They frequent my Salvias, especially the Lady in Red variety. Perhaps they will return soon, as my Salvias are just now starting to bloom. That is really late too. Darned late freezes messed everything up this year. Everything is way out of kilter time-wise. I couldn't find any Pentas this year. Wonder why? I love those beautiful flowers, too. Maybe we gardeners were butterflies in a former life. :) The high temps have returned again today. UGH! Clouds are building again and rolling in. Big, white clouds, coming out of the Northwest and fairly low to the ground. I hope, I hope, I hope we get more rain...and the lower temps return. Hope you all have a wonder-filled Fourth of July. May it be a memorable day for you all. Going out now to add horse manure-hay mulch to more of the flowers beds and fruit trees. It is really making a big difference already. Have a good one! ~Annie

Sorry I don't remember the name of the flower but I did buy it new this summer, I bet it is what you think it was though. Thank you for all the nice comments. I have done alot of research on raising butterflies and come to the conclusion that they are better off if I collect them and raise them in jars, there are so many parasites that can attack the catepillars. In fact out of the 12 that evolved into beautiful butterflies, I also had 12 die because of parasite inside them. I did not find them in time in the wild. Konrad, I love your butterfly shots, please share more.